What's On The Ballot?

Voter engagement integral in upcoming 2021 city elections

On Nov. 2, 2021, some of the biggest questions in the Twin Cities will be asked: Who will become the next mayor of Saint Paul? Will Minneapolis replace a police department with a comprehensive public safety department? Will rent increases be capped in Saint Paul? Will rent control be enacted in Minneapolis? 

These big questions come up as part of reactions to the events over the past couple of years and as terms allow for new people to come into office. Even cities outside of the direct Minneapolis/St. Paul area such as Roseville have ongoing elections for positions on the school board and in other local government offices. Though these are not considered large elections when it comes to state and national affairs, voting in these elections is still important.

St. Catherine University has an office that is dedicated to its students and helping their community knowledge. The Center for Community Work and Learning (CWL) offers the office of Civic Engagement, which has assistance when it comes to politics and voting. They have done many things both in the past and the present. Some past events include Day at the Capital, advocacy efforts, and working with other local organizations when it comes to voting and advocacy. One of their most recent projects include working on a documentary with Twin Cities PBS on women’s voting rights. 

“We have an active Civic Engagement Collective, a group of faculty, staff and students who want to ensure we are a campus that promotes democratic engagement, from voting access and education to policy and advocacy to deliberative dialogue,” said D’Ann Lesch, the director for CWL.

When it comes to politics and voting, the Civic Engagement Collective also holds plenty of events. They host nights to talk about the vote, such as their recent pizza and politic nights, and they offer voting resources for students who need information about the candidates and what’s on the ballot. Throughout the month of November up until Election Day, there will be tabling events to help inform students about the vote and ensure their confidence when it comes to voting.

“During tabling, we are helping out-of-state students find the logistics of absentee voting for their own state. We also promote events on issues that are going to be on different voting ballots,” stated Ania Salcedo, the St. Kate’s Civic Engagement Student Coordinator.

Civic Engagement also works in partnership with the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Social Justice Office. Together, they hold candidate forms, which helps candidates to introduce themselves, their stances, and answer questions to the local community and spread more education about who someone might be voting for.

In St. Paul, where St. Kate’s is located, there are a mix of questions on the ballot. The ballot includes the mayoral race, rent increase caps, and the school board election. All students who live on the St. Kate’s campus are eligible to vote in Saint Paul, though they can also vote in their hometowns. Civic Engagement is offering the Voter Van once again, which is a shuttle that runs from 8am - 8pm to bring students to and from the local polling site so they have a chance to vote. Masks are required for the van, and it will meet in the CdC roundabout. 

Civic Engagement encourages all St. Kate’s students to participate in their events and stop by their office, whether or not they are U.S. citizens. Their upcoming event is the Dreamers Advocacy event, which they wish to welcome all students to participate in. 

With the upcoming election approaching, make sure to keep your eye out on local stances and find the candidate that is best for your wants and needs. Civic Engagement is interacting with the St. Kate’s community to help spread education and assistance for new and old voters alike. 
For more questions regarding the ballot, check your local Secretary of State or local government website. For resources on voting and candidate information, visit the Civic Engagement site. To participate and engage with these political matters, reach out to Civic Engagement at communitywork@stkate.edu for more information.