Elections

Election Day is November 8th, 2022

I hope you all voted by August 9th for the Primaries; now it is time for the General Election! Do you know what is on your ballot? Do you know how to find out? Did you even remember that there is an election coming up?

Well, there are a lot of elections coming up! Pulling straight from Wikipedia: “During this midterm election year, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested. Thirty-nine state and territorial gubernatorial and numerous other state and local elections will also be contested. This will be the first election affected by the redistricting that will follow the 2020 census” (2022 United States elections).

August 9th is the 2022 Primary Election

2022 is a midterm year, and August is the Primary month for Minnesota. Plus, there is a special election for Congressional District after 1 U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn died on February 18, 2022. So, get out there and vote. Be certain to vote down-ballot. Check both sides of the ballot. Research who is on the ballot before you go in. And make certain that you understand and ballot questions or referendums before you vote on them.

GraysMatter Podcast - Season 1, Episode 09

GraysMatter Podcast - Season 1, Episode 09

In this episode, we discuss topics ranging from police at PRIDE to the near-future and Star Trek.

This episode is not sponsored.

Hosted By:
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/
Nat MN (they/them)
Sarah (she/her)

Content Warning - Mentions of:

  • Bob Kroll

  • Jason Van Dyke

  • Justine Damond

  • Mohamed Noor

  • Police | Police Shootings

  • Slave Patrols

Please vote Yes For Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 02, 2021!

GraysMatter Podcast - Season 1, Episode 00

GraysMatter Podcast - Season 1, Episode 00

We talk about everything from masks, fashion, and glasses, to policing, skinny dipping, and kayaking.

This episode is not sponsored. We are not lawyers, and nothing we say is intended to be, nor should be constituted as legal advice.

Hosted By:

FaeBun (she/her)
Jen (she/her) - https://twitter.com/Jenathi
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/

Content Warning - Mentions Of:

Nazis
Rape Culture
Vomiting
Police
Transitioning

2020 General Election - Other States and Third Parties

I’ve been making these posts about the 2020 Elections in an effort to help people research their candidates and to take downballot elections seriously. Most of my posts are Minnesota-centric as I am a resident of Minnesota; however, I am aware that each state has their own electoral system. That means that not every state will have all of the same candidates - in fact, as I alluded to on my post about the Minnesota Presidential Election, there are only three candidates on all 51 [Note 1] ballots this year: Biden/Harris (Democrat), Trump/Pence (Republican), and Jorgensen/Cohen (Libertarian). This means that parties can have multiple people running for president or vice-president, have people running as a political statement, or have people run as a spoiler vote.

2020 Downballot Races (Minnesota)

When you vote, do you remember to check the back of your ballot to make certain that you voted for everything that’s happening? Sure, you know about the President, Congress, and State Offices. But what about your local courts, mayors and city council members, and park commissioners? Each of them play a vital role in how your city, county, and state works. Statewide and local elections can determine our rights.

2020 General Election - Race for Congress (State - Minnesota)

This year is an election year for the Minnesota State Legislature. With the spectacle and glamour of the federal government, people tend to forget that the state governments have a lot of power - state legislatures hold the keys to the civil rights of America’s citizens. The United States Congress isn’t taking major action on guns, on abortion, or on minimum wage - all of that is being taken on by state legislatures. Also, in many states, state legislatures draw new US congressional maps every 10 years after the Census.

But a number of these races are left uncontested, which is unfortunate as laws are passed more frequently at the state and local levels than they are at the federal level. That means state legislatures do a huge amount of work while no one is looking, and they don’t have anybody to challenge them to make certain that they keep in touch with their constituents. If you want action on laws in regards to abortion, marijuana, public safety, or anything else, then you need to pay attention to your state legislatures. Remember that one vote can swing an election - don’t leave us in the fuck barrel.

2020 General Election - Race for Congress (Federal)

The 2020 General Election is drawing ever closer. Are you registered? Minnesotans can register here. Early no-excuse voting has already started, and you can still request your ballot by mail. It is not too late! If you do request your ballot by mail, you can mail it back or deliver it yourself; if you decide to not request a ballot by mail, you can still vote early in person - or even on election day itself, if you have to! MPR News had Secretary of State Steve Simon answer questions about early voting - I suggest that everyone give it a listen. Now, research your candidates and get out there! Get voting!

2020 General Election - Race for President and Vice President

Here we are, folks. The 2020 General Election is on November 3rd. In Minnesota, early no-excuse voting started on September 18th, 46 days before Election Day. You can request your ballot by mail and mail it back or deliver it yourself, or you can vote early in person. MPR News had Secretary of State Steve Simon answer questions about early voting - it’s an excellent listen, and I suggest all Minnesota voters listen to it. Voters in other states, I strongly suggest that you check in with your Secretaries of State and see if you can vote early.

Minnesota 2020 Primary - US House, 5th MN District

Now that I have made my decision about who will get my vote for the Senate in the Primary, let’s take a look at the US House of Representatives. I live in the Minnesota 5th Congressional District, which has 9 people running across 3 parties. Like for senator, only one person can get my vote, so I will have to narrow it down.

Minnesota 2020 Primary - US Senate

Tuesday, August 12th, will be Minnesota’s Primary Election Day. A primary election determines which candidates will be on the ballot in the November general election [8], the winner representing their political party. There are 12 candidates across five parties running this year - Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) [Note 1], Republican, Legal Marijuana Now, and Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis. I haven’t yet decided for whom I am going to vote, and so I will share my decision with you as I finish making it.

It's Time for the Minnesota 2020 Primary Elections (Federal Edition)!

It's Time for the Minnesota 2020 Primary Elections (Federal Edition)!

With all that is going on in the world, it is sometimes easy to forget important things. One thing that many people seem to have forgotten is that there is a primary election in Minnesota on August 11th. That makes sense, as we already had our presidential primary on March 3rd, and then many townships had elections on March 10th. But yes, we have another primary - it’s not over yet!

More races in the Twin Cities Metro Area!

More races in the Twin Cities Metro Area!

Tomorrow is election day. Be informed of where to vote and what you are voting on. In case you need a reminder, here are some helpful links:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx
https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx
https://ballotpedia.org/Same-day_voter_registration
https://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/voter-registration-deadlines/

2018 Elections Are Upon Us!

That’s right, everybody - it’s election time again. On Tuesday, November 6th, 36/50 governors, 87/99 state legislators, 35/100 senators, and all 435 congresspeople will be on electoral ballots. There are various ways to see who is running in your area, mainly by checking your State’s Secretary of State’s website. Also, many states have been purging voter rolls and/or enacting voter suppression laws, so be ready.

For a republic to continue having a healthy democracy, RCV is a must.

Here in the United States, we live in a two-party system - a system that discourages alternative views, is non-competitive, and encourages voter apathy. To help encourage participation in the democratic process, moving away from First Past The Post and replacing it with Ranked Choice Voting is essential. Without it, we will continue to encourage living in a two-party system and minority rule.

2017 Elections Are Even Closer!

2017 Elections Are Even Closer!

As you may have read on a previous blog post (or have seen signs around your neighborhood), it is election time once again. Tuesday, November 7th is the day for elections in the State of Minnesota - not every state has elections this year, let alone every municipality in Minnesota, so please make certain to check out your local Secretary of State (or local equivalent) websites. Minnesotans, for more precise information (including where to vote), please go to our Secretary of State's ballot finder. What I am posting here is very general information, and there will be exceptions. For example, some Eden Prairie, Edina, Plymouth, and Saint Louis Park residents, as well as about half of Golden Valley residents and most of Minnetonka residents will be voting for the Hopkins School Board. At the same time, Minnetonka Schools serves Minnetonka, Chanhassen, Deephaven, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Victoria, and Woodland, whereas the Saint Louis Park School District is entirely within the city of Saint Louis Park. So always check the ballot finder first!