While Tuesday is Election Day in the United States, for Minnesotans it's actually the last day of voting.

"Tomorrow's not the day we vote, it's the last day we vote," said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon in a video conference Monday.

Minnesota's early voting period began Sept. 18, and according to Simon’s office, the state has already accepted 1.7 million ballots.

Minnesotans may vote in-person at their precinct polling location from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. (Some smaller jurisdictions are allowed to open at 10 a.m., but most open at 7.) Voters in line at 8 p.m. must be allowed to cast their ballot.

While a court challenge to Minnesota’s acceptance of mailed absentee ballots arriving after 8 p.m. Tuesday requires the state to segregate those ballots for potential future litigation, a person who votes at their polling place — even if the act of voting occurs after 8 p.m. because there is a waiting line — is still considered to have voted within the legal time frame, according to Simon.

Same-day registration is available at the polls. A new voter must be able to prove their identity and prove they live in the precinct. Information is available on the Secretary of State website at sos.state.mn.us about methods of proving that.

Voters who have already received an absentee ballot but have not returned it have until 3 p.m. Tuesday to turn it in, either to a designated drop box or to the designated local election office. Do not bring an absentee ballot to the polling place.

However, voters may discard an absentee ballot and instead vote in-person at their polling place.

“People change their minds all the time and Minnesota law accommodates that change of heart,” Simon said.

Voters who already mailed their absentee ballot may use the state’s online ballot tracker at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AbsenteeBallotStatus.aspx to check the status of that ballot. If it has not arrived, or if they simply want to be certain their vote is counted, those voters also may vote in-person at their polling place.

The absentee ballot will be voided in favor of the in-person ballot.

“There’s nothing wrong with that and that’s not considered voting twice,” Simon said, because there is a bar code attached to every ballot. “ … The in-transit ballot will be canceled.”