 Minneapolis Early Vote Center staff
Last week marked completion of the first full week of early voting, with roughly five weeks left before the August 14 primary. Thus far, a total of 543 voters have opted to vote early at the Early Vote Center and 3,275 ballots have been mailed.
If you are serving as an election judge outside your home precinct, remember to vote early. You can vote in person at the Minneapolis Early Voter Center or apply to have a ballot sent to you by mail.
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We're still rounding out our polling places with more election judges for the August 14 Primary Election.
If you haven't already signed up to work, please express interest in working via the Election Worker Portal ASAP, or call us at 612-673-3870.
Please also encourage your friends and family to sign up.
Election judges are paid at least $15.75 per hour and can work full or partial shifts. Training dates are still available for the last half of July.
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 On June 14, the United States Supreme Court ruled on Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky, a case originating in Minnesota on what voters can wear inside the polling place.The following explains what the case means for voters in this year's election.
What was the case about?
In 2010, some Minnesota voters wore political apparel to a polling place and were asked to remove it, per Minnesota law, after which the voters sued.
What did the court rule?
The court ruled that voters can now display political materials. Voters still cannot display campaign materials specific to the current election.
What are some examples of political material that voters can now wear in the polling place?
Political materials are shirts, buttons, literature, or other items that express a political viewpoint. Examples include:
- A shirt with a pro-life or pro-choice message.
- A button that says ‘Repeal Obamacare’ or ‘I Support Obamacare.’
- A shirt with the logo of the Heritage Foundation or MoveOn.org.
What are some examples of campaign materials that voters still cannot wear in the polling place?
Voters cannot display campaign materials specific to the current election. Campaign materials include:
- Items with the name or logo of a political party or party principle that has candidates on the ballot at the current election;
- Items with the name or logo of a candidate on the ballot at the current election; or
- Items in support of or in opposition to a ballot question on the ballot at the current election.
Q: Can you wear campaign material for candidates who are not on the current ballot?
Yes. For example, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump apparel can be worn in 2018, as neither appear on the ballot.
Q: What happens if a voter wears campaign materials that is not allowed?
As in the past, election judges must ask the voter to remove or cover up prohibited items. If the voter refuses, they can still vote, but their name and information about the incident will be marked in the incident log and referred to the appropriate authorities.
Q: Can election judges now wear political materials since voters can?
No. Election judges are held to a higher standard of neutrality than voters. As in the past, do not wear clothing that might reasonably been seen as political.
Q: Where can I learn more?
Read this memo from Minneapolis Election & Voter Services regarding the case and what it means for voters.
In recent years, the City of Minneapolis has been operating the polling place for voters who live in the unorganized territory of Ft. Snelling.
Starting in 2018, the City of Richfield will operate the polling place for this small jurisdiction. This will provide a smoother experience for these voters, who vote in the Richfield school district rather than the Minneapolis school district.
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