There's an election this year. Here's everything on the ballot
Updated: 12:20 p.m.
Voter turnout for local elections is historically dismal — often 20 percent or lower, according to the Knight Foundation.
But there’s a lot at stake this year in Minnesota’s local elections on Nov. 5: four county commissioner elections, 107 school district elections and 30 municipal elections, plus school referenda.
Ahead of Election Day 2019, MPR News is asking for audience questions on the local elections.
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So far, several readers and listeners have asked for just the basics: What’s on my ballot?
That makes sense. Local elections don’t get much media attention. There’s not much campaign spending, so voters receive less contact from campaigns. Often, the most contentious measures on off-year ballots are school referenda.
But we’re here to help, and so is the Secretary of State’s office.
The SOS website has a tool for finding out what’s on your ballot. Click on the link, type in your ZIP code and address, and the site will spit out a sample ballot so you can research candidates and issues.
Below is a list from the state of elections in Minnesota. School referenda are under the Special Elections section with the word “Question” following the district name and number.
One important caveat, this list may not be complete. To make sure you’re seeing a complete ballot for your area, search your address via the link above.
Municipal
Aurora (FIPS 2872)
Barnesville (FIPS 3574)
Benson (FIPS 5212)
Bloomington (FIPS 6616)*
Dilworth (FIPS 15976)
Duluth (FIPS 17000)*
Falcon Heights (FIPS 20420)
Golden Valley (FIPS 24308)
Hopkins (FIPS 30140)
Independence (FIPS 30842)
Lonsdale (FIPS 38150)
Mahtomedi (FIPS 39428
Minnetonka (FIPS 43252)*
Rushford (FIPS 56284)
Sacred Heart (FIPS 56572)
St. Anthony (FIPS 56680)
St. Louis Park (FIPS 57220)
St. Paul (FIPS 58000) (city council only)
St. Paul Park (FIPS 58018)
St. Peter (FIPS 58036)
White Bear Lake (FIPS 69970)*
White Township (FIPS 69898)
*primary possible
School Districts
Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11)
Barnesville (ISD 146)
Bloomington (ISD 271)
Central (ISD 108)
Duluth (ISD 709)*
East Central (ISD 2580)
Eden Prairie (ISD 272)
Edina (ISD 273)
Fridley (ISD 14)
Goodhue (ISD 253)
Hastings (ISD 200)
Hinckley-Finlayson (ISD 2165)
Holdingford (ISD 738)
Hopkins (ISD 270)
Inver Grove Heights (ISD 199)
Minnetonka (ISD 276)
Mounds View (ISD 621)
Mountain Lake (ISD 173)
Ogilvie (ISD 333)
Orono (ISD 278)
Richfield (ISD 280)
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan (ISD 196)
Roseville (ISD 623)
Rothsay (ISD 850)
Rush City (ISD 139)
South Washington County (ISD 833)
Spring Lake Park (ISD 16)
St. Anthony-New Brighton (ISD 282)
St. Louis Park (ISD 283)
St. Paul (ISD 625)
St. Peter (ISD 508)
Wayzata (ISD 284)
West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan (ISD 197)
Westonka (ISD 277)
White Bear Lake (ISD 624)*
*primary possible
Upcoming Special Elections
Special Primary Anoka County Com 06 (Vacancy)
Special Election Goodhue County Com 01 (Vacancy)
Special Election Ramsey County Com 01 (Vacancy)
Special Election Waseca County Com 05 (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Byron (Question)
Special Primary City of Cloquet W-03 (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Cottage Grove (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Montgomery (Question)
Special Election City of Moorhead W-03 (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Moorhead W-04 (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Ostrander (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Ramsey W-03 (Vacancy)
Special Election City of Rothsay (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2 - Hill City (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 47 - Sauk Rapids-Rice (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 111 - Watertown-Mayer (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 112 - Eastern Carver County (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 113 - Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 118 - Northland Community (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 152 - Moorhead (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 182 - Crosby-Ironton (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 191 - Burnsville (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 194 - Lakeville (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 206 - Alexandria (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 227 - Chatfield (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 238 - Mabel-Canton (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 252 - Cannon Falls (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 261 - Ashby (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 306 - Laporte (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 332 - Mora (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 423 - Hutchinson (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 435 - Waubun-Ogema-White Earth (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 458 - Truman (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 465 - Litchfield (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 486 - Swanville (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 497 - Lyle (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 511 - Adrian (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 514 - Ellsworth (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 518 - Worthington (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 534 - Stewartville (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 535 - Rochester (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 547 - Parkers Prairie (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 548 - Pelican Rapids (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 550 - Underwood (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 593 - Crookston (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 599 - Fertile-Beltrami (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 600 - Fisher (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 630 - Red Lake Falls (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 656 - Faribault (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 707 - Nett Lake (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 712 - Mountain Iron-Buhl (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 717 - Jordan (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 726 - Becker (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 728 - ISD 728 (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 743 - Sauk Centre (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 748 - Sartell-St. Stephen (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 761 - Owatonna (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 763 - Medford (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 821 - Menahga (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 829 - Waseca (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 836 - Butterfield (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 858 - St. Charles (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 861 - Winona Area District 4 (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 876 - Annandale (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 877 - Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 912 - Milaca (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2125 - Triton (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2137 - Kingsland (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2164 - Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2169 - Murray County Central (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2172 - Kenyon-Wanamingo (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2180 - MACCRAY (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2358 - Tri-County (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2364 - Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2365 - Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2534 - BOLD (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2687 - Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2805 - Zumbrota-Mazeppa (Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2853 - Lac qui Parle Valley (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2854 - Ada-Borup (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2859 - Glencoe-Silver Lake (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2860 - Blue Earth Area (Question & Vacancy)
School District Special Election ISD 2886 - Glenville-Emmons (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2895 - Jackson County Central (Question)
School District Special Election ISD 2908 - Brandon-Evansville (Question)