Why should you vote in today’s primary election? Consider this collection of quotable comments:
“By voting, you have the opportunity to make positive changes in your community and create a better quality of life for you and your family.” – APIAVote
“By voting alongside your neighbors, family, and friends, you ensure that your shared values and concerns are at the forefront and that you play a key role in choosing who represents us and where government funding and resources go.” – also APIAVote, which targets Asian-Pacific Islander Americans
“Apathy and low voter turnout should not continue to define local elections. The media may not reflect the importance of local elections as clearly as they do presidential elections, but local elections have real consequences. … People should take the time to educate themselves about their local elections. … Voters should not ignore them.” — Matthew Gross, writing for the Harvard Political Review in 2020
“Because voter turnout (in local elections) is lower, your vote can actually make an even bigger difference.” – Rock the Vote, also known as Campus Election Engagement Project
“The world is ruled by those who show up.” — Engineering expert Robert B. Johnson in a 1999 article in the Journal of Management in Engineering, with versions of this quote often attributed to Ben Franklin
“Participation in local, state and national elections is one of the most important responsibilities of an engaged citizen.” – Penn State Student Affairs
“The right to vote was bought with blood on battlefields and has been defended with vigilance and ferocity for generations. … Voting should not be viewed as a chore but as a privilege and a responsibility; it is our duty as residents of our communities. In far too many other parts of the world, citizens only wish they had such an opportunity.” — Editorial in the Duluth News Tribune
“The right to vote has not always been a fundamental right for all Americans. The United States Constitution, as originally drafted, did not explicitly define who could and who could not vote. … Voting is one of the most important freedoms of American life … No matter what you believe or who you support, it is important to exercise your rights.” – National Geographic
“A Portland State University study found that fewer than 15 percent of eligible voters elected mayors, city councils and other local offices. Low voter turnout means that important local issues are decided by a limited group of voters, making a single vote even more statistically significant.” – also National Geographic
What’s on your ballot in Duluth today? There are Republican and Democratic primaries for the 8th Congressional District, for two House seats representing Duluth, and for the U.S. Senate seat held by Senator Amy Klobuchar.
There is also a rare race for the Sixth Judicial District judgeship in Duluth after Dale Harris announced his retirement. Five candidates are vying to replace Harris in the nonpartisan election: Gunnar Johnson, Peter Raukar, Shawn Reed, John Schulte and Gerald Wallace. The field will be whittled down to two on Tuesday.
In Tuesday’s Democratic primary, Klobuchar is being challenged for the U.S. Senate by Steve Carlson, Ahmad R. Hassan, George Kalberer and Ole Savior. On the Republican side, the candidates are John Berman, Loner Blue, Joe Fraser, Alycia R. Gruenhagen, Patrick D. Munro, Raymond D. Petersen, Christopher Seymore Sr. and Royce White.
In the 8th Congressional District, on the Republican side, incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber is being challenged by Harry Welty; and on the Democratic side, John Munter and Jennifer Schultz are the candidates hoping to make it to Election Day.
In the two races for the Minnesota House of Representatives seats east of Duluth, Republicans Timothy Meyer and Shawn Savela are vying to challenge incumbent DFL Rep. Liish Kozlowski; and in the Minnesota House of Representatives west of Duluth, DFL members Jordon Johnson and Pete Johnson are vying to challenge Republican Mark McGrew on Election Day to succeed retiring Rep. Liz Olson.
How can I study before I leave for
my polling station
? All candidates were invited to write columns by the News Tribune’s opinion page this summer. In addition, the News Tribune’s editorial staff met with the candidates and offered support, and the news department covered all the campaigns and candidates. A few minutes of scrolling and reading at duluthnewstribune.com and duluthnewstribune.com/opinion can help any voter make informed decisions.
The polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You know what to do. Now do it. These candidate fields are not going to improve on their own.
The “Our View” editorials in the News Tribune reflect the opinion of the newspaper, which is determined by the editorial board. Current members of the editorial board are Publisher Neal Ronquist, Editorial Director Chuck Frederick and Labor Representative Kris Vereecken.
