Southwest Minneapolis Patch 2012 Elections Voter Guide

Need info about a candidate? Trying to make up your mind? Below are links to every candidate and issue you'll be voting for this November.

We want to make sure you've got all the information you need before hitting the voting booth November 6. See below for information on the upcoming election and a breakdown of every race, with links to individual candidate profiles. Stay tuned for more profiles of judicial races, as we hear back from the candidates.

National Election Results / Hennepin County Election Results / 5th Congressional District Election Results / Constitutional Amendment Results / Local Election Results

Update 3:16 p.m. 11/6/12: . What's your experience been like? Tweet us at @SWMplsPatch!

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Election Info

• Sample Ballot: To see your sample ballot, go to this section of the Minnesota Secretary of State's Website.
• Polling locations: Check the Secretary of State's Polling Place Finder, or the City of Minneapolis' precinct map. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Voter Registration: The advance registration deadline has passed. However, Minnesota Law does allow voters to register on Election Day. Remember, it will take additional time at the polling place, and the voter will need to provide identification as prescribed by law. For a list of the different forms of identification that will be valid this election, check out this list the City of Minneapolis has put together.
• Need to vote absentee? Click here!

Races

President

• Democrat: Barack Obama (Incumbent) 
• Republican: Mitt Romney
• Independence: Gary Johnson

U.S. Senate

• Democrat: Amy Klobuchar (Incumbent)
• Republican: Kurt Bills

Fifth Congressional District

• Democrat: Keith Ellison (Incumbent)
• Republican: Chris Fields
• Patch coverage: Ellison Answers Readers' Questions, Part 1 and Part 2; Fields Answers Readers' Questions, Part 1 and Part 2; Ellison Gets Vulgar In On-Air Debate; Campaign Consultant Sues Fields.  

MN Senate District 61

• DFL: Scott Dibble (Incumbent)

MN Senate District 62

• DFL: Jeff Hayden (Incumbent)
• Independence: Eric Blair (Blair did not respond to Patch's attempt to contact him for a profile, and does not appear to have a campaign website)

MN House District 61A

• DFL: Frank Hornstein (Incumbent)
• Republican: Devin GawneMark 

MN House District 61B

• DFL: Paul Thissen (Incumbent)
• Republican: Nate Atkins
• Patch Coverage:

MN House District 62B

• DFL: Susan Allen (Incumbent)
• Republican: Tom F. Johnson 

Minneapolis School Board At-Large (non-partisan)

• Carla Bates (Incumbent)
• Doug Mann
• Eli Kaplan (write-in)
• Patch Coverage: BLOG: Write-In Candidate Eli Kaplan The Right Choice for Minneapolis
• Star-Tribune Coverage: Maverick Bates Faces Two Citywide Challengers

Minneapolis School Board District 6 (non-partisan)

• Tracine Asberry
• Patch Coverage: School Board Candidate: 'We're All In This Together'

MN Supreme Court Races

• Chief Justice: Lorie Gildea
• Associate Justice Seat #4: David Stras
• Associat Justice Seat #1: Barry Anderson

MN 4th District Court Seat 22

• Elizabeth Cutter
• Lois Conroy
• Marc Berris

Constitutional Amendments

Same-Sex Marriage Ban

• Ballot Language: An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment is adopted, a section shall be added to article XIII, to read: "Sec. 13. Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota."
• The amendment mirrors language a current state law that bans same-sex marriage from being recognized by this state.
• Supporters: Minnesota for Marriage
• Against: Minnesotans United for All Families
• Patch Coverage: Local Catholics Rally Against Marriage Amendment Minnesota Companies That Support the Marriage Amendment; Minnesota Companies that Oppose the Marriage Amendment.

Voter ID

• Ballot Language: An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment is adopted, article VII, section 1, will read: 
  
  Section 1. (a) Every person 18 years of age or more who has been a citizen of the United States for three months and who has resided in the precinct for 30 days next preceding an election shall be entitled to vote in that precinct. The place of voting by one otherwise qualified who has changed his residence within 30 days preceding the election shall be prescribed by law. The following persons shall not be entitled or permitted to vote at any election in this state: A person not meeting the above requirements; a person who has been convicted of treason or felony, unless restored to civil rights; a person under guardianship, or a person who is insane or not mentally competent.
  
  (b) All voters voting in person must present valid government-issued photographic identification before receiving a ballot. The state must issue photographic identification at no charge to an eligible voter who does not have a form of identification meeting the requirements of this section. A voter unable to present government-issued photographic identification must be permitted to submit a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot must only be counted if the voter certifies the provisional ballot in the manner provided by law.
  
  (c) All voters, including those not voting in person, must be subject to substantially equivalent identity and eligibility verification prior to a ballot being cast or counted.
• Supporters: ProtectMyVote
• Against: Our Vote, Our Future
• Patch Coverage: ; ; Church Council Urging Vote against Voter ID; WATCH: Supporters and Opponents of Voter ID Argue Their Cases Live