Neighbors,

I hope the holiday season will bring you time for family, celebration, and reflection on highlights from the past year and maybe make some good goals for the year to come. 

Be A Voter!

It seems like the big news of the day lately has trended toward what's happening in Washington. But don't forget to stay civically engaged here in Minnesota! Voting in the presidential primary is important, no matter your party affiliation, because democracy works best when all voices are heard.

Absentee balloting for the 2020 Minnesota presidential nominating primary begins on January 17th, which is less than a month from today! You can order an absentee ballot or update your voter registration here. Still have questions? Here's a short Q and A:

When will the presidential nomination primary take place?

March 3, 2020, with early voting beginning on January 17th.

Will all parties be on the same ballot?

No, each major party will have a separate ballot.

Will there be a place to write in a choice or vote for “uncommitted”?

If it is requested by the party chair. Party chairs will need to submit names of write-in candidates to be counted seven days before the primary.

Will any other offices be on the ballot?

No, only presidential candidates from a major party will appear on the presidential primary ballot. Other offices with a primary will be on the primary ballot in August.

Will parties have to abide by the primary results?

The presidential primary results must bind the election of delegates in each party.

Will there still be precinct caucuses?

Yes, precinct caucuses and local and state nominating conventions will still take place to conduct other party business. 

MMIW Task Force

The second meeting of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force took place in Hinckley last week. We are examining the causes behind this violence in order to provide a broader, more thorough picture of why Native women and girls have the highest incidences of violence and go missing more than any other population. Ultimately, we hope to find solutions to eradicating such violence in our Native communities. I'm glad to see that there has been recent action in other states and at the Federal level to help us address this endemic. Read more about our Hinckley meeting here.

Changing our Probation Laws

Probation sentences in Minnesota can last up to 40 years, worsening disparities in income, housing, and employment for Minnesotans. Because there are no uniform standards for probation, probation terms can be discriminatory based on geography and race, and we know that they impact families, communities and individuals lives in negative ways long after time is served. 

The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission is holding a public hearing to discuss a proposal to change limit probation to 5 years, and there's also an opportunity to make public comments up to five days after the hearing, by emailing sentencing.guidelines@state.mn.us or calling 651-296-0144.

Community Highlights

Getting out into the community and hearing about the issues impacting your life, the concerns you have for our state, and the questions you have about the legislative process are one of my favorite parts of this job! Here are a few recent community highlights. 

I spent the morning recently discussing issues affecting People of Color & Indigenous folks in our state with the Minnesota Youth Council.

Last week, both House education committees came to New Brighton to hold a public listening session for paraeducators. These hardworking professionals ensure all students can thrive, and they often juggle multiple jobs and don't receive adequate benefits. We explored options such as paid prep time, training, better wages, and increased special education funding to help with needed resources.

I hope you have safe holiday travels! Remember that if you're unsure of road conditions, you can always check MNDOT's live traffic updates.

Sincerely,

Mary KP