(ABC 6 News) – Voters have been hitting the polls all Super Tuesday for the Minnesota presidential primary election.

The presidential primary is the only election in Minnesota that you’ll first have to select a political party before you receive your ballot.

As the day went on, Minnesota saw a slight increase in voter turnout compared to previous primaries.

Voters were encouraged to ask themselves, why should you vote in a primary election?

“We’re voting for who our future president is going to be, there’s only one that is selected for Democrat and Republican parties, so it’s really important to get our opinion out there,” said Rochester resident, Emma Stone.

And if it’s your first time at the polls, the process may be daunting, but it’s easier than you might think.

“The process is super simple, but I will say, make sure to do your research. Don’t just vote for somebody because someone else told you to vote for them,” said Nathan Hansen, Rochester resident.

The ballots for any given party may have candidates that have already withdrawn from the race, so doing your homework ahead of time is important, especially for the primaries.

“Voter turnout has been slower [on Tuesday] than in 2020, we usually see a pickup around 5 p.m. after when work gets out, but it’s looking to lag behind what we saw last time,” said Olmsted County elections manager, Luke Turner.

Turner goes on to say, “that could be for a number of reasons; between candidate interests and how the race is going overall, it’s just really hard to tell.”

All voting will be closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, before you miss your chance to select your party’s presidential nominee. But don’t forget, as long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you have the right to cast your vote.