Senate District 14 DFL Blog

Minnesota Civic Education & Local Politics

How early primary voting works in Minnesota
Theresa Meis Theresa Meis

How early primary voting works in Minnesota

Voting for Minnesota's August 11 primary opens June 26. You can vote by mail, in person at your county election office, or using a new early voting option starting July 24. Here's what to know about how it works, and why Minnesota's record on election security and access is making headlines.

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Minnesota ranked #1 (Part 1): The policy record behind the numbers
Theresa Meis Theresa Meis

Minnesota ranked #1 (Part 1): The policy record behind the numbers

In June 2026, a cross-party research group ranked Minnesota #1 in quality of life across all 50 states — not on any single metric, but on the highest average across 31 factors over three decades of data. The people whose policy decisions contributed to those rankings are on your November ballot. This post traces the connection.

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What does a campaign volunteer do? A practical guide to getting involved
Theresa Meis Theresa Meis

What does a campaign volunteer do? A practical guide to getting involved

Whether you have skills you want to put to good use or energy that needs an outlet, volunteering with a political campaign is one of the most direct ways to give back to your community. Here we break down what volunteering with the DFL or a political campaign looks like, and how to make the most of this experience.

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How a bill becomes a law in Minnesota
Theresa Meis Theresa Meis

How a bill becomes a law in Minnesota

When a bill passes in Minnesota, the news covers the vote. What it usually skips is everything that happened before: the committee hearings, the amendments, the procedural deadlines, and the negotiations that shape whether a bill ever reaches a floor vote at all. Each of those stages has its own rules, its own gatekeepers, and its own pressure points.

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