Absentee ballots for the Aug. 12 primary and Nov. 4 general elections in Minnesota can now be ordered online.

The state Secretary of State’s office has order forms at its website.

Ballots will be mailed when they become available, 46 days before each election. The absentee ballots must be filled out, signed and witnessed, and returned by mail or in person before the election.

A similar online tool for military and overseas voters was available last year.

The SOS office notes that:

“…Minnesota voters no longer need an excuse to vote absentee, such as being ill or out of their precinct on Election Day. As a result, more voters can vote early by absentee to avoid long lines and waits at the polling place.”

And:

“In Minnesota’s last non-presidential election in 2010, there were 127,248 absentee ballots cast, about 6 percent of the total 2,123,369 votes cast.”