Hennepin County voters cast nearly 302,000 votes in the recent Aug. 11 primary, the most votes in the previous primaries going back 30 years. | Pixabay
Hennepin County voters cast nearly 302,000 votes in the recent Aug. 11 primary, the most votes in the previous primaries going back 30 years. | Pixabay
Recent primary voters in the most populous county in Minnesota cast more votes in the Aug. 11 primary than in previous primaries going back 30 years.
The Hennepin County Elections website reported that nearly 302,000 Hennepin County residents voted absentee or at the polling place during the primary.
Those results were as of 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14, the Hennepin County Elections website said.
In comparison, there were 73,251 votes cast in 2016 (65,252 election day and 7,999 absentee), the Hennepin County Elections website said.
Having a population of nearly 1.3 million as of 2019, “Hennepin County is the most populous” county in Minnesota, according to the website of World Population Review. Minneapolis is the county seat.
Voters were encouraged to vote absentee because of COVID-19, according to Hennepin County's website.
“If it is necessary to vote in person, you are required to follow county or city COVID-19 policies including wearing a mask or face covering and staying six feet apart from others. Do not enter county buildings if you are sick,” the website stated.