Presidential Primary 101: The Nuts and Bolts of this New Process.

A Minnesota presidential primary has been held four times in our state’s history: 1916, 1952, 1956 and 1992. The state of Minnesota normally holds presidential caucuses instead. On May 22, 2016 Governor Mark Dayton signed a bill that will reinstate a presidential primary on March 3, 2020. (Early voting begins Jan. 17th)

The procedures for this presidential primary will be new to most of us.  To understand the “nuts and bolts” of this new system, please plan to attend the League of Women Voters’ program Presidential Primary 101: The Nuts and Bolts Thursday, Jan. 23 at the

Northwoods Bank Community Room, Park Rapids. The program starts at 6 p.m.

League members will review the details during the program. Then there will be time for questions with a representative from the County Auditor’s Office as well as Hubbard County election judges who will be there.


While most voters think of the presidential election as happening in November every four years,  the process actually begins with state caucuses or presidential primaries. These will be held in some states starting in January and other states later leading up to the Party Conventions in the summer. The first official step in the process for Minnesota voters will be the presidential nominating primary.

The presidential nominating primary is part of the way that Minnesota voters decide which presidential candidates appear on their ballots in November. The presidential nominating primary is not a traditional election for a candidate. It is a process for the political party that looks and feels just like an election because local election officials administer it in the same way they administer an election. But it is not actually an election for a candidate.

Some things will be the same as in our other elections but there are differences. For example, the same information that is public when you register to vote and vote in a typical election will also be public if you vote in the presidential nominating primary.  But in our other elections, officials do not make your party preference public. However in the Presidential Primary, state law requires the Secretary of State to share your party preference with the chairs of the major political parties. This is because the political parties need to know who voted in their presidential nominating primaries. (Remember, the presidential nominating primary is a political party process, not a traditional election.)  How you voted, such as the candidate you voted for or if you submitted a write-in candidate, will not be public information and will not be shared with party chairs. Another difference is that only individuals eligible to vote (i.e., age 18 or older) on the day of the presidential nominating primary day (March 3), may vote in the presidential nominating primary. (Those under 18 but turning 18 by or on Nov. 2, 2020 may participate in the Party Caucuses.)

Minnesota made the change to a presidential primary to increase access and opportunities to vote for many Minnesotans, including those serving in the military, the elderly, and the disabled. Instead of having just one hour on one night to vote, Minnesotans will now have access to many of the benefits they’ve come to expect from our regular election process, including no-excuses absentee voting, same-day registration, and opportunities for those serving overseas.


Other Election Reminders: 

• Precinct caucuses will be held February 25, 2020, one week before the Presidential Nomination Primary.

• Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 11 for all other offices (early voting in June)
• Vote by mail or in person June 26 through Aug.10.
• Register in advance by July 21 to save time on Election Day

For more details on this primary election, please go to
https://www.lwvmn.org/picking-the-president-part1. or https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/how-elections-work/presidential-primary/?searchTerm=presidential%20primary

League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area  (LWVPRA), a non-partisan volunteer organization, whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy.  All our programs are free and open to the public.  Please direct any questions about LWVPRA activities, events or on how to join LWVPRA (not for women only) by emailing 
lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on this website:

LWV PRA spent the day learning, celebrating and working together

Eleven of our members and two new members spent this Saturday inside learning

• the basics of running a meeting (Robert's Rules of Order)
• what are the requirements for the minutes, treasurer's report
• the importance of an agenda

 
Then we covered the pieces of the tool kits provided by the LWVMN to help local leagues explain the upcoming presidential primary and the process of redistricting our Congressional districts after the 2020 census.

Many stories and tips were shared and then we call helped ourselves to a potluck celebrating the holiday season with good friends. 

Enjoy this short video of our day...After the video has started playing, you can enlgarge it by clicking the box on the lower right corner. 

Thank you to our presenters: Miriam Simmons and Paul Huffman.

Follow up information on Impact on Groundwater from high capacity drilling

Excerpt From Park Rapids Enterprise 10/30/19 by Robin Fish:

" League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area hosted two speakers Oct. 24 about the challenges and importance of maintaining a healthy groundwater supply.

Dr. George Kraft, a professor of water resources at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, shared examples from his state’s history of addressing groundwater issues.

Darrin Hoverson, the local area hydrologist with the Minnesota Department of Resources, explained how his department is studying and monitoring groundwater quality in the Straight River Groundwater Management Area (GMA) and the larger Pineland Sands geographic study area."

For more information view video of the program below or take a look at the slide presentations from George and Darrin. 

Link to Dr. George Kraft power point. 
Link to Darrin Hoverson's power point
Link to Straight River Groundwater Management Area 


Video of George and Darrin's program on Oct. 24, 2019

Link to full article from Park Rapids Enterprise: Oct 30, 2019

Messages from the Central Wisconsin Experience for the Park Rapids Area

Managing human use and impact on our groundwater resources.

League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area will host two speakers who will discuss groundwater sustainability concerns in the area.

The City of Park Rapids has had to deal with excess nitrates in one city well. Many rural residents need to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking because of nitrate concerns. Is this the “tip of the iceberg” or are there ways to manage our groundwater that will allow for industry, agriculture and citizens to share this valuable resource?

The program will be presented Thursday, Oct 24 at 6 p.m. at the Northwoods Bank Community Room. (1200 1st St E. Park Rapids) There will also be displays from  Ecowater on water treatment, Dean Christofferson on City water treatment, and staff from Luke Stewe’s office on well testing in Hubbard & Becker Counties.

First speaker will be Dr. George Kraft, a hydrologist with a 30-year career as  Professor of Water Resources University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, performing research, advising on policy and doing Extension education on groundwater sustainability issues. His work has concentrated on nitrate pollution of groundwater and drinking water, and how groundwater irrigation pumping has caused a decline in streamflows and lake levels in central Wisconsin. He has published extensively on groundwater concerns, and is sought after as an advisor on scientific and policy workgroups.

Dr. Kraft’s presentation reflects on a 30 year record of research on how irrigated farming, mainly for potato, other vegetables and field corn have affected groundwater quality and quantity in central Wisconsin. In central Wisconsin, the main issues are extensive nitrate pollution, as over 40 percent of wells in some townships exceed standards, and drying of lakes and streams by unlimited irrigation.

He will discuss how politics and a strong industry lobby have stymied even discussing the causes and effects of water challenges, let alone suggesting policies on how to manage them. Though Park Rapids area industry, geography, geology and politics may differ from those that exist in central Wisconsin, that region’s experiences may be a help in advancing more proactive discussion and avoiding pitfalls.

Second speaker will be Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Area Hydrologist Darrin Hoverson. His responsibilities include surface and groundwater resource management, water resource compliance and regulation as well as providing technical analysis, assistance and information to the public, local and state units of government and other water resource professionals. Having grown up in the Park Rapids area, being an active member of this community and with his 12 years of work at the DNR, Hoverson provides a deep understanding of the area’s natural resources, thee community and local issues and concerns. His education includes a Master’s in Water Resources from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and a Bachelor’s degree in Aquatic Biology from St. Cloud State University.

Hoverson will provide a brief history and update on DNR groundwater management efforts within the Pineland Sands & Straight River Groundwater Management Areas, ongoing and future monitoring and groundwater studies and private/public partnerships.  He will focus on DNR’s roles in ensuring the sustainable use of the region’s groundwater and groundwater dependent resources.
  
League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area  (LWVPRA) is a non-partisan volunteer organization, whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy. All programs are free and open to the public.  Please direct any questions about LWVPRA activities, events or on how to join LWVPRA (not for women only) by emailing 
lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org.

Sept 24th...National Voter Registration Day!

Drop by the Park Rapids Library on Tuesday September 24th to visit with League of Women Voters members about voting in Minnesota.

Many followers of our political scene are focused on the 2020 Presidential Elections, but some of our local government units do have elections in November of 2019. Also there is only about 170 days before Minnesota has its first presidential primary.  A new law changes how our political parties chooses the delegates to the party presidential nominating conventions. The Primary will be on March 3, 2020. Yes, there will also be a Precinct caucus held on February 25, 2020, one week before the Presidential Nomination Primary. (https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/how-elections-work/presidential-primary/)

League of Women Voters Park Rapids, as part of on going mission for the last 100 years of educating all voters, will be set up on Tuesday 9/24/19 at the Park Rapids Library all day from 9:30-5 to help people register to vote, check their registration, and help with any of your voting questions.

Our volunteers can also help you understand the multiple ways that we can vote in Minnesota from in person to absentee by mail..  National Voter Registration Day is a vital reminder to help us all prepare for our upcoming elections at any level of government.

League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area,  (LWVPRA), a non-partisan volunteer organization, whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy. Help us celebrate our 100 year anniversary: (Minnesota granted women the right to vote in presidential elections on March 24, 1919, and later ratified the 19th Amendment on September 8, 1919.)
Please direct any questions about LWVPRA activities, events or on how to join LWVPRA (not for women only) by emailing   lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on our website: lwvparkrapidsarea.blogspot.com/

Census 2020 Program

Nice turn out on Tuesday from Hubbard County residents to learn about Census 2020.  A big thanks to Headwaters Center for Life Long Learning for hosting the program.  Sarah Priest, partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, shared highlights of the 2020 Census preparation and ways we can partner to make sure we get a complete count in Hubbard County.  Sarah provided training the next day the local Complete Count Committee. She told us that Hubbard County needs 276 census workers. We have 51 people hired so far.

 League of Women Voters Park Rapids helped with advertising the program and provided some of the treats too.. Florence Hedeen is helping to organize our local Complete Count Committee.

Florence Hedeen, Nancy Carrol and Carol Moen discussing the program

For more information about the Census follow this link:  https://2020census.gov/en