Over time, BoB has heard
all kinds of questions, and has tried to give straightforward answers.
There's no need to be an expert to understand your local government,
and there are no stupid questions. If you don't see the answer to your
question here, feel free to ask your own, and BoB will get back to you
as soon as possible...
Some
commonly asked questions about Minnesota democracy:
Why
do some races have primaries but others do not?
This depends partly
upon whether or not the election is partisan or non-partisan. Most local
elections for city or county offices are non-partisan, as are judicial
elections. Elections for federal or state offices are generally partisan
races, which means that each candidate's political party is stated on
the ballot. For partisan races, each party may have its own primary,
but for non-partisan races, a primary ballot will include all candidates
seeking that office.
A primary election helps to narrow the field of candidates who will
go on to the general election. For partisan races, each party gets one
spot on the general election ballot; the primary election determines
who that candidate will be.
For non-partisan races, the primary narrows the candidate pool down
to a more manageable number. In most cases, that means the top two vote
getters in the primary continue on to the general election. In elections
for more than one office (many boards do this), the primary
narrows the candidate pool down to twice the number of positions.
For example, in 2004, the voters elected three members to the Minneapolis
School Board. The primary, which included sixteen candidates on
the ballot, narrowed the field down to six candidates--the
six that received the most votes continued on to the general election. In
the general election, those six were narrowed down to three--those
who received the most votes on November 2nd.
How
do I know what elections will be on the ballot this year?
It completely depends upon where you live. You can identify your precinct
at the Secretary of State's pollfinder.
Once you know your precinct, you can follow the Secretary of State's
link to the candidates on your ballot. Keep in mind that the Secretary
of State only gives information about elections filed with that office--other
local races may not be included there. For more detailed information,
you can check with Hennepin
County's Voting and Elections division.
What's
the difference between caucus states and primary states?
The difference between
caucus states and primary states is partly related to how political
parties choose their candidates for President, but it also means that
those states follow a somewhat different procedure for getting people
involved in party politics.
In caucus states, people get together with their neighbors at a precinct
caucus, which is at a specific time of day. At that meeting, they can
talk about issues and propose resolutions, but one thing that they do
is select delegates to represent them at larger conventions that the
political parties hold. At later conventions, delegates can endorse
candidates for particular offices. Some delegates selected at local
precinct caucuses continue all the way to the national conventions and
help choose candidates for President. At each level, the people who
get to continue on are chosen by the other delegates--starting at the
neighborhood level, it is like a string of elections to choose people
to represent each of us at larger conventions.
In primary states, voters simply go to their polling locations and cast
their ballots. Instead of going to a precinct caucus held at a specific
time, people simply treat it very similarly to another election day.
In terms of the Presidential race, this often means that more people
participate, but they do it on a more individual basis.
If
Minnesota is a caucus state, why do we also have primaries?
Actually, every state has some form of primary elections, so it's not
so strange that Minnesota has them. Non-presidential
primaries happen closer to the general election--in 2004, Minnesota's
statewide primary election was on September 14th.
The part that is different is that we have caucuses, because most states
don't have those.
When we're talking about the difference between caucuses and primaries,
we're talking about what happens early in the year of a Presidential
election. Other states have a primary election early in the year--another
day when people go to the polls, but much earlier. That means that they
actually have two separate primaries--one early in the year for President,
and one later in the year for other offices.
In Minnesota, instead of having two separate primaries, we have caucuses
early in the year (which replace the Presidential primary in years when
we are electing a President), and a later primary for other offices,
just as you would find in other states.
When
are the polling places open for voting?
For state elections, most polling places open at 7:00am; a few polling
places in small townships located outside the seven-county metropolitan
area may open as late as 10:00am. All polling places close at 8:00pm.
Can
I get time off from work to vote?
Yes, Minnesota law allows you to take time off from work without loss
of salary or wages to vote during the morning of state elections.
Who
is eligible to vote?
You may vote if you are:
at least 18 years
of age
a US citizen
a Minnesota resident
for at least 20 days before the election
not a convicted
felon without your civil rights
not under guardianship
of the person where you have not retained the right to vote
not legally incompetent
Where
do I vote?
Most people vote in the neighborhood where they live. You can also look
up your polling place.
How
do I register to vote?
Fill out a voter registration card and return it in person or by mail
to your county auditor or the secretary of state.
Voter registration
forms are available at county courthouses, city halls and other public
buildings throughout the state, in many telephone books, or in your
state tax booklet (in even-numbered years).
You may also
register to vote when you apply for or renew your Minnesota driver's
license or state identification card.
Can
I register to vote on Election Day?
You can register at your polling place on election day. You will need
one of the following to verify your residence.
A current, valid
Minnesota Driver's License,learner's permit or identification card
(or receipt for a new one) containing your address in the precinct
a "Notice of
Late Registration" card mailed to you by your county auditor (if you
turned in a registration card late)
someone who is
registered in the precinct where you live to vouch for your residence.
valid registration
at another address in the same precinct
a Minnesota driver's
license, US passport, US military identification card or student identification
card that includes your name and photo AND an original bill for water,
sewer, gas, electric, phone, solid waste or cable television services
that includes your name and current address in the precinct and has
a due date within 30 days of election day.
If you are a student,
you can also use one of the following documents.
Student photo
ID, registration or fee statement with your current address
Student photo
ID if you are on a student housing list on file at the polling place
Can
I get assistance in the polling place?
Yes, if you need help with voting, you can ask the election judges at
the polling place for assistance in reading or marking your ballot.
You may also bring someone with to help you.
All
polling places should be fully accessible with clearly marked accessible
doors and parking spaces. If you can't easily leave your car, you can
ask for the ballot to be brought out to you in your car.
If you are unable
to go to the polling place due to an illness or disability, you can
vote by absentee ballot.
If you have limited
vision, you may ask your county auditor for voter registration and absentee
ballot instructions in large print or on cassette tape.
And if you are hearing
impaired, every county and most cities will have a TDD device for questions.
What
is absentee voting?
You can vote by absentee ballot if you are unable to vote in person
on election day because you are:
away from home
ill or disabled
an election judge
serving in another precinct
unable to go
to the polling place due to a religious holiday or beliefs.
With absentee voting,
you can vote either in person before election day or by mail. Call your
county auditor or city clerk for the details.
In
person... Apply and/or vote during normal office hours or from 10 am
to 3 pm the Saturday afternoon or until 5 pm the Monday evening before
the election.
By mail...
If you are in the military or outside the US, vote based on where you
last lived in Minnesota. You or your parent, spouse, brother, sister,
or adult child can apply for you. Make sure to apply early!
If you are
in the military or outside the US, vote based on where you last lived
in Minnesota. You or your parent, spouse, brother, sister, or adult
child can apply for you. Be sure to apply early!
Can
I vote by absentee ballot?
You can vote by absentee ballot if you are unable to vote in person
on election day because you are:
away from home
ill or disabled
an election judge
serving in another precinct
unable to go
to the polling place due to a religious holiday or beliefs.
Submit a written
application to your county auditor or city clerk. You can cast your
absentee ballot either in person at a location designated by your county
auditor or by mail.
About
Precincts and Caucuses Statewide precinct caucuses will come again in 2006. The Minneapolis
DFL did hold city-only caucuses in 2005, specifically designed for the municipal races.
Since
most people have never attended a caucus, we offer answers to what are
the most common questions regarding caucuses.
What
is a precinct?
A precinct is a subdivision of a city set up for election purposes.
What
is a precinct caucus?
A precinct caucus is a neighborhood meeting of individuals with similar
political beliefs that is open to the public. Each political party holds
its own caucuses, but those caucuses must follow Minnesota law about
how caucuses are held.
Who
can participate in a precinct caucus?
Everyone who will be at least 18 years of age by the date of the general
election, who is in general agreement with the principals of the political
party, who either voted or affiliated with the party at the last general
election or who intends to vote or affiliate with the party at the next
general election.
Who
can attend a precinct caucus?
Anyone
can attend the precinct caucuses. This includes high school students
and swing voters.
