Election Coordination
The Administrator’s Office at City Hall coordinates the elections for all city, state, and federal elections that are held in International Falls. For more information regarding city elections, please contact the office of the City Administrator at (218) 283-9484 during regular business hours.
Qualifications for Voting
The state of Minnesota requires the following for voter eligibility:
- Minimum age of 18 by election day
- Minnesota residency for at least 20 days immediately preceding the election
- United States citizenship
- Voter registration
Residents unqualified to vote are those who:
- Are not registered to vote
- Are under guardianship
- Have been convicted of treason or a felony and not yet restored to their civil rights
- Have been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent
Voter Registration
Voters may register at the Koochiching County Auditor’s Office. You must be 18 years old on the day of the election or before to register to vote.
Primary & General Elections
National, state, and county primaries are held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the second Monday in August. International Falls has no city primary election. Minnesota has a consolidated primary ballot, which allows voters to make a secret choice of major party primary. Primary ballots marked for candidates from more than one party are considered defective and are not counted.
National, state, county, and city general elections are held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Candidates file for mayor and City Council positions at City Hall not less than eight weeks and no more than 10 weeks prior to the election. City Council elections are non-partisan and candidates run for their respective ward or at-large seats.
Election Day Registration
An individual who is eligible to vote may register on election day by appearing in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the individual maintains residence, by completing a registration card, making an oath in the form prescribed by the secretary of state and providing proof of residence. An individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by:
- Having a voter who is registered to vote in the precinct sign an oath in the presence of the election judge vouching that the voter personally knows that the individual is a resident of the precinct; a voter who has been vouched for on election day may not sign a proof of residence oath vouching for any other individual on that election day
- Showing a current utility bill with photo ID card
- Showing a driver’s license or Minnesota identification card (with current address) or receipt for one
- Showing a notice from the County Auditor’s Office with address and precinct shown
- Showing one of the following:
- A current student fee statement that contains the student’s valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card
- A current valid student identification card from a post-secondary educational institution in Minnesota
