MARSHALL — There are two weeks left for Minnesotans to cast absentee and mail ballots in the March presidential primary. In Lyon County, that countdown is important not just for people casting early ballots, but for the 16 precincts in the county that have opted to vote by mail-in ballot.

About half of Lyon County’s 33 voting precincts now vote by mail.

The Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office said the mail ballot precincts include the cities of Florence, Garvin, Ghent and Taunton; as well as Amiret, Coon Creek, Eidsvold, Fairview, Grandview, Lake Marshall, Lucas, Shelburne, Sodus, Stanley and Vallers Townships. Ballots were sent to all registered voters in mail ballot precincts on Jan. 31, the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office said.

Mail-in ballots require a witness’ signature. Instructions on filling out and returning the mail ballots were sent to voters along with the ballots, the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office said.

Mail-in ballots can be returned by mail or in person at the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office, at the Lyon County Government Center in Marshall. Mailed ballots must arrive on or before Election Day on March 3. Ballots returned in person must be brought to the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The polling place for mail ballot precincts is the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office, and polls will be open March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Auditor/Treasurer’s Office will be open for absentee voting Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Absentee voting will continue through Monday, March 2, when the office will be open until 5 p.m.

Voters wishing to cast an absentee or early ballot in the primary will have an extra day to do so this year. The Auditor/Treasurer’s Office will be open on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for absentee voting.

The primary will have separate ballots for Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor presidential candidates. Voters will only be able to fill out a ballot for one party, and will have to request the one they want. The process will help determine presidential candidates for the November general election.

So far, more than 57,000 people across Minnesota have requested absentee ballots since the early voting period started Jan. 17, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said. A total of 25,459 ballots have been accepted so far.

On Friday, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said here have been more DFL ballots cast than Republican ballots so far. A total of 21,363 DFL ballots have been accepted compared to 4,092 Republican ballots.

The DFL ballot lists 15 candidates, compared to just one — President Donald Trump — on the Republican ballot.

Besides having a bigger number of candidates to choose from, the names DFL voters will see on the ballot include some names that have already dropped out of the race. Candidates Andrew Yang, Michael Bennet, John Delaney, Cory Booker, Marianne Williamson, Julian Castro, and Deval Patrick have all dropped out since the Jan. 17 absentee voting period started.

There is a way for absentee voters who have already returned their ballots to change their vote, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said. Voters can ask to cancel their ballots up until the close of business one week before Election Day. In order to cancel a ballot, voters must contact their county auditor or clerk. If you cancel your ballot, your options are to have a new ballot mailed, to vote in person at your local election office or vote at your polling place on Election Day, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said.

More information on voting in Lyon County is available online at www.lyonco.org/election-information, or by contacting the Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office at 507-537-6724.

Minnesota voters can also go online to MNvotes.org to register to vote, check their registration, request an absentee ballot, and more.