Your Vote Shapes Our Community
Summary: Voting is a key way Minneapolis residents can support their community, especially during times of uncertainty and change. It encourages residents to make a voting plan by confirming registration, reviewing candidates and ballot issues, choosing when and how to vote, and arranging transportation if needed. The article also highlights ways to help others participate, including supporting new voters and sharing election information. It emphasizes that voting should be accessible to everyone and encourages civic engagement through volunteering as an election judge, helping register voters and supporting nonpartisan voter education efforts.
Over the past winter, during the upheaval of Operation Metro Surge, Minneapolis residents saw how quickly attacks on the civil rights of our neighbors and community members can affect everyday life. Federal immigration raids, reports of families separated unexpectedly and the visible presence of heavily armed agents across the metro created fear and instability for many residents and neighborhoods. Community members checked in on neighbors, shared information and looked for ways to stay connected and protect one another when it mattered most.
Those everyday actions reflect a broader kind of participation: the ways residents show up for their communities in moments that matter. Voting is one of the most direct ways we take part in that shared responsibility. It is how we express our values, choose local leadership and help shape decisions that affect our neighborhoods, schools, parks and public services. It is also a way to speak for those who cannot vote, including young people and newer residents still working toward citizenship.
Minnesota has long been one of the strongest voting states in the country. In both local and federal election years, participation here consistently ranks among the highest nationwide. That pattern reflects more than convenience or habit. It reflects a longstanding expectation that residents take part in decisions that affect one another’s daily lives and shared public spaces.
In moments when communities are navigating uncertainty or change, participation in federal and local elections becomes especially important. Elections are one of the clearest ways residents help shape what happens next in their neighborhoods and across the city. This year, in addition to federal offices, Minneapolis residents may also vote on county, judicial, school board and local offices as well as possible ballot questions.
One of the most effective ways to show up for each other is to vote — and to support the systems that make voting possible. And that starts with a plan.
Make a Plan to Vote
Planning ahead makes voting easier and more likely to happen. Here’s a checklist to help you develop your voting plan.
Start by confirming your voter registration at mnvotes.gov. If your address has changed or you are not yet registered, Minnesota makes it easy to update your information or register — even on Election Day at your polling place.
Take time to review your sample ballot and learn about the candidates and issues that will appear on it. Preparing ahead of time can make voting feel less overwhelming and help you make informed decisions. Sample ballots, candidate information, polling locations and key election deadlines can be found through the Minnesota Secretary of State, Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services, the League of Women Voters Minneapolis or through nonpartisan resources such as Vote411.org. Candidate forums and official election websites can also help voters compare candidates and learn more about local issues.
Next, decide when you will vote. The primaries take place on August 11 and the general statewide and federal elections happen on November 3. Early voting and absentee voting begin 46 days prior to election day, giving residents several weeks to cast their ballots before November 3. Many residents choose to vote early or by absentee ballot because it offers flexibility around work, caregiving and family schedules, while helping avoid last-minute complications on Election Day. Early voting locations are listed on the City of Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services website, and vote by mail/absentee ballots can be requested through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. If you vote by mail, be sure to return your ballot early, either through the mail or by placing it in a designated drop box. In Minnesota, vote by mail/absentee ballots must be received by Election Day in order to be counted.
The next step is to think about how you’ll get there. Many residents walk, bike or take transit, and some arrange rides with family members, friends or neighbors. Planning transportation ahead of time can make the process smoother and remove last-minute barriers.
Some people also choose to vote with someone they know. Going together can make the experience easier to coordinate and helps turn voting into a regular shared activity. Many people appreciate the experience of arriving at their polling place on Election Day and standing in line alongside neighbors — a simple but meaningful reminder that voting is an individual act with collective impact. Choosing a time in advance makes it more likely that voting will fit into your day.
Help Someone Else Make a Plan to Vote
Making your own plan to vote can also be an opportunity to support someone else.
If you are already planning when and how you will vote, consider whether someone else, particularly a new voter, could benefit from joining you or from a small amount of support. These everyday connections help make participation more accessible across the community.
A quick conversation with a neighbor, friend or family member can help turn intention into action. Sometimes participation depends on something simple — a reminder about registration, help locating a polling place, understanding the early voting option, handing in an absentee ballot, arranging transportation or accompanying them to the polls, especially if they are a new voter.
Voting Assistance and Accessibility
Voting should be accessible to every eligible voter. Residents with questions about accessibility, absentee voting or voter assistance options can find information through the Minnesota Secretary of State, Hennepin County and Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services websites.
Voters may request assistance from a person of their choice, use accessible voting equipment at polling places or receive help from election judges. Polling locations are equipped with ballot-marking devices designed to support voters with visual, physical or other accessibility needs. Voters who are unable to enter a polling place for whatever reason can request curbside voting, allowing election judges to bring voting materials outside to them.
Language assistance is also available for voters who feel more comfortable receiving help in a language other than English. Voters may bring someone they trust to assist them with the voting process, provided that person is not their employer or union representative.
Support Elections in Your Community
Strong elections depend not only on voters, but also on volunteers.
Each year, thousands of Minnesotans serve as trained election judges.These are the community members you meet at your polling place who help you check in, register if needed and cast your ballot. In fact, Minnesota relies on roughly 30,000 election judges statewide to support polling places on Election Day. Serving as an election judge is one of the most direct ways residents can help ensure voting remains accessible and well organized for everyone. For more information on serving as an election judge you can gather information on how to apply, who can apply, pay and the time commitment at the office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Students ages 16 and 17 can even serve as election judge trainees, helping welcome voters and assist with the voting process while learning firsthand how elections work.
Another way to support elections is by helping to register voters. The nonpartisan League of Women Voters Minneapolis provides volunteer training opportunities for residents interested in helping others register to vote at community events, high schools, colleges and universities across the city. Volunteers can also assist with candidate forums that give residents an opportunity to hear directly from people running for office, ask questions and learn more about local issues. Attending candidate forums, inviting candidates to speak in community spaces and encouraging neighbors or friends to attend are all meaningful ways to help expand access to reliable, unbiased election information and civic participation.
Volunteers may also contribute communications, web or social media support that helps make accurate election information easier for residents to find and share. Even something as simple as following and reposting League voting reminders on social media can help more people stay informed about important election dates and voting resources.
If you are interested in supporting informed participation in Minneapolis, consider getting involved with the League’s work.