League of Women Voters Announces 2026 Candidate Forums

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area (LWVPRA)  is hosting a series of Candidate Forums in the weeks prior to the November 3rd General Election. The forums will include candidates for Hubbard County Commissioners (Districts 1 and 3), Hubbard County Sheriff, Park Rapids Mayor,  Menahga School Board, and Menahga Mayor..


The League of Women Voters creates these forums for voters, bringing candidates and community members face-to-face to address the issues shaping our area. Every vote influences the future of our county, cities and schools. These forums offer voters direct access to candidate perspectives and ensure everyone has the opportunity to cast an informed ballot. All candidates were invited and every attempt was made to accommodate schedules. Specific rules governing the Candidate Forums were given to each candidate along with information on how to prepare.

These events are free and open to the public. The forums will be lived streamed by the Park Rapids Enterprise and a video posted on YouTube. For real-time updates and schedule changes, visit our website:  (https://bit.ly/4gzskad)

 
Hubbard County Commissioners Forum
The forums kick-off on September 10th at 6 pm  at the Northwoods Bank Community Room 1200 1st St East Park Rapids, MN  This forum is for District 1 and 3 candidates: Cory Aukes, Donn Hoffman, Andrew McFarlane and David DeLaHunt. District 5 candidate Ted Van Kempan has no opposition. Candidates will respond to questions on a wide variety of issues of concern to voters. League of Women Voters member and trained moderator, LuAnn Hurd-Lof will moderate.

Menahga Mayor’s Forum (co-sponsored by League of Women Voter East Otter Tail County)
The candidates for the Menahga mayor will field questions beginning at 5 pm on September 14th at the Menahga High School Media Center. Candidates are Jody Bjornson and Thomas A Ellingson. League of Women Voters member and trained moderator Peter Dzubay will moderate.

Menahga School Board Forum (co-sponsored by League of Women Voter East Otter Tail County)
The candidates for the Menahga School Board will field questions beginning at 6:15 pm on September 14th at the Menahga High School Media Center. Candidates are Rylan Aho, Dustie, Bakke, Justin Brown, Andrea M Havennen, Nate Hendrickson, Katie Howard, and David Treinen. League of Women Voters member and trained moderator Carolynne White will moderate.

Hubbard County Sheriff Forum (sponsored by Park Rapids Rotary and Park Rapids Bar Association.)
 
The candidates for the Hubbard County Sheriff will field questions beginning at 6 pm on September 22nd at the Armory Arts and Event Center, 203 Park Ave South in Park Rapids, MN.   The candidates are Jimmy Hansen and Tony Petrie.   League of Women Voters member and trained moderator Bill Steen will moderate this event.

Park Rapids Mayor Forum
The candidates for the Park Rapids Mayor will field questions beginning at 6 pm on September 23rd at the Park Rapids City Hall Council Chamber: 212 2nd St W, Park Rapids, MN. Candidates are Pat Mikesh and Liz Stone.  League of Women Voters member and trained moderator LuAnn Hurd-Lof will moderate this event.

Hubbard County Sheriff Forum
The candidates for the Hubbard County Sheriff will field questions for voters in the northern part of the county beginning at 6:30 pm on September 28th at the Guthrie Town hall at 44255 Rail Road Guthrie, MN.   The candidates are Jimmy Hansen and Tony Petrie.   League of Women Voters member and trained moderator Bill Steen will moderate this event.

Email Questions in Advance of each Forum: (more details on submitting questions)
Voters are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates in advance by emailing lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Please include the name and date of the relevant forum in the subject line. In accordance with League of Women Voters policy, all submitter identities will remain strictly confidential, and personal details will be removed before the event.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit written questions in person during each forum in accordance with Forum Rules.

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area does not support or oppose candidates for office or political parties. LWV is a 501(c)3 political organization that encourages informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership is open to all. Membership information will be available at the Candidate Forums.

For more information on the forums, please contact Carolynne White at lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org
For further election details or voter portal links, you can visit the Hubbard County Elections Office or the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office

 

 

LWV Park Rapids participates in LWVUS Day of Action

Kari, Deb, AnnaMae, Carol and local voter

 

In honor of the passing of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, members of the League of Women Voters - Park Rapids Area took to the Park Rapids Farmers' Market for the LWV US Day of Action! We loved chatting with neighbors and helping everyone get election-ready.

🗳️ Primary Election Day is almost here! Here is everything you need to know before Tuesday, August 11th:

 

• Early Voting (Monday): Vote in person at the local courthouse during business hours.

• Election Day (Tuesday): Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM at your usual polling place.

• Not Registered Yet? No problem! You can register in person on Monday at the courthouse or on Tuesday directly at your polling place.

• Kitchen Table Absentee Ballots: Do not mail your absentee ballot at this point—it won't arrive in time! Hand-deliver it directly to the courthouse on Monday or Tuesday.

• Changed Your Mind? If you requested an absentee ballot but haven't turned it in, you can still vote in person on Election Day.

🔍 Unsure if your ballot arrived? Track your absentee ballot online anytime through the Minnesota Secretary of State's website  Track your ballot 

Deb, AnnaMae and Carol 

Thank you AnnaMae, Carol and Kari and especially Deb, our newest member for handling the Farmer's Market. 

Kicking Off Voter Education at Crazy Days in Pioneer Park!

 

Today marked an exciting start to our election season outreach! The League of Women Voters set up camp in Pioneer Park on Main Street for Crazy Days, bringing nonpartisan voting information and civics fun directly to our Hubbard County community.

From start to finish, the park was buzzing with high foot traffic, warm smiles, and fantastic conversations. We were thrilled to connect not only with locals from all across Minnesota, but also with visitors traveling from seven different states!

Highlights from the Event

•  Voters are eager to get informed before heading to the polls! We answered a steady stream of questions about our upcoming forums, with an overwhelming amount of buzz surrounding the Hubbard County Sheriff's race.

• Our trivia wheel was a huge hit with both kids and adults. We were especially blown away by the smart young voters-in-training who nailed almost every question thrown their way!

•  The vast majority of people we spoke with shared that they are already registered and fully planning to vote. We were deeply touched by the many compliments our chapter received for our commitment to nonpartisan education and community advocacy.

Hear from Our Team

"Everything went really well. Lots of traffic and lots of interest in our candidate forums... Our LWV received many compliments for our nonpartisan education and advocacy."

— Leah

"All very interested and positive about the League. The wheel questions went great for young and old alike!"

— Deanna

"Most folks we talked with indicated they are registered and plan to vote. I was especially impressed with all the smart kids who knew most answers to the questions!"

— Carol

Stay Tuned!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Pioneer Park to chat, test their voting knowledge, and support the League!

Dates, times, and details for our upcoming candidate forums (including the Sheriff’s race) will be posted right here on our website soon. Make sure to check back frequently so you can stay informed and ready for election day!

Currently Scheduled of events :

• July22:  White Earth town.  
• July 30:  Second Stage event.  5-8PM. Pioneer Park in PR
• August 6:  Pine Point event.    
• August 8:  Farmer’s Market 9-1PM.
•      This is National Day of Action recognizing the Voter Rights Act of 1965
• August 20:  Elbow Lake event.
• September 9:  Naytahoush event.   
• Sept 12:  Farmer’s Market. 9-1PM

Community Outreach Spotlight: Connecting at White Earth

 

Throughout the summer, White Earth Behavioral Health hosts community picnics across the White Earth Reservation—a wonderful tradition we love being part of! After tabling at the Pine Point Picnic for the past few years, our League of Women Voters team decided to expand our reach this summer and attend as many picnics as possible.

We kicked off our summer tour on June 18 in Waubun, connecting with voters of all ages. We handed out "I Will Vote" stickers to inspire the little ones to vote when they turn 18, and we chatted with teens about Minnesota's automatic voter registration when they get their driver’s licenses. Alongside answering community questions, we distributed helpful guides on registering to vote, checking registration status, absentee voting, Vote411.org, restoring voting rights, and pocket Constitutions. 

 

Mahnomen picnic July 1st. 

On a warm July 10th afternoon, League members Monica and Deanna headed to White Earth for the Elder Community Picnic—and what an energetic afternoon it was!

Around 150 people stopped by our table to ask questions, with most focus centered on the upcoming primary election. While many visitors lived locally on the reservation and in neighboring towns, we also connected with tribal members visiting from the Twin Cities. It was wonderful hearing city residents share, "We know your League people back home—they’ve been a huge help with voting information!"

Nearly everyone we spoke with (an estimated 95–98%) was already registered, and many had either received or already submitted their mail-in ballots. The overall enthusiasm for participating in this election was truly inspiring.

The Real Impact of Community Outreach

What our volunteers love most is seeing the ripple effect of these conversations over time:

• Empowering New Voters: Two attendees stopped back by to share that they used our simple QR codes to help their 18-year-olds easily register to vote at home!

• Restoring the Right to Vote: We continue to meet neighbors who are just learning about Minnesota's updated voting laws. One woman shared that she hadn't cast a ballot in 25 years due to a past felony conviction—she was overjoyed to learn that because she isn't currently incarcerated, her right to vote is fully restored and she can participate this year.

A huge thank you to Monica, Deanna, and the rest of the team for braving the summer heat to educate, inspire, and empower our community!

Pat and Monica at White Earth picnic. 7/22

League Members Witness Public Accuracy Test in Hubbard County

 

Minnesota voting rules require that all counties and municipalities conducting elections administer a Public Accuracy Test (PAT) at least three days before election equipment is used. These events must be open to the public and observed by at least two election judges from different political parties.” 

On July 20th, as a part of this process, two League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area members, Leah Pigatti and Carolynne White, observed the Hubbard County auditor’s staff conducting the PAT for the upcoming primary elections.

The staff tested the voting machines that will be used to count mail-in and absentee ballots including the DS200 which allows citizens to cast an early vote in person starting July 24th just like on election day. The test was conducted by three people, including a veteran head election judge and a team member with roughly 40 years of election experience.


Below are the official procedures as written by the Secretary of State’s office:

• Election officials create a spreadsheet for each precinct indicating how they will mark a set of test ballots (a "test deck"). This allocates a specific number of votes to each race and accounts for various scenarios that may occur during an election, such as over-votes (voting for more candidates than allowed) and blank ballots.
• At the public accuracy test, election officials first run a “zero tape” on the tabulator. This proves that the starting vote total is zero for all contests and issues on the ballot.
• Election officials compare the list of contests and issues on the “zero tape” with those on the actual ballots.
• Once an official confirms that the contests appearing on the “zero tape” match the ballot, they begin running the test deck through the tabulator. The official documents exactly how the machine responds to the various test scenarios.
• After all test ballots have been placed into the tabulator, the official ensures the tabulator has read the ballots and compiled the results accurately by comparing the results tape to the initial test deck spreadsheet.
• Before the test concludes, the test spreadsheet, test ballots, certification paperwork, and zero/results tapes from the preliminary and public accuracy testing are sealed in an envelope, and a form must be signed by the participating election officials.

This is exactly what we witnessed during the test. Test ballots were created for five precincts in Hubbard County. Once those test ballots had been run through the tabulators, we were allowed to see the spreadsheet showing how each test ballot was marked and how the tabulator recorded each vote. For all five precincts, the tabulated votes matched the spreadsheet exactly.  Once this was verified, the tabulators were returned to zero, and a new, numbered seal was affixed and recorded. This numbered seal is checked again before the machine is used in the actual election to prove that it has not been tampered with.

After the test, we had time to ask several questions about the security of our voting process. For example, the results of this test vote are transmitted to the Secretary of State’s office exactly as they would be on election night. The totals are saved to a computer stick and inserted into a dedicated election computer, which encrypts the results before sending them to the Secretary of State's office. This uses a completely closed, secure system that is not connected to the public internet. From what we saw and heard, it is hard to believe that any vote totals could be manipulated or interfered with from the moment a vote is marked by a citizen until it reaches the state system.

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area encourages anyone with questions about our voting system to talk with our county auditor’s office. They have the experience and training to answer any question. We invite you to head out and vote in the Primary election—which ends on August 11th—with absolute confidence!

Today marks the start of early voting for the August 11 Primary Election

 

County election offices are now open for in-person voting.   There are three ways to vote in Minnesota: By Mail: Minnesotans can vote by mail by requesting a ballot at mnvotes.gov/absentee starting June 26. About 150,000 Minnesotans live in mail-ballot precincts and will be mailed a ballot automatically if they are registered to vote. To be counted, absentee ballots returned in-person must be received by local election offices by 5 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots returned by mail and mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can track their ballot at mnvotes.gov/trackmyballot.  Early In-Person: Minnesotans can vote early in person at their county election offices and designated early voting centers during business hours between June 26 and August 10. Check your county elections website for available early voting locations. Beginning on July 24, voters can cast their ballot into a ballot tabulator using the new early voting process. Learn more about voting early in-person. In-Person on Election Day: Minnesotans can vote in-person at their local polling place on Tuesday, August 11. Find your polling place at mnvotes.gov/pollfinder. Check your registration online at mnvotes.gov/register. All polling places are open until 8 p.m. As long as voters are in line to vote by 8 p.m. they can vote. In Minnesota, people can register to vote on election day.

Get to know the Candidates    As early voting begins, VOTE411 is now live and ready to help voters get to know their candidates. Vote411 brings candidate information and questionnaire responses into one accessible, nonpartisan voter guide so people can make informed choices at every level of the ballot. It is available in English and Spanish.

Help us Close the Information Gap and Strengthen Democracy   According to a recent poll conducted by LWVMN and StratSimple, the number one reason eligible voters in Minnesota don’t cast a ballot is because they don’t know the candidates. VOTE411 is one way to break down that barrier and ensure voters have the information they need.   If you see candidates who have not yet completed their VOTE411 questionnaire, we invite you to reach out and encourage them to do so; contact information for all candidates is available in VOTE411. It is an easy thing you can do to help our democracy and encourage high turnout!     Sample Email: "Hello, I was just on VOTE411 and noticed that your questionnaire has not yet been completed. As a potential constituent, it’s important to me, and other voters, to hear your views in your own words. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact the LWVMN office at vote411@lwvmn.org. I hope to see your answers on VOTE411 soon."   Thank you for being part of this work and for helping ensure voters are informed, engaged, and ready to participate.

Defending the First Amendment

The First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy, yet its role in our daily lives and the importance of ethical reporting have never been more critical to discuss.

 

The League of Women Voters (LWV) Park Rapids Area is proud to invite the community to a special presentation: Defending the First Amendment, featuring guest speaker Sabrina Halvorson.
 
Event Details

    When: Wednesday, May 20th

    Time: 6:30 PM

    Where: Northwoods Bank Community Room
                 1200 First Street East
                  Park Rapids, MN  

    Bonus: Refreshments will be served!

About the Speaker

Sabrina Halvorson is a staunch advocate for First Amendment rights and a champion of high-quality, ethical reporting. With a career spanning over 35 years across radio, television, and print media, she brings a wealth of editorial experience to the stage.

Currently, Sabrina serves as the CEO of the North Dakota News Cooperative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local journalism. Her work is centered on:

    Media Literacy: Helping citizens navigate the modern news landscape.

    Accountability: Ensuring reporting fosters public trust.

    Community Impact: Building sustainable news models that serve metro, rural, and agricultural communities with depth and integrity.

Why This Matters

As part of our ongoing mission to serve and inform Hubbard County voters, the LWV believes that empowering citizens starts with education. This program aims to provide practical insights into how the First Amendment protects our right to lead and be heard.
About the League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area is a non-partisan organization. We promote informed and active participation in government through education and advocacy. All our programs are free and open to the public.

Interested in joining or have questions?

    Email us: lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org

    Stay updated: Follow our activities on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LWVPRA

We look forward to seeing you on May 20th for this vital conversation on democracy and the press!