With Election Day just four days away, Minnesotans across the state are casting their ballots, and ballot processing has begun. With almost double the amount of early and absentee voting than 2016, over a million Minnesotans have already voted–and this includes many Gustavus students. If you haven’t voted yet, don’t worry! There is still plenty of time to make an informed vote. And if you have already voted or are ineligible to vote, there’s still important work to be done! For those who have already voted, one of the best things you can do is share resources with those who haven’t voted yet, making sure people check their registration status and are aware of who’s on their ballot. You can still help increase voter turnout, one person at a time.
If you’ve already registered to vote using your Gustavus address, you can vote early at the Nicollet County Government Center! Not sure if you’re registered? You can check if you’ve registered to vote on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. If you’re not registered, you can register to vote in person on Election Day, on Tuesday, November 3. If you’d like to vote in person in St. Peter, you’ll have to be registered under your Gustavus address, including your dorm name and room number. Let people know that you need to include your specific dorm because campus is split among different precincts! This is important for determining your polling location, which can also be found on the Secretary of State website.
Another way that you can help your peers who haven’t voted yet is by connecting them with resources about who is on their ballot. It’s important to make informed decisions–your vote has a profound impact on national, state and local government. You can view a sample ballot from the same place you find your polling station. Additionally, there are many online voter guides that give an overview of the candidates running to represent the districts Gustavus is situated in. The St. Peter/Greater Mankato Indivisible group has a great guide created specifically for both Nicollet and Blue Earth County.
If you’ve already voted, you should encourage your family and friends to vote. If you’re interested in becoming more involved in voter turnout, one of the best ways to do this is through phone or text banking. By reaching out to potential voters, you can help others create plans to vote and help them find information about where and how to vote. Many different organizations host these events, and you can even participate in them with your friends! Minnesota’s largest nonpartisan voter engagement campaign, We Vote MN, is hosting phone banks every day until Election Day. One of the best ways to help build coalitions and connect with other Minnesotans is by participating in an organization. There are so many groups doing important work in Minnesota, from Reclaim the Block to MN350. Social media allows us to connect with others, and stay informed so that our advocacy is continual, not just in the month leading up to the election.
Whether you haven’t voted yet, or you’re looking to connect others to resources on how they can vote, there’s something for everyone to be doing. As we seek to make change in our communities, voting is one important way that we can do so.
Local Resources Involved in Racial and Social Justice
Reclaim the Block
A grassroots organization based in Minneapolis that supports community health, safety, and resiliency.
reclaimtheblock.org
Black Visions Collective
A non-profit organization for Black liberation based in Minnesota. This group also intersects with LGBTQ+ communities.
blackvisionsmn.org
Native Governance Center
This is a Native-led non-profit organization from St. Paul whose mission is to help Tribal nations strengthen their governance systems and capacity to exercise sovereignty through leadership development and support.
nativegov.org
More Helpful Resources for Voting
St.Peter/Greater Mankato Indivisible Chapter
A non-partisan community group that focuses on positive and progressive action to create a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive world.
indivisiblespgm.weebly.com
Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light
This organization works together with faith communities to build transformative power and uses people’s unique gifts to address the climate crisis.
Get out the Vote Phone Banking event on November 2, 6-9pm!
mnipl.org
Take Action Minnesota
A multiracial, multi-generational, grassroots organization working toward a fair and just government and economy for all.
Text ACTION to 79606 to join their movement, or text CARE to 79606 to join the People’s Squad text list.
takeactionminnesota.org
MN Voice
A coalition of non-profit organizations working toward change in racial, social, and economic justice by increasing civic engagement and voter participation across Minnesota.
facebook.com/MNVoice.Org/
We Make MN
This is a good way to share your solidarity with communities across Minnesota, and you can share why it is important to vote for helping to bring change!
wemakemn.com
MN350
This organiztion works toward a just, clean-energy future for all people.
Phone and text banking events every day until November 3!
mn350action.org