Great public schools begin at the ballot box
Elections for state and federal offices take place every even numbered year. The election season is a critical time for elected officials and candidates to travel throughout their districts to listen to the concerns and priorities of their constituents.
This is one of the few occasions when citizens are able to solicit solid commitments from candidates and incumbents if they are elected into office.
If public education is going to be an important issue on state agendas, there must be a strong base of people willing to learn about candidates, share information, and, most importantly:
VOTE on Election Day The Governor and all 201 Minnesota legislators are up for election in November 2010.
Minnesota's 2010 Race for Governor: Who's on first? - A preliminary list of 2010 gubernatorial candidates, Politics in Minnesota.
Candidates for Constitutional Office Registered with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board
2009 Local Candidate Filings Find local candidate filings for upcoming elections (not yet updated for 2010) Minnesota Secretary of State
There are four important dates in an election year:
- Precinct Caucuses—February 2, 2010
Community members come together at precinct caucuses to build an agenda of the issues and to support candidates to run for elected office.
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Primary Elections—Previously September, now August 10 Primary elections narrow the field of candidates to one per political party for the November general election.
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Voter Registration Deadline—October You need to register to vote if you’ve never voted before, if you’ve moved since the last election, or if you haven’t voted in 4 years. The deadline for pre-registration is twenty days before Election Day. NOTE: Minnesota allows citizens to register at the polls. The Secretary of State provides Voter Registration information in multiple languages.
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General Elections—November The general election is when voters choose who will represent them at the federal, state and local levels. It’s held every two years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Resources from the League of Women Voters:
Voter Guide - Enter your address to find your list of candidates, ballot questions and more! And check out Road to Election Day, the League's guide to participating in the Minnesota political process.
Additional Resources
Nonprofits, Voting, and Elections (Updated March 2008) - A guide for 501(c)3 organizations on how to conduct election-related activities, NonprofitVote.org.
More information on the rules guiding the election and advocacy activities of 501(c)3 organizations, Parents United.
Vote (2010) - Download and print to take to your next parent group meeting, Parents United (MS Word).
House Election Statistics -Minnesota House of Representatives.
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