Dakota County, Minnesota
Dakota County, Minnesota voter information: how to register, check your status, see your sample ballot and contact your local election office. Home to about 453,000 people, Dakota County ranks 3rd in population among Minnesota's 87 counties. In Minnesota, the county election office handles registration and absentee voting, often alongside city clerks.
Next Election
March 7, 2028
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register online or by mail at least 21 days before an election; you can also register in person, including on Election Day.
Why Voting Matters
Voting is how Dakota County residents shape the decisions made in their name. The next election for Dakota County voters is Minnesota's presidential nomination primary on March 7, 2028; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Local work in health care and retail means debates over health care costs directly affect Dakota County families.
Dakota County voters cast about 259,000 ballots for president in 2024, about the same as the 262,000 cast in 2020. Compared with the county's roughly 351,000 adult residents, that works out to about 74%, close to the statewide rate of about 72%.
That means roughly 92,000 adult residents did not cast a presidential ballot. Some are not eligible, but many are, and that is a lot of untapped power. If just one in 20 of them voted, Dakota County would add about 4,600 voices, more than enough to decide a close local race.
Across about 562 square miles, Dakota County averages around 806 people per square mile, mixing neighborhoods, towns and open land. The county is home to about 7.8% of Minnesota's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Dakota County include 55009, 55010, 55018, 55024, 55031, 55033, 55044 and 55057, plus 17 more. Take two minutes to confirm your registration, preview your ballot with the links on this page, and decide when and how you will vote. Bring a neighbor along.
Voter Assistance Resources
Questions about voting in Dakota County? In Minnesota, the county election office handles registration and absentee voting, often alongside city clerks. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Dakota County election office.
Statewide directory, Minnesota Secretary of State's Find County Election Office page:
https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/find-county-election-office/
See your sample ballot. Minnesota Secretary of State: Get a Sample Ballot:
https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot/get-a-sample-ballot/
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
To ask a question or report a problem at the polls, call or text Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), a free nonpartisan hotline. For help in Spanish call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for Asian languages call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Dakota County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact the Minnesota Disability Law Center, Minnesota's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (800) 292-4150. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our Minnesota voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Dakota County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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