Minneapolis officials gear up staffing for election

Minneapolis officials are beefing up election staffing as voters head to the polls Tuesday to elect a new mayor, City Council and park board.

Under the ranked-choice voting system, voters may choose up to three candidates for each position. The city is adding more election judges and translators at the precincts, Minneapolis City Clerk Casey Carl said. It will be the city's first time using ranked-choice voting when there is no incumbent mayor running.

Carl says delays at polling places could be possible as people learn how to use the system. Carl recommends that voters study their sample ballots.

"If your first choice is eliminated, then we'll go back to your ballot and look at your second choice. Again, if your second choice is eliminated, then we'll go back and look at your third," Carl said. "But if your first choice isn't eliminated in the counting, we stay with your first choice on the ballot. We will never go to your second choice as long as your first choice remains in play."

Unless there's a clear winner among the 35 mayoral candidates, Carl said election workers will start winnowing down the ranked-choice ballots for mayor on Wednesday.