The presidential election isn’t until November, but next week Minnesotans will be taking part in the early steps of the process of choosing the next U.S. President. The presidential nomination primary is Tuesday, March 5. Lyon County voters will be able to cast ballots narrowing down the presidential nominees in major political parties.

Polling places will be located in several area cities, including Balaton, Cottonwood, Lynd, Marshall, Russell and Tracy, as well as at the Clifton Town Hall in Clifton Township. The Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office said polls open at 7 a.m., except in Clifton Township, where the polls will open at 10 a.m. All polls will close at 8 p.m.

Because the primary is a partisan election, voters taking part will need to choose one of three ballots, representing each of the major parties in Minnesota. There are separate ballots for the Republican Party, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

Absentee and mail-in voting is already underway in Minnesota. A total of 18 of Lyon county’s 33 voting precincts opted to use mail-in ballots for the presidential primary. The list of mail-in precincts includes the cities of Florence, Garvin, Ghent and Taunton, and Amiret, Coon Creek, Custer, Eidsvold, Fairview, Grandview, Lake Marshall, Lucas, Monroe, Rock Lake, Shelburne, Sodus, Stanley and Vallers Townships. Voters in mail-in precincts will have the option of hand-delivering their ballots to the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office at the Lyon County government Center.

Polling places in Lyon County

City of Balaton: Balaton Community Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

Clifton Township: Clifton Town Hall, 3051 County Road 6. Polls open at 10 a.m.

City of Cottonwood: Cottonwood Community Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Lynd and Lynd Township: Lynd Community Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Marshall Ward 1: Red Baron Arena. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Marshall Ward 2: Marshall Middle School. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Marshall Ward 3: Marshall Area YMCA. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Minneota, Nordland Township and Westerheim Township: Minneota Community Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Russell, Island Lake Township and Lyons Township: Russell Community Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

City of Tracy: Veterans Memorial Center. Polls open at 7 a.m.

Mail ballot precincts: Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer’s office, on the second floor of the Lyon County Government Center in Marshall. Polls open at 7 a.m. Mail ballot precincts in Lyon County include the cities of Florence, Garvin, Ghent and Taunton, and Amiret, Coon Creek, Custer, Eidsvold, Fairview, Grandview, Lake Marshall, Lucas, Monroe, Rock Lake, Shelburne, Sodus, Stanley and Vallers Townships.