Hey Minneapolitans! Vote in the primary Sept 14!

[no name no slogan]

I know many folk don't bother with their primaries, but this year the city DFL has endorsed two solid progressives for the School Board: Peggy Flanagan and Lydia Lee. Both women will make excellent additions to the school board, and deserve your vote tomorrow.

Our state has some of the most accessible voting laws in the nation, and consequently we have the largest turnout (70%+ in 2000's general election, vs. ±50% for the rest of the country). So get out and exercize your constitutional right and VOTE.

Your city, state and country thank you!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Any suggestions for judges?

I've already figured out that Stephen Baker is a stealth Republican, given the way his yard signs turn up in so many Bush/Cheney yards.

[no name no slogan]

2. I got a call from the Burke (sp?) campaign...

...from a delegate at the state convention. I think I'll probably end up voting for her. Hopefully the Strib will have an election guide tomorrow-- but I guess I wouldn't be suprised if they didn't.

Hope this helps... :D

[Morning Dew]

3. 3rd ward, 5th precinct checking in

no line, but there were about 4 voters while I was there (about 10 minutes ago).

Under the Kiffmeier regime, I half expected the registration book to be blank but I was still registered. I didn't like the ballot layout, though - Dems and Repubs and School Board/ Judges on one side, Greens on the other. OTOH, I believe the green candidates were running unopposed, so I suppose it's not much of an issue.

[hermetic]

4. It WAS a paper ballot tho, right?

Kiffmeier said they would be paper but I heard on the news this morning some would be trying computers. I would like to know where those are.

[Morning Dew]

5. Paper ballot, fill in the circle,

yep, that's it.

[Eric J in MN]

7. They still have paper ballots. The new computer system is for

people who aren't registered to register with.

[Love Bug]

6. I voted at 7:15 a.m.

I was #2 in my precinct.

I didn't pick any of the judges because I was unfamiliar with them. However, the DFL did send me a handy list of endorsed school board candidates (Flanagan and Lee) so they got my vote, as well as Sabo.

[Nobody]

8. Flanagan and Lee are excellent choices

As one of the delegates to the city caucus, I got to hear all of the school board candidates speak their pieces. Peggy Flanagan and Lydia Lee impressed me. You also can't go wrong with Dennis S (blanking on his last name) whose literature included specific facts and figures or with newcomer Mohamed Jibrell who had some very good ideas.

Diane Loeffler was my choice both at the senate district caucus and at the polls. Of the two people who are contesting her DFL slot, one is a complete unknown who was not at any of the panel discussions and the other had no plan but a lot of generic rhetoric and claims he had no idea what it meant when he said no to "Will you run against our endorsed candidate?" I'd hate to see how he'd fare in the State House. He'd be eaten alive.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. I voted late in the afternoon in my Linden Hills precinct

When I went for coffee earlier in the afternoon, there were lots of people with "I voted" stickers on their shirts.

I was voter #249 in my precinct. We marked paper ballots with ink and inserted them in a machine.

[Spike from MN]

10. I voted

I'll be voting for Betty McCollum in November (of course) but I had to cast my vote for Jack Shepard in the primaries. He's running as a repug, didn't get their endorsement, apparently has a criminal background (though that matter may be in dispute) and the repugs tried to get his name off the ballot. That was reason enough for me. Though I'm sure Betty will win in November regardless of who her opponents are, I wanted to do my part to get try to get the guy on the ballot that would be the least likely to garner votes.

I also signed up to volunteer to be an election judge on Nov. 2. The people working the polls were very grateful that I asked about volunteer opportunities as they feel the turnout on Nov. 2 will be huge and they will need all the help they can get. I'm more than happy to take a vacation day from work to do my part and help out at the polls. If anyone out there has spare vacation time and can volunteer to work the polls on election day I'm sure your local election officials will be grateful.

[no name no slogan]

11. I voted this AM

I think I was #38 or something, IIRC. Looks like Susan Burke is ahead in the judicial race (±46%, according to the Secretary of State website). I haven't been able to locate any school board race info yet. Still searching....

[ISUGRADIA]

12. First time voting in Minnesota today

As I moved up in late July from Iowa.

No problems at the polls when I and my partner signed in to vote. We used the last four digits of our SS #s on the voter reg forms, FYI.

Interesting that there are no write-in spots on the ballots (always that option in Iowa).

Also noted that all parties are on one ballot. In Iowa there is voter registration by party so when one votes one gets a D or R ballot. Made me wonder how the parties up here know how to target voters.

Voted for Peggy Flanagan and Lydia Lee who both sounded like good additions to the Board.

84 voters at 3:00 when we voted here in Uptown Mpls.

[no name no slogan]

13. Glad to hear it!

The reason there were no write-ins is because it was a primary election. Typically it's used by parties to pick their November candidates (if it's a partisan primary). Since we don't have party registration in MN, all four major parties are listed on the ballot. However, you're only allowed to vote in one party's primary, though, for those seats which are partisan.

I've met both Flannagan and Lee at various DFL wingdings and conventions (SD, CD, City, etc). They're both solid candidates and will make a great addition to the school board.

If you're in Uptown (Lake & Hennepin) then you're probably in Senate District 60, House District 60B, IIRC. If so, you've got excellent people representing you in St. Paul.

Scott Dibble is our state Senator, and is also a great guy, too! Frank Hornstein is the Rep for 60B. I've met him a number of times, but don't know him too well. Margaret Anderson Kelliher is 60A's rep, and is also the state House Minority Whip-- 2nd-ranking DFLer in the house! I went to college w/ Margaret, and have gone to many of the same rallies as she has for the last 16 years. She does a fantastic job representing us, and I'm proud to have worked on all of her campaigns to date (I did her website for the 1998 & 2000 races).

Welcome to the neighborhood! And get involved in the DFL, too! We always like new faces!

[ISUGRADIA]

14. Thanks for the area information

I'm still getting used to the political differences between Iowa and here. Frank Hornstein must my rep from the signs I've seen around my area. He seems like a good rep from what I could find via google.

I was glad that I could move from one swing state to another 8^).

[no name no slogan]

15. No problem -- it's a great place to live!

IIRC SD60 is probably the most liberal Senate district in all of MN. At least that's what I've read from various sources.

Also of note: DFL Party Chair Mike Erlandson also lives in our district, as does Mpls mayor R.T. Rybak (sp?). In fact, I sat across the table from R.T. at the state convention in Duluth this year-- at least, during the time he was seated. He was up and around the floor, doing the meet and greet and just being a ball of energy in general.

If you're looking for more info, our website is also pretty good: www.sd60dfl.org. We have a great web team who are really knocking themselves out on making the site useful.

You can't beat SD60. Awesome lakes, cool shops, great neighbors...you picked a winner!