Hundreds of registered voters in Rock County received mail ballots through the U.S. Postal Service over the weekend for Minnesota’s primary for presidential candidates — a first for the state in decades.
Only six of Rock County’s 24 precincts host in-person polling places: the four precincts in Luverne, the city of Hills and Martin Township, and all of which will be open to voters on primary election day March 3 (see the sample ballot on page 13 for details).
Any voters, whether they live in a mail ballot district or not, can vote early in person at the Rock County Courthouse or can call to request a mail ballot. Early voting started Jan. 17.
Caucuses still happen; they no longer determine candidates
Minnesota used to rely on caucuses to determine which candidates for each party should be on the ballot for the general election.
But after the 2016 elections, the Legislature determined the state would switch to a primary system, which was regarded as a simpler way for more people to cast a vote.
According to Rock County DFL Chairman Dale Moerke, it’s mostly a good move.
“I think the primary will allow more people to participate in the selection of the potential presidential candidate and that is a good thing,” Moerke said.
“The caucus system was limited to those who could and would take the time to participate in an often confusing system. The precinct caucus is still a good way for people at the local level to discuss issues and to help shape their party's platform.”
Precinct caucuses will still happen Feb. 25, but they won’t play a major role in the presidential race.
In Rock County, the DFL caucus is at the Generations building on East Lincoln Street, and the Republicans will meet in the Luverne Elementary School commons. Both start at 7 p.m.
The caucus process will help voters learn about candidates, debate resolutions for the party platforms, elect new precinct chairs and select delegates for the upcoming national conventions.
However, the party-run caucuses in Minnesota will no longer include or influence the presidential nomination question.
Mail ballot voters received two ballots — one for the DFL and one for the Republican primary. They must choose only one.
Voters participating at the polls will need to request either a DFL or a Republican ballot, and their choice is not private.
Moerke said this raises concerns.
“The Minnesota State legislature should address the legitimate concerns of privacy that have been raised with Minnesota's Primary Ballot,” he said.
The presidential primary is different from the state primary for other offices in August when one ballot that includes both parties, as well as nonpartisan judicial and local races.
DFL ballot has 15 names, only eight of which are still in the running
In the March 3 presidential primary, there are actually two separate ballots.
For Republicans, Donald Trump’s name will be the only one on the ballot.
There will be 15 candidates on the DFL ballot but only eight remain in the race: Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, Joseph Biden, Michael R. Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg and Tulsi Gabbard.
There will be no write-in option for Democrats, but there will be a choice for “uncommitted,” which is a vote for a delegate to be sent to the Democratic National Convention who is not committed to supporting any single candidate.
Early voters whose candidates drop out after ballots are cast can change their votes until a week before the March 3 election.
To do this, they need to go to the place they sent their ballot (in Rock County that’s the courthouse in Luverne) and request that it be “spoiled.” Election officials will then track down the old ballot and issue a new one.
Minnesota is one of 14 states holding primaries on March 3, also known as "Super Tuesday," to determine the state's presidential nominating contest.
Unlike most statewide elections, a winner isn’t declared. Rather, the allocation of votes will determine how the bulk of Minnesota’s delegates to national conventions will have to vote when they get there.
More information can be found at the Minnesota Secretary of State Office at sos.state.mn.us or by calling the Rock County Auditor Treasurer’s Office.