I got my absentee ballot for Minnesota's August primary. So did friends who are voting their first-ever Minnesota absentee ballots. They asked for a thread of tips.

Tip 1: Right on the back of my mailing envelope, it says to "read and follow the enclosed instruction sheet." I'd add to also read the instructions on the ballot, the three envelopes, and the registration form, if you needed one.

Tip 2: If you have any questions, call your local elections office. They are the experts. If anything they say either in the instructions or by phone contradicts anything I say, believe them.

Tip 3: Indicate each vote by filling in the target next to your choice. For most Minnesotans, like me, that means filling in an oval. In some parts of the state it is a rectangle. Either way, a completely filled-in mark indicates your choice.

Tip 4: Pick a lane and stick to it on the partisan side of the ballot. That is, vote only in one party's column. In the August 2020 primary, all Minnesotans will have a partisan side to their ballot.

Tip 5: Look to see whether you have a one-sided ballot or need to flip to also vote on the back. I live somewhere with a non-partisan side to the ballot, so I need to flip. Some Minnesotans only have a partisan side to vote on. Either way, your ballot will tell you.

Tip 6: Pay attention to how many votes you get to cast for each office. In this School District race, I get to vote for one. But in some places, you might get to vote for more. And in Minneapolis's 6th Ward, there's even a ranked-choice race. Read the instructions!

Tip 7: Put a couple ticklers in your calendar. I've got a note for July 28 (two weeks before election day) to vote and another for August 4 (one week) to check on http://mnvotes.org  that my ballot was accepted. That way I have time for a Plan B.

Tip 8: If you're not comfortable mailing your ballot a couple weeks ahead—because things might change—you have the option of hand-delivering it up until 3pm on Election Day to the elections office. (NOT the polling place.)