This is the fifth article in the League of Women Voters (LWV) Minneapolis 2024 Democracy Series.
What is at stake in the 2024 election personally for you? A recent NBC online news site presented seven policy issues important to the American people in the 2024 election. These include the following: Immigration, abortion, health care and prescription drugs, taxes, judges and the Supreme Court, trade, and foreign policy and NATO. (nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/issues-trump-biden-2024-election-health-care-abortion-tax-immigration-rcna147637).
How might these issues be reflected at the local, state and national levels? How can you find out what positions candidates up for election are on these important topics? How do their positions align with yours?
This article gathers information for Minneapolis residents about who and what will be on your ballot for local, state and national offices, and offers trusted resources to make informed decisions.
Local Election:
The only local elections on the ballot in Minneapolis this year are for the Minneapolis School Board. The Minneapolis School Board is comprised of nine directors elected by Minneapolis voters. The School Board is responsible for overseeing district finances, strategic planning, hiring and evaluating the district’s superintendent. The board will be the forum for any discussions or decisions related to school facilities.
This year there are four open races for Minneapolis school board: School Board Director At-Large which is a city-wide seat and School Board Directors for Districts 2, 4, and 6. All Minneapolis voters can vote for the at-large candidates but only voters in district 2, 4 or 6 can vote for the candidate in their district. Each candidate is running for a four- year term beginning January of 2025. To see the list of the candidates go to: mpschools.org/about-mps/school-board/post-details/~board/school-board/post/candidates-file-for-school-board-races
The LWV makes a strong case for voting for school board members. Check out this blog: lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-vote-school-board.
The LWV Minneapolis will hold forums where you can hear directly from candidates running for school board. To find the time and locations for these forums and view unedited recordings go to the LWV Minneapolis website lwvmpls.org/for-voters.
State Election
All 134 Minnesota State Representative seats are up for re-election for two-year terms in November, 2024. The House of Representatives operates in collaboration with the MN Senate, to craft and pass legislation. Any legislation passed by both houses is then subject to the Governor’s approval.
Not all state house incumbents are running for re-election. Not sure who your representative is or if they are running for re-election? You can identify your current representative for your district at house.mn.gov/members/. Visit Vote411 (vote411.org), for comprehensive information on candidates running for state offices. Additionally, visit the Secretary of State website for detailed information on who will be on your ballot: sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot.
Judges in Minnesota are elected by the voters. This year you can vote for judges for the District Court, Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court. All candidates are nonpartisan. The LWV Minneapolis voter guide details the responsibilities of judges in each court (lwvmpls.org).
Your ballot will include all justices up for election (sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot)
National Election
We are represented in the U.S. Congress through our Senators (two per state) and our House Representative elected from the district we live in. The House has the distinct responsibility to originate any legislation related to revenue. All bills to raise taxes and to set the federal budget originate in the House. The Senate has the distinct responsibility to confirm Presidential nominations for the cabinet and national judges, and to approve treaties. But while the Senate and House have different roles and responsibilities, they must work together to pass any legislation. No bill can become law without passing both houses of Congress.
Minnesota will elect eight U. S. Representatives, one for each of the state’s congressional districts. The city of Minneapolis is within the 5th district and is currently represented by Ilhan Omar (DFL). Presently, the Republican party holds the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Minnesota will elect one of its two Senators in November for a 6-year term. The U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota that is on the ballot this year is currently held by Amy Klobuchar (DFL). Democrats currently hold a slim majority in the Senate.
Refer to Vote411 (vote411.org) to find out the names of the candidates running for the U. S. Senate from Minnesota and who is running for Congress in the 5th district.
We also will elect the next President and Vice President of the United States. The President will determine the policies that affect us at home and abroad. The President signs into law bills passed by the U. S. Congress or can veto bills passed by Congress. This person may decide on Supreme Court positions and will appoint federal judgeships throughout the country. The next President will set the national agenda and represent us at international forums for the next four years. The President is the Commander and Chief of the U. S. Armed Forces. The primary responsibility of the Vice President is to be ready to assume the presidency if the president is unable to perform their duties.
Ballot Measures
On your ballot will also be a measure asking voters to decide whether to extend, for 25 years, the funding for Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). This trust is funded through lottery-generated revenue.
The Environmental and National Resource Trust was established with voter approval via a constitutional amendment and is used for the protection, conservation and enhancement of our state’s natural resources– air, water, land, fish and wildlife.
A yes vote on this ballot supports the measure to extend the use of revenue from the state-operated lottery to the fund through December 31, 2050
For more info on this trust fund and the projects it has funded visit the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund website: legacy.mn.gov/environment-natural-resources-trust-fund. You can find information on who is supporting and opposing the ballot at ballotpedia.org/Minnesota_Continue_to_Provide_Lottery_Revenue_to_Environment_and_Natural_Resources_Fund_Amendment_(2024).
In addition to the ENRTF ballot measure, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) will ask voters to increase the amount of dedicated funding for its technology operations by $20 million annually to help stabilize the District’s fiscal outlook. New revenue from this ballot question would not be used to increase the amount of money MPS spends on technology nor add new technology initiatives, but would instead allow the equivalent amount to be used for other programs and services. Since MPS has a currently voter-approved capital projects levy (known as a tech levy) from 2018, the ballot question will ask voters to “revoke and replace” the current level of funding with the higher one for a 10-year term.
There may be additional ballot measures but information on these were not available at the time of publication.
View Your Sample Ballot
You can find a sample ballot that shows a list of the candidates and ballot questions you will be voting on. This info is posted 45 days before the election at myballotmn.sos.mn.gov.
Make a Plan to Vote
There is much at stake in the 2024 election. Make a plan to research candidates at each level. You can learn more about the candidates and their positions by: visiting their web and social media sites; listening to candidate speeches and debates; viewing press reports; viewing the voting records for incumbents; and visiting Vote411.
The LWV Minneapolis publishes a Voter Guide in print and on its website (lwvmpls.org). The guide’s purpose is to help citizens be informed about their government so that they can be active and involved. The League is nonpartisan; they do not support or oppose any political parties or candidates.