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

Menahga School Board Candidate Forum: 10/13/22

Thank you to all the candidates, volunteers and Menahga residents that attended our candidate forum on October 13th.  A special thank  you to Menahga staff for setting up the library and the sound system for our forum.   The link to the video is posted below. Please forward this link to anyone else who wishes to view the forum.  Watch forums and reading about your candidates are some of the best ways for a voter to educate themselves before filling out their ballots.

YouTube link to video of 10/13/2022 Menahga School Board Candidate Forum:   https://youtu.be/9lSfrxz3Qt8

Are you registered to vote in the midterm election Nov. 8?

 While Minnesota offers the ability to register on Election Day, as a voter you might save time and some stress if you are registered before you go to your polling place. If you have moved since the last election or have not voted in a recent election or have changed your name, you may need to register for this one.
    You can check your registration online at https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx.

The last day to register to vote prior to the election is Oct. 18. There are several ways to register in advance. You may register in person at the Hubbard County auditor’s office located at the Hubbard County Courthouse in Park Rapids or the county auditor’s office in the county in which you reside. You will be asked to complete a registration form. You also may register online. The registration form is offered in 13 different languages and in Braille to accommodate the diversity of citizens living in Minnesota.
    Note: If you are a participant in Minnesota’s Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program, do not register to vote or update your registration online. Contact Safe at Home at 1-866-723-3035.

To obtain a registration form online, go to https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/register-on-paper/ and download a registration form. You may complete the registration form and mail it to: Secretary of State, First National Bank Building, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201, Saint Paul, MN 55101. You may also drop the completed form at the Auditor’s Office at the Hubbard County Courthouse.

What if you don’t have access to a computer/printer?  You could visit your local public library and use the computers there.  You also could call the Secretary of State’s office at 1-877-600-VOTE (8683).  You may then request a registration form be sent to your address. Complete and take the form to your county’s courthouse..

You may wish to look at a sample ballot after completing your registration form. Districts changed based on the 2020 Census redistricting and most voters will find they are in a new district. Go to the Secretary of State’s website and find the section labeled “What’s on my ballot?”

All you have to do is enter your address to obtain a sample ballot. The League of Women Voters site, Vote 411.org. also offers information on sample ballots. You may access this site at https://www.vote411.org/minnesota#candidate-and-ballot-measure-information. This Vote411 site offers information with details much like the Secretary of State’s website. Both sites can provide you with information to help you locate your polling place if you are new to the area and help you prepare to vote.

Get ready to vote in 2022 by registering, learning what’s on your ballot, researching candidates and finding your polling place and then, VOTE!
    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 LWVPRA activities, events or on how to join by emailing: lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on our website: lwvparkrapidsarea.blogspot.com. Videos of the three local candidate forums are also available on our website.

Menahga School Board Candidate Forum: October 13th: 6:30 pm

 

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.

A Candidate Forum will be held
at Menahga High School Library.
All our meetings are free and open to the public.
The forum will start promptly at 6:30 pm
216 Aspen Ave SW, Menahga, MN
10/13/2022  Menahga School Board Candidates

The public may submit questions relevant to a school board candidate and which will be asked by a trained moderator. Submit your questions to lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org by 10/12/22.  The questions will be consolidated and summarized by a neutral committee so that as many topics as possible can be covered during the forum. 

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

Links to LWVPRA's 3 local candidate forums & more election information

To all League members, candidates and community members who helped us put together our 3 local forums last week: Thank you.   A special thanks to Shannon and Robin at the Park Rapids Enterprise who live streamed the forums each night and provided a back up video when our video camera failed on Tuesday.   It took many hands to make sure that information about local candidates gets to the public.  Below are links to the videos of each forum, links to detailed news articles in the Park Rapids Enterprise and links to Vote411 for quick access to voting information.  

Now it is up to all the voters in Hubbard County, the City of Park Rapids and in Park Rapids School District 309 to get out and vote on November 8th.  Remember you can also request absentee ballots to vote by mail or vote early in person at the Hubbard County Courthouse.  in the last the election we had over 86% of all registered voters in the county show up and vote.  Can we break our record this year?!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to Park Rapids City Council Forum

Link to the Hubbard County Commissioners District 3 Forum

Link to Park Rapids School District 309 

 

Link to League of Women Voters' voting guide: Vote 411.org   This site will help check voter registration, get a sample ballot and help you find your polling place. https://www.vote411.org/

Find your polling place at https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

Park Rapids Enterprise site with links to local news articles on voting and voter guides for Minnesota and North Dakota.

 https://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/vote?utm_source=email&utm_medium=promo_send&utm_campaign=political_coverage_2022utm_content=political_coverage_content_promo_subs_4_10012022

 

Announcing LWVPRA 2022 Candidate Forums

 

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.

LWV Park Rapids Area welcomes the community back to our traditional in-person candidate forums moderated by an experienced and League trained moderator. These forums concentrate on locally contested elections (having two or more candidates filing for an office) so citizens can hear directly from the candidates. All candidates who file for Park Rapids School Board, County Commissioner Dist. 3 and Park Rapids City Council have been invited to participate in the forums.

The following Candidate Forums will be held at Northwoods Bank Community Room, 1200 1st St. East, Park Rapids. All forums are free and open to the public and will start promptly at 7 p.m. The community room is handicapped accessible.

• Monday, Sept. 26:   Park Rapids City Council candidates, 
• Tuesday, Sept. 27:   Park Rapids School Board candidates 
• Wednesday, Sept. 28:  Hubbard County Commissioner candidates for Dist. 3.
  

The goal is to give each candidate equal time to address the issues and to get as many questions asked as possible within the hour. The audience can help by listening respectfully to the answers and not making comments during the forum. After each forum there will be time for you to connect with the candidates for any specific questions.

The public may submit questions relevant to the office the candidate is seeking and which will be asked by the trained moderator. Voters attending the forum have two opportunities to submit questions to the candidates. The LWVPRA also has an email for voters to submit questions in advance. That email address is lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org.

Please indicate the name of the forum in questions submitted by email 

The deadline for email questions is Saturday, Sept. 24. 

By LWV policy, the identity of the person asking the question is confidential. Any questions submitted via email will remain confidential with all identifying information removed before the event. Audience members will also have the opportunity to submit questions in writing at the event, in accordance with forum rules.

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

Policy Notice: 

Statement on Candidate Forum Recordings
The League of Women Voters sponsors candidate forms to provide the public with an opportunity to hear candidates discuss the issues that are important to members of the public. The League is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. The views expressed in each forum are those of the candidates, not those of the League of Women Voters. LWV posts complete, unedited recordings of forums. Editing is authorized only for official media reporting. Excerpts or edited clips of candidate forums may not be used for partisan, political purposes.

 

 

Count the ways Minnesota elections are safe and secure

 This article was published in the Park Rapids Enterprise on Wednesday Sept 14th. 

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.
One of the most vital issues to be addressed this election season is the security of our elections. We need to remember that each state runs its own elections, so when we read about “problems” in other states that does not necessarily apply to Minnesota.
According to audits and reviews by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office and the Legislative Auditor’s Office, Minnesota elections are safe and secure.
This is also affirmed by the Hubbard County auditor’s office.

• From when a vote is received at the precinct until it is certified by the county and state, teams of election judges, represented by different parties, handle the ballots.
• At the state level, a bipartisan post-election audit is conducted to certify the election, which is open to the public, and includes a final report for all counties.
• After the audit, all ballots are kept locally in protected storage for 22 months.
• A formal complaint and public recount process already exists to address  any errors that may occur.
  

Election results are not official until they have been reviewed and certified by a local canvassing board.
The canvassing board, made up of local officials, checks to make sure the numbers received from the county and election judges at the precincts match. If the numbers don’t match, the canvassing board must figure out where the discrepancy came from before they can certify the results.

Canvassing boards are also involved in the process of randomly selecting precincts for review after every statewide general election. They can also oversee any recounts. This makes the election results official, pending legal challenges.

After the information is canvassed, the county moves to the post-election review. This process is open to the public. Officials involved are again working in bipartisan pairs at all times.

Additional election security measures are in place statewide:

•  The biggest security system is the decentralization of our election system – there is no “central” or federal system that can be hacked or tampered with. There are federal standards, but each state sets its own laws and standards.
•  Even the padlocks used to seal election results information and voting machines are tracked via serial number to ensure no one tampers with them.
•  Election officials must verify that voting machines are printing out zeros at the start of the day.
•  Paper trails are key in Minnesota and are used at practically every step in the process to check and recheck results.
• Testing of vote tabulator machines is public.
• Minnesota has challengers –not poll watchers or poll observers – on Election Day and during the absentee vote certification process, but challengers must have personal knowledge that the person they are challenging is not eligible to vote.
• Minnesota has a process for people to file complaints if they believe something went wrong or if they saw something against our election laws happening at a polling place. Complaints are turned over to the county attorney.
• Transparency is a main focus of the Minnesota elections system.
  

National Voter Registration Day

Sept. 20 is National Voter Registration Day.

Members of League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area will be available at the Park Rapids Area Library to answer questions and provide information.
Additional resources

For more information, visit these websites:

Minnesota Secretary of State canvassing boards: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/how-elections-work/canvassing-boards .

Personal knowledge to challenge a voter’s eligibility: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-day-voting/rules-for-challengers .

League of Women Voters Park Rapids is preparing for midterm elections

 

This article was published in the Park Rapids Enterprise 9/7/22

Preparing for Midterm Elections

For more than 100 years, the League of Women Voters has been a trusted source of nonpartisan voter registration and education, and a longstanding witness to Minnesota’s proud tradition of voter access and election integrity. This tradition has been upheld by trained election professionals who, together with local election judges from all major parties, conduct and verify our elections and ensure that all votes are correctly counted, using the many safeguards we

currently have in place. Sadly, misinformation following the 2020 elections is undermining voter confidence and has resulted in hostility toward election officials, efforts to impede voter access to polling places and party balance of election judges.

Please take time to learn more about best practices and safeguards associated with Minnesota elections. Take note of the additional reports and sources that continue to document confidence in the 2020 elections. A LWVMN March 2021 on-line seminar interviewing a panel of election officials and judges from across the state affirmed that our Minnesota elections were and remain, fair and accurate.

In the next several weeks, prior to the November midterm elections, the LWV Park Rapids Area will help by sharing information for the voting public. We will include information on a variety of election related subjects and hold in person candidate forums for local elections the last week in September.  To protect our democracy, we must assure our citizens that the process of voting in Minnesota has the safeguards in place to protect both voter access and election integrity.

League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area  (LWVPRA), a non-partisan organization, our mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government 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 by emailing:  

lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org.

LWV Park Rapids Area Encourages everyone to participate in the caucuses.

As a part of our non-partisan mission to educate area voters on election procedures and processes, League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area is encouraging all local citizens to participate in the precinct caucuses that will be held on February 1, 2022.  The caucus is the first place to help determine who is on the election ballot. Time to make your voice heard.

Attending caucuses is the way to support your preferred candidates by participating in this endorsement process.  According to the Park Rapids Enterprise, “going to a caucus is a great way to show support for a candidate, raise an issue that’s important to you, influence who the party will endorse for many offices up for election this year  and meet people in your community.”

Precinct caucuses are meetings run by Minnesota’s political parties. They are the first in a series of meetings where parties may endorse candidates, select delegates to the next level conventions, and start to set the principles the candidates run on. This is called a party platform. To participate, you must be eligible to vote in the next general election and live in the precinct. You also must generally agree with the principles of the political party hosting the caucus.

Announcement from Hubbard County Republicans (GOP) Hubbard County
Republicans will hold their local precinct caucus, starting at 7 p.m.(registration at 6:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, Feb.1.

Park Rapids Century School cafetorium (501 Helten Ave.):
Residents of the city of Park Rapids and townships of Argo, Clay, Clover,Henrietta, Hubbard, Lake Emma, Straight River and Todd.

Akeley Regional Community Center (210 Pleasant Avenue SE):
Residents of the cities of Nevis and Akeley and townships of Akeley, Badoura, Crow Wing, Mantrap, Nevis, Steamboat River, Thorpe and White Oak.

Laporte School community room (315 Main Street West):
Residents of the city of Laporte and townships of Farden, Fern, Guthrie, Hart Lake, Helga, Hendrickson, Lake Alice, Lake George, Lake Hattie, Lakeport, Rockwood and Schoolcraft.

Announcement from Hubbard County DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor)
All  DFLers  are welcome to the caucuses. Registration will open at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at all precinct caucus locations. Caucuses start at 7 p.m. 

Please note that on Jan. 25 the Minnesota DFL State Central Committee approved a bylaw that removes the requirement that a person must be eligible to vote to participate in caucuses. This means anyone anyone who will be 18 by the November Election (Nov. 8, 2022), is a resident of the precinct and identifies as a member of the DFL can participate.
    Well fitted, properly worn masks will be required even while speaking and attendees must show proof of COVID vaccinations or recent negative COVID test results. Social distancing also will be required. ((read the complete press release from the DFL here))

 Park Rapids Area High School (401 Huntsinger Ave.):
Residents of the city of Park Rapids and townships of Arago, Clay, Clover, Henrietta, Hubbard, Lake Alice, Lake Emma, Straight River and Todd.

Nevis School (210 Pleasant):
Residents of the cities of Akeley and Nevis and townships of Akeley, Badoura, Crow Wing, Mantrap, Nevis, Thorpe and White Oak.

Laporte School (315 Main Street West):
Residents of the city of Laporte and townships of Hart Lake, Hendrickson, Lake George, Lakeport and Steamboat River.

Helga Community Center (25895 County Road 9):
Townships of Farden, Fern, Guthrie, Helga, Lake Hattie, Rockwood and Schoolcraft.

 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

If you are uncertain where to attend, go to the Minnesota Secretary of State's website: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/how-elections-work/precinct-caucuses/?searchTerm=caucuses and enter your address to find out where your party is meeting. 

 If you would like to talk to a League member about how a caucus works, please email you contact information to:  lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org    
A league member will call you.