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Dear Neighbors and Friends,
As we move through the fifth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, I often find myself needing to set aside news that I have little control over in order to give my full attention to serving Hennepin County residents. I am lucky that my work gives me a certain sense of agency over current events that I know many of you are now finding difficult to obtain.
Today, I’m asking you to take one specific action that you do have control over, and which will very much benefit our community during this difficult time – exercising your right to vote in the 2020 elections from the safety of your own home.
In Minnesota, you can sign up on the MN Secretary of State’s website to have absentee ballots for the August primary and November general elections mailed to you directly. This only takes a few minutes – I urge you to do it right now, if you are able.
Although Hennepin County elections staff are doing everything they can to make election day as safe as possible, there are still inherent risks to voting in-person during this pandemic. Requesting an absentee ballot is an easy way to protect yourself, your neighbors, and our volunteer election judges, many of whom are elderly and at higher risk from COVID-19 than the general population.
I also encourage you to share with your friends and family just how important and how easy voting by mail is in Minnesota. Some ideas include texting your neighborhood group chat, emailing this information to your family members, and encouraging your friends to sign up during your next zoom hangout.
Thank you for being a voter, and thank you for doing all you can to protect your health, and the health and wellbeing of your neighbors!
Be well,
Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order today requiring Minnesotans to wear a face covering in indoor businesses and indoor public settings. Researchers have advocated for masking, calling it a simple and effective step to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The mandate goes into effect on Saturday, July 25.
Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that makes it unreasonable for the individual to maintain a face covering are exempt from the order. Children ages 5 and younger are also exempt. Children under 2 should never wear a face covering due to the risk of suffocation.
For information and resources on the mask mandate, including frequently asked questions, visit mn.gov/COVID19.
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Opening their doors for the first time since March, six libraries have launched grab-and-go services and computer use appointments, with ten additional in-person locations available by July 27. These limited in-person services offer public access to library buildings for short visits. The library is helping to accommodate the need for physical distancing through the continued closure of meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces, and children's play areas.
Learn more here.
To help keep voters safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, 50 of 125 polling places in Minneapolis are moving for the 2020 primary and general election. The changes will help protect people living in residential facilities and provide more space to keep voters a safe distance from elections staff and each other.
Registered voters will receive a postcard in the mail indicating their new polling locations. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s polling place finder can also provide voters their new polling places. These locations will be the same for the Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general elections. All voters choosing to vote in person on Election Day should check the online polling place finder or call 311 to verify their polling place.
Though polling locations will be open for the primary and general elections, the City encourages voting early by mail to minimize direct contact with others.
Read more.
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Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) announced this week it will continue serving free meals to all children 18 and under through Friday, August 21. Since schools closed on March 17, MPS Culinary & Wellness Services has served more than 2 million free meals — Monday-Friday, rain or shine — to youth across Minneapolis through weekly food boxes. Each food box includes items for seven breakfasts and seven lunches, with fresh produce and other ingredients that meet the district’s nutrition standards. Families can pick-up food boxes at 50 schools and parks across Minneapolis, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To keep families and staff safe, sites offer contact-free pick-up. All youth are invited to participate in this program and do not need to be enrolled in MPS to receive food boxes. Youth, parents, or siblings can pick up one box for each child in their family, per week.
Find more information, including pick-up locations and schedules here.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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