Special Election for District 4 County Commissioner

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area has a long tradition of hosting candidate forums and invites the public to a forum for the Special Primary Election for Hubbard County Commissioner Dist. 4.

All candidates who filed for office have been invited to participate in this forum which will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6 at at the Akeley Regional  Community Center (ARCC), 210 Pleasant Ave SE.

The 4th Commissioner District includes the cities of Akeley and Laporte and
townships of Akeley, Clay, Guthrie, Hart Lake, Hendrickson, Lakeport, Mantrap,
Steamboat River and Thorpe.

Candidates are Lyle Howg, Laporte; Steve Keranen, Nevis; Kristin Fake, Akeley; and
Ryan J. Johnson, Guthrie. These four candidates are on the ballot for a special Primary Election through April 25. The field will be narrowed to two candidates with voting in a Special General Election  through Aug. 8.

The League of Women Voters hosts candidate forums, moderated by an experienced
and League-trained moderator, to give voters the opportunity to hear directly from the
candidates.

Forum procedures allow each candidate equal time to address issues and attempt to
include as many questions as possible to be asked within the hour. The audience can
help by listening respectfully to answers and not making comments during the forum.
After each forum there will be time for voters to connect with the candidates with any
specific questions. (a video of the forum will be posted on our website so that the public can view it as needed during this election cycle) 

The public has two ways to submit questions relevant to the office. To submit
questions in advance email lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. The deadline to email questions is Sunday, April 2. Any questions submitted via email will remain confidential with all identifying information removed before the event. At the forum audience members may submit questions in writing, in accordance with forum rules.

For information about mail ballot procedures for the Special Primary Election, go to
http://www.co.hubbard.mn.us/news_detail_T6_R228.php.

The League of Women Voters is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor
opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working
on vital issues of concern to members and the public.

Please direct any questions about League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area
(LWVPRA) activities, events or on how to join by emailing lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org.

 

ChildCare Issues in Hubbard County (Part I)

 If you missed this program follow the link below to view the video:

 https://youtu.be/-IrXpx7BTnY

Since 1987 League of Women Voters Minnesota has supported “coordinated public
policies and funding to ensure safe, affordable, quality child care throughout the
state.” But the issue is still very relevant today with numerous organizations and businesses being concerned about the lack of quality childcare that impacts all of us.

Last September the Nevis Women’s Club held a conference on Empowering Women
in Rural Areas. A follow up survey of the attendees found that childcare was one of the
top three topics identified as needing change. This year League of Women Voters Park
Rapids Area (LWV PRA) will present two educational programs on Childcare Issues in
Hubbard County. The first panel will discuss the current state of childcare in Hubbard
County.

Finding childcare to match working hours, paying for childcare and finding childcare
openings can all prove very challenging for families in Hubbard County. According to
Leeza Branstrom, the Family Childcare Licensor with Hubbard County Social Services,
the number of active childcare licenses in Hubbard has been steadily declining. In 2018
there were 58 active licenses but in 2023 there are only 41 active licenses. The most
troubling area, Branstrom states, is finding infant care.

The LWV PRA program, Childcare Issues in Hubbard County, will be held Tuesday , March 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Northwoods Bank Community Room (1200 1st Street E, Park Rapids). The program is free to the public and handicap accessible.

A panel of local experts for the program will include:

• Hailey Sharp - a new provider in the process of getting licensed,
• Zoe Mattson - new mother who struggled with finding childcare,
• Jennifer Tolle - Foster Care Licensor,  I am the secondary child care licensor, I assist in facility investigations regarding child care; I have minor children who attend in home daycare.
• Leeza Branstrom - employed by Hubbard County Social Services for six years.
• Kari Smith - experienced licensed provider, who started her career in the early childhood field in 1989. “As a military family we moved a lot but eventually landed back in Park Rapids She started her child care business in 2001.

Each panel member will speak about their experiences with childcare issues. There will be time for questions from the public after the presentations. A follow-up program on childcare resources will be held April 26. It will also be held at Northwoods Bank.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting
nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always
working on vital issues of concern to members and the public. Please direct any
questions about LWV PRA activities, events or on how to join by
emailing:  lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org .

103 Years Strong: Come Learn More About League of Women Voters

February 14 is the day we commemorate the birthday of the League of Women Voters with collective action, advocacy, and storytelling. Women have powered democracy for over 100 years, and for our birthday, we are coming together across the country to continue to educate voters on issues relevant to the public in 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you can join us at Park Rapids Bella Caffé (116 3rd Street, Park Rapids) to celebrate Women's Right to Vote. We'll serve birthday cake between 10 am & 1 pm Tuesday, Feb. 14.

LWV members will be there to answer your questions. Learn more about  LWV Park Rapids Area, a nonpartisan organization that never endorses candidates. Find out about our plans for the year ahead.

Bring friends/loved ones. Bella Caffé is looking forward to welcoming you, too!


An invitation from LWV United States:  

On Feb. 14, the League of Women Voters is turning 103! Join us, @LWVUS, and Leagues from across the country with a virtual pep rally to celebrate our 103-year legacy. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3wam54p

Now It Is Up to You: VOTE!

 

Over the last eight weeks, League of Women Voters (LWV) Park Rapids, a non partisan, nonprofit organization, has been providing voters with information on:

• Why our elections are secure,
• Ways to vote early,
• How to register before Election Day,
• How to deal with misinformation about voter security, and
• How to evaluate the news you are hearing about elections.


LWV Park Rapids and the Park Rapids Enterprise also presented four candidate forums for local candidates from the area: Park Rapids City Council, Park Rapids School Board, Hubbard County Commissioners and Menahga School Board. These forums are one of few places where all the candidates appeared together and all answered the same questions submitted by the public. These forums were streamed by the Park Rapid Enterprise and recorded by LWVPRA. Videos are on YouTube for anyone to view before they go to vote.


Both LWV Park Rapids and the Park Rapids Enterprise have posted on their websites all the relevant information voters need to make their plan to vote.

•     This link (https://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/election-2022-resources) will take you to a section of the Enterprise's website that has all the informational and opinion articles posted plus voter guides. The Enterprise has made this section free as a public service to this community. Make sure you click on the “see more” and “load more” buttons as there is a lot of information.
•     This link (https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot/?searchTerm=sample%20ballot) will take you to the Secretary of State’s website to print out your sample ballot. We recommend you do this as boundaries have changed following the 2020 Census. Make sure you know whose names will be on your ballot; it might be different this year. Your polling place should be the same as last time, but you can check with the Hubbard County Auditor’s office if you have questions.
•     This link (https://lwvparkrapidsarea.blogspot.com/2022/10/links-to-all-four-candidate-forums-for.html) has the links to LWVPRA’s four videos.
•     Use this link to see forums from all around MN: (https://www.lwvmn.org/candidate-forums-2022).


Now it is up to you the Voters of Hubbard County to study the candidates and the issues, then go to your polling place to vote Nov 8. (You can vote early at the Hubbard County Courthouse until Nov 7). If you are voting by absentee ballot or live in a township where ballots are mailed, be aware it can take a week for mail to be delivered. Please consider delivering your ballot to the courthouse. All mail in ballots must arrive by election day. 


One last thing you can do is encourage others to vote. Then when the counting is done, congratulate the winners and thank everyone who stepped up to run for office.

Links to all Four Candidate Forums for 2022

 

 

Below are the links to the 4 Candidate Forums (posted on YouTube) videos that League of Women Voters Park Rapids made this election season. All the Candidates that filed were invited to the forums.  

Thank you to all the candidates who participated, our volunteers and all of the public that submitted questions by email or attended the forums in person. 

Lastly Thank you to the Park Rapids Enterprise (Robin Fish and Shannon Geisen) for all their help with the forums and the follow up articles they wrote for the paper. 

Hubbard County Commissioner District 3

Menahga School Board

Park Rapids City Council

Park Rapids School Board

 

Know Your News: Misinformation and Disinformation

The times have changed!

Today, information is being sent and received at the speed of light. Consuming news has become increasingly overwhelming and tricky. Often people are unsure if the information they’re getting is 100 percent accurate or they become overwhelmed with the amount of information they are exposed to.

This guide to knowing your news will provide tips on spotting and combating misinformation, as well as minimizing information overload.

Avoid False Information
 Many people are concerned about allegations of “fake news,” which can be described as the intentional or unintentional spread of misinformation through various forms of communication (news outlets, television, radio and social media). Social media is designed to spread information more rapidly than traditional media. This characteristic can often be helpful, but also means the misinformation and disinformation can spread quickly via shared articles, tweets, posts and images.

Misinformation is any false information, regardless of whether or not it is intentionally created and spread.
Disinformation is any false information that has been created or distributed with the intent of misleading or deceiving others. It is important to know the difference, as both can be harmful to your news consumption.

Factual vs False - Consider the Source
    When reading an article online:

    • If it is from a trustworthy, reputable or major news source, it is more likely the
      information is fact-based.
    • Be wary of information on social media that has no listed sources to back up the
      claims. “Breaking” or shocking news may contain misinformation if not
      corroborated by other major news sources.
    • Newspapers, libraries and nonpartisan organizations, like universities and some
       think tanks, can be good sources for double-checking information.

When reading an article in a newspaper, make sure the article is an objective report. Opinion pieces like commentaries, letters to the editor and editorials are typically written with a subjective perspective and based on the discretion of the writer. These are still good to read, but should not be mistaken for objective reports from journalists.

When watching TV, commentary shows on television are fine to watch but may require your own additional research. Commentary shows are also opinion pieces with a subjective perspective and based on the discretion of the show producers and presenters. Do not mistake them for objective reports from journalists.

It’s False…Now What?
Once you have decided the information is false, do not share it. However, it is also important to not dismiss it either. Inform others, especially those who may have shared it with you.

Be Wary of Images on Social Media
 Misinformation and disinformation can come in various forms, even an image. Heavily-edited images on social media are usually a red flag for misinformation and disinformation, but the edits can sometimes be subtle. Often, misused or misleading images will have completely different sources or origins, like a false description or caption. As part of your research to determine whether an image is misleading or accurate, you can use a reverse image search.

•  In some web browsers, you can simply right-click on the image and select ‘Search Google for Image.’
•  You can also download the image or find its URL. Then go to images.google.com or www.tineye.com and upload the image or paste the image’s URL.

How Do I Make the News Less Overwhelming?

•  Get your news and information from at least three different sources. At least two of these sources should be bona fide journalism, not commentary, opinion or talk shows.
•  At least two of these sources should be in written format. This allows you to consume information slower, review it and fact-check it.
• Video news media,(like cable news) can throw lots at you fast. Fact-checking and sources are often difficult to track.
• Local sources such as MinnPost.com and MPR News are available state-wide. National news from the Associated Press, Reuters and other major outlets are available on line.

To find out more details about this topic, videos on how to use the tools mentioned and links to several websites, go to https://www.lwvmn.org/know-your-news.
 

The League of Women Voters is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public. Please direct any questions about League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area (LWVPRA) activities, events or on how to join by emailing lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on our website on this website.

Voter Security and Misinformation

 

From article written by League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area and published in the Park Rapids Enterprise. 

    The League of Women Voters of Minnesota has been a trusted source of nonpartisan voter registration and education for over 100 years, serving citizens across the state of Minnesota to ensure free, fair and safe elections. Local and state election officials have been hard at work to guarantee citizens can trust the integrity of Minnesota’s voting systems.
    Our current election system has many safeguards in place to verify voter identity and protect ballot integrity. State, city and county election officials register voters and ensure their eligibility to vote, look into any ballot challenges and address any inconsistencies in voter registration.
    This election season you may have heard about incidents that show our system is not accurate. But most of that information is coming from other states.
    Minnesotans can be proud that ours is the No. 1 state for voter turnout. In Minnesota we have not found widespread irregularities in our voting. Some have referenced the Franken-Coleman race of 2008. In reality, this case showcased the safeguards already in place within our election system, including the value of having paper ballots; a process for recounting ballots and addressing grievances; and having the elections process overseen by officials from both political parties. Since that 2008 election, the following safeguards to our voting system have protected the integrity of our elections:

•  Voters must verify their residence when they register to vote in Minnesota.
•  Absentee ballots require voter identification and include a unique barcode that ties a ballot to specific ballot materials.
•  All ballots are opened and tallied in bipartisan pairs.
•  A record of ballots received is created and maintained to eliminate any double voting.
•  Ballot machines are locally purchased and  bipartisan public tests are conducted daily.
•  Ballot integrity assured by a daily bipartisan 3-step process of matching: 1) number of ballots issued, 2) number indicated on the ballot tabulator, and 3) number of physical paper ballots in the ballot box.
•  *Same day voter registration requires proof of residence, under threat of perjury.
•  On Election Day, ballots are handed off in bipartisan teams of two.
•  A bipartisan post-election audit is held to certify election results.
•  After certification, all ballots are kept in a secure location for 22 months.
•  There is a process for a public recount and formal complaint process.

    During this election season, League of Women Voters urges everyone to refer to the facts and not misinformation and drama about our elections. Minnesotans can come together to support access to free, fair and safe elections that also protect the privacy of voters and the safety of our election officials. If you want to read more use this link: https://www.lwvmn.org/elections411.
    Minnesota elections are safe and secure!  So, be assured, and if you have not already, vote Nov. 8!
    Please direct any questions about League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area (LWVPRA) activities, events or on how to join by emailing: lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LWVPRA