Elections
One of the best ways to participate in Northfield’s municipal city government is by voting. The City Clerk’s office oversees all aspects related to holding elections, including voter registration, polling locations, absentee voting and election judges.
Voter Registration
A person is eligible to vote in City of Northfield elections if at the time of the election, he or she is 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the United States and has resided in Minnesota for at least 20 days. An eligible person may pre-register.The Minnesota Secretary of State's office provides official information about voter requirements and registration, absentee voting and becoming an election judge. Learn more at Minnesota Secretary of State Voter Information.
Polling Locations
You must vote in the precinct in which you live. Prior to elections, the City announces polling locations for each ward and precinct. See the Minnesota Secretary of State Precinct Finder to determine the polling location for a particular address. View City of Northfield polling locations.Absentee Ballots
Absentee balloting occurs within the 46 days before each election. Eligible voters may vote by absentee ballot for the following reasons: 1) absent from the precinct; 2) illness or disability; 3) religious discipline or observance of religious holiday; 4) service as an election judge in another precinct; 5)eligible emergency declared by the governor or quarantine declared by the federal or state government. Additional information can be found at Minnesota Secretary of State Voter Information or by contacting the City Clerk’s office.Election Judges
Election Judges help guarantee that the rights of voters are protected on election day and are responsible for administering election procedures in polling location on election day. Judges open and close the polls, verify voter registration, distribute ballots, protect voter privacy, calculate and certify results.Anyone eligible to vote who can read, write, and speak English can be an election judge. However, an election judge cannot be a candidate in the election, be closely related to a candidate or closely related to another election judge in the same precinct. (Closely related means a spouse, parent, child, or sibling.)
The City may appoint qualified applicants to serve as election judges without requiring them to indicate if they are affiliated with a major political party. Election judges must remain impartial at all times while on duty.
After at least 2 hours of training (for which the election judges are paid), four or more judges will be assigned to each precinct. One of the judges will be appointed the lead judge. Judges who have already received the mandatory two hours of training must attend a review course every two years.
Election Judge Application