NEW
DROP BOX FOR EARLY VOTERS BALLOTS AVAILABLE NOW
(picture available Wednesday, 10/6)
The drop box is located in the parking lot of Bloomington Civic Plaza on the west side of the building, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road. The drop box is locked, secured and under 24 hour video surveillance. The drop box is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 8 a.m. on Election Day.
The drop box will emptied for the final time at 8 a.m. on Election Day, November 3. After that time, voters may bring their ballot inside to the City Clerk's Office until 3 p.m.
Bloomington League of Women Voters LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE FORUMS: VIDEOS
2020 House Districts 49B, 50A and 50B Forum: Click HERE
2020 Senate Districts 49 and 50 Forum: Click HERE
All candidates were invited to participate.
From Margaret King, Bloomington Voter:
“I watched this year’s candidate forum video. It really helps me decide who to vote for. When I see the candidates and hear them share their ideas, I get a better idea of what they are like - their abilities and how they think. I can read about them in other places but I really trust the LWVB because it provides unbiased information including their Website (lwv-bloomington.com), videos and Facebook.”
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LWVB LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE VIDEOS - GENERAL ELECTION
Legislative candidates for House Districts 49B, 50A and 50B and Senate Districts 49 and 50 were invited to be interviewed to introduce themselves to Bloomington citizens.
CLICK HERE
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LWVB 2020 EARLY VOTING / ABSENTEE BALLOT FLYER
Click for English
Click for Spanish
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LWVB 2020 GENERAL ELECTION NONPARTISAN VOTER INFO GUIDE
The guide is large/comprehensive so it was divided into two parts. Please be patient to give them time to download.
Click for PART1
Click for PART2
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AM I REGISTERED TO VOTE? WHERE? WHO WILL BE ON THE BALLOT?
Am I registered to vote? Enter your address at the Secretary of State's Voter Registration Lookup Service to check.
Where do I vote? Your Polling Place (where you vote, a map & directions) is based on your address. If you choose to vote in person, use the Secretary of State’s website to find your precinct and the address of your polling place.
Which candidates and questions will be on my ballot? The Secretary of State’s lookup site (see above) shows a sample ballot for your precinct based on your address. In Bloomington, we voted for candidates for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative.
CAN I TAKE TIME OFF WORK TO VOTE?
Your employer must pay you for the time you need to vote, if it falls within your scheduled work time. Your employer cannot require you to use personal leave or vacation time. For more detail, including your rights and a sample letter to give to your employer, click on TIME OFF
2020 ELECTION CALENDAR
This year, citizens of Minnesota selected the presidential candidates for the November general election in a September primary. Prior to this year, Minnesota used precinct caucuses for that function.
For November’s General Election on November 3:
To obtain a absentee ballot or vote in person prior to the November election click on mailorbyperson and scroll down to “General Information about Voting”.
Register in advance by October 13 to avoid potential lines on Election Day and to minimize health risks such as COVID-19. __________________________________________________
EARLY VOTE (ALSO CALLED “ABSENTEE BALLOT”) by mail or in person, or have an agent pick up your ballot
Voters are encouraged to vote by mail. This eliminates time spent in line at the voting sites, limits the number of people not distanced from each other and helps reduce the spread of COVID-19.
For more information, click on More information for how-to’s on voting by mail, in person at City Hall, or if you are in the military or overseas.
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In Minnesota, you can vote early with an absentee ballot starting September 21. Read about other options and more information about absentee voting at the links below.
Vote from military or abroad: Military and voters living abroad can use a special process to vote absentee.
Have an agent pick up your ballot (agent delivery) In special situations, you may ask an agent to pick up and return an absentee ballot for you. This is called ‘agent delivery.’ Learn more about agent delivery.
Track your absentee ballot. Track the status of your ballot or confirm that it was received back and accepted without problem.
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CAN WE TRUST OUR VOTING MACHINES IN MINNESOTA?
Is the equipment certified?
Is the equipment tested prior to the election?
Are results audited after the election?
Could we have problems similar to those that surfaced in Iowa during their primary?
Click HERE for answers.
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UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS & REPLAYS
BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL meetings are held each Monday at 7pm. You can attend the meetings at the Civic Center or watch via live streaming on the Bloomington Cable Television Channel 14. The meetings are also recorded and televised Wednesday evenings at 7pm
CITY OF BLOOMINGTON CABLE OFFERINGS
Tuesday 10/6 9pm: League of Women Voters Bloomington 2020 Ballot Question Information
Tuesday 10/6 10pm: League of Women Voters Bloomington 2020 House Dist. 49B, 50A and 50B Candidate Forum
Wednesday10/7 6pm League of Women Voters Bloomington 2020 Ballot Question Information
Thursday 10/8 6pm Planning Commission
Thursday 10/8 9:30 League of Women Voters Bloomington 2020 House Dist. 49B, 50A and 50B Candidate Forums
Thursday 10/8 11pm League of Women Voters Bloomington 2020 Ballot Question Information
IN ADDITION TO CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE, THE NOVEMBER BALLOT WILL INCLUDE TWO ISSUES FOR VOTERS TO VOTE ON
09/25 UPDATE:
The “Organized garbage” is ballot item #182 on the ballot this year. Ballot item # 182 is worded such that it may be confusing to many voters. In order to keep organized collection, we must vote "no".
The two issues to be voted on are:
Organized garbage
Ranked-choice voting
For videos, an overview of each question. and answers to FAQs provided by the Bloomington City Clerk’s office, click on OVERVIEW
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“Absentee ballots complete! Next stop the Post Office!”
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UPDATED 10/06
UPCOMING CALENDAR EVENTS
October 6, 7pm: LWVB Member Meeting
October 6, 7-8:30 Racial Equity Business Plan Listening Session. More information, the zoom URL and the draft at
https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/sites/default/files/Racial_Equity_Business_Plan.pdf
October 20, 7pm: LWVB Board Meeting
October 22, Earth Day Day 2020 (7pm-8:30pm) Hosted by LWVB Program Committee and City of Bloomington Sustainability Commission. Register for Zoom Link at blm.mn/earth50.
November 3, GENERAL ELECTION
November 10, 7pm,LWVB Member Meeting
November 17, 7pm, LWVB Board Meeting
December 1, 7pm, LWV Annual Meeting
December 15 7pm, LWVB Board Meeting
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NEW
Anti-Racism Study Dialogue Circles with LWV Edina featuring Rev. Dr. Okogyeamon (Herbert Perkins)
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Social Time: 9:45am
Program: 10am-NOON
*** Councilmember Dwayne Lowman and LWV member Yanyan Zeng will be present at this listening session. ***
The Racial Justice Action Committee has convened to begin the work of “advocating and participating in local action to eradicate discrimination and systemic racism,” one of the LWV Edina’s goals as determined in our strategic plan. LWV Edina is committed to nonpartisan education and advocacy to empower voters and now, we will increase our commitment to identifying racism and systemic policy that discriminates. Please join us for our October LWV Edina Morning Meeting:
As we start these conversations, we will begin to ….Examine the history, legacy, and socialization into race practices and the ways that history and legacy influence our behavior; how we came to receive and internalize racialized structures of thinking and understanding; and how these lead to stereotypical imagining, thinking, irrational emotions, and bias. Identify the ongoing operations of racialized structures in our lives, giving attention to whiteness – what the structures look like, where they are found, how they influence our thinking and behavior. Build an understanding of key concepts such as racial equity and institutional/structural racism; develop tools and practices for counteracting racial bias; learn to talk about race constructively. Identify next steps for applying concepts and strategies to advance racial equity. Prior to the meeting please read the program guidelines and three related articles found HERE. Having read these materials, come prepared to actively participate, grown and learn.
All are welcome. Zoom links will be sent prior to the meeting to all members. If you are not an LWV Edina member, please emaillwvedina@gmail.com and request the Zoom link.
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7/22 PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS U.S.
League of Women Voters Responds to DHS Crackdown on Portland Protests. “The increasing number of attacks on our democracy by some elected leaders and appointed members of our government are violating the first amendment rights of people in this country and requires our organization to speak out against the actions of this administration. “ read more
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UPDATED 10/11
UPDATE: BLOOMINGTON NOW HAS ENOUGH ELECTION JUDGES
BUT … YOU CAN ALSO BE AN ELECTION JUDGE FOR ANOTHER COMMUNITY
(You don’t have to help in your own community).
Many communities are looking for Election Judges (Poll Workers) for the November 3 election.
Serving as an Election Judge is a rewarding way to strengthen democracy, give back to community, and ensure free, fair, and accessible elections for all.
Election judges are temporary, paid employees of local election officials trained to handle all aspects of voting at the polling place. Serving as an election judge is a chance to learn about elections, and is a great service to the community.
Interested residents can get more information on election judge qualifications, judge training and compensation, and download an application form at electionjudgeapplication.
On Election Day, there can be as many as 30,000 election judges temporarily employed at polling places across Minnesota.
Judges are needed especially in Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove.
Contact one of these City Clerk's offices.
Brooklyn Center - Barb Suciu, City Clerk bsuciu@ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us
Brooklyn Park - Devin Montero, City Clerk devin.montero@brooklynpark.org
Maple Grove - Amy Dietl, City Clerk adietl@maplegrovemn.gov
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