Winona, Minnesota Public Records

Minnesota offers online voter registration through the Secretary of State's website at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us, allowing eligible citizens to register or update their registration electronically. The state also permits same-day voter registration, meaning eligible citizens can register at their polling place on Election Day or during early voting by providing proof of residence such as a driver's license with current address, utility bill, or another registered voter from the same precinct who can vouch for the applicant's residence. While the voter registration deadline for pre-registration is 21 days before an election, same-day registration remains available through Election Day. Minnesota does not require voter ID in the traditional sense, but voters must provide identification or have their identity confirmed through vouching. The city conducts municipal elections for mayor and city council members. Winona operates under a council-ward system with four ward council members and three at-large council members, plus a mayor. Municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years, with the next regular municipal election scheduled for November 2025. The mayor serves a four-year term, while council members serve staggered four-year terms. Local ballot measures, charter amendments, or special elections may appear on ballots when referred by the city council or through citizen petition. Residents can find their assigned polling place using the Polling Place Finder at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us by entering their address; the tool provides the polling location address, hours, and sample ballot. The county operates multiple polling places within the city and throughout surrounding areas. Election records in Minnesota are extensively public under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 and election law provisions. Voter registration lists (excluding certain protected information) are public and available for inspection, though commercial use is restricted. Campaign finance reports filed by candidates and committees are public and searchable through the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board at cfb.mn.gov. Candidate filings, affidavits of candidacy, and nomination petitions are public records maintained by the Winona County elections office. Precinct-level election results are public immediately after certification and published on the County Auditor-Treasurer's website and the Secretary of State's election results portal. In the November 2024 presidential election, Winona County reported approximately 53% voter turnout of registered voters with strong participation across all precincts, reflecting typical patterns for Minnesota, which consistently ranks among the highest states for voter participation. The November 3, 2026 general election will be significant for local voters. Minnesota's statewide races in 2026 include election for Governor (four-year term), Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Auditor, and all constitutional offices. All 134 seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives will be on the ballot (two-year terms), and approximately half of the 67 Minnesota State Senate seats (four-year staggered terms) will be contested depending on district. County voters will also elect county offices including County Commissioner positions that are up for election in 2026 (four-year staggered terms), and potentially county attorney, sheriff, recorder, auditor-treasurer, and other offices depending on term schedules. At the federal level, one U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota will be on the ballot in 2026 (the seat currently held by the senator whose term expires January 2027), and the city's U.S. House representative from Minnesota's 1st Congressional District will be on the ballot (two-year term). Voters should check with the Winona County elections office closer to the election for confirmed candidate lists, local ballot questions, and judicial elections if any are scheduled. Minnesota offers absentee voting both in-person and by mail. County voters can request an absentee ballot online at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us or by contacting the elections office directly. Absentee ballots may be requested up to one year before an election and must be requested no later than one week before Election Day (for mail ballots). In-person absentee voting is available at the County Auditor-Treasurer's office beginning 46 days before an election through the day before Election Day, with extended hours typically offered in the final weeks before the election. Minnesota requires absentee ballots returned by mail to be received by Election Day (postmarks do not count), though voters may also drop off completed absentee ballots at the elections office or their polling place on Election Day.