The entire Minneapolis City Council is up for election this November.
In the last municipal election, less than 50% of registered voters in Ward 9 cast their vote. Let’s increase our turnout and give Ward 9 a louder voice at City Hall!
Steps to Casting Your Vote
Register to vote! You can register here if you are a U.S. citizen, at least 18, and have lived in Minnesota for at least 20 days prior to the election. **NEW IN 2023** Thanks to a state law passed this spring, parolees can now vote. If you have a criminal record, you can still vote, as long as you are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.
Check out your sample ballot. All of Minneapolis City Council is up for election this year. Start learning which candidates are on your ballot and what they stand for. You can see all City Council Member filings here. Most ward elections are contested, including Ward 9, which means your vote will decide who represents you.
Check out a Ward 9 Candidate Forum! The League of Women Voters hosted a Ward 9 forum on Tuesday, October 10, from 6:30 to 7:30pm at the Powderhorn Recreation Center. You can watch the forum on YouTube. Find other candidate forums on the League of Women Voters website, here.
Request time off to vote. Your employer is REQUIRED to give you paid time off to vote if you are scheduled to work on Election Day. They can’t make you use PTO or vacation. Learn more about your voting rights here.
Vote ahead of time or on November 7! For Election Day voting, find your polling place here. Early voting has already started, and you can vote early by mail or in-person. Learn how to cast your ballot early here.
Why It Matters
This is the first election since the City moved to a strong mayor system, which concentrates power in the hands of the Mayor. While the Mayor isn’t up for re-election until 2025, City Council Members are this fall – and they hold significant legislative power.
With important issues like police accountability, rent control, encampments, and local zoning on the horizon, the make-up of City Council matters. Voters have the power to hire or fire City Council Members through the vote. That means YOUR VOTE MATTERS.