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More than half a million absentee ballots returned in Minnesota
The majority of absentee ballots sent out have been returned, according the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — More than half a million absentee ballots have already been returned ahead of the November election, according to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
As of Thursday, 565,909 absentee ballots have been accepted out of the more than 800,000 that have been sent out. That means nearly 300,000 absentee ballots still need to be returned.
In a press release, election officials urged voters with absentee ballots to return them to their local election office as soon as possible, either by dropping them off in person or sending them by mail. Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election day.
“More than half a million Minnesotans have already made their voices heard in this Election,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon in a press release. “Election Day is just around the corner, if you haven’t already voted now is the time to make your plan to vote.”
You can request an absentee ballot by clicking here. You can also vote early in person at your local election office. Click here for more details on early voting.
Minneapolis officials have increased access to polling places for those who opt to cast their votes early. The city added several pop-up voting locations, as well as expanded hours for the main Early Voting Center in northeast Minneapolis.
If you have not registered to vote yet, you can do so at your polling place on election day. Here is what you need to register to vote.
Have questions about the voting process? You can text 651-217-3862 and your questions will be answered by an election worker.
The presidential election is Nov. 5.
“We’re 50 ahead of where we were, 50 deaths,” Mike Hanson said. “50 families who have lost a loved one more than we were at this time last year.”
MINNEAPOLIS — It’s a frustrating trend for Mike Hanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety within the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
“Anytime I see an incident like the one that took place last night, I’m angry,” Hanson said. “It’s really hard to put into words, because this is exactly the type of thing that we work to prevent.”
Wednesday night, a 29-year-old man from St. Paul exited eastbound I-94 onto Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis. The crash report says that man was traveling at a “high rate of speed.” That man hit several cars, killing a 26-year-old Minneapolis woman and injuring several others.
“That is the one thing that makes every bad decision worse, because speed brings energy, and energy is what results in injury and death,” Hanson said.
Data provided by DPS shows that there have been nearly 150 accidents in and near the area where this happened since January 2021. Some don’t involve alcohol, some do. Hanson said it’s their goal to make sure alcohol is never a factor.
“There is literally no excuse today for somebody to wind up in the back seat of a squad car, an ambulance or heaven forbid a hearse, because of an impaired driving decision,” he said.
Unfortunately, data shows that fatal accidents are up in Minnesota so far this year.
“We’re 50 ahead of where we were, 50 deaths,” Hanson said. “50 families who have lost a loved one more than we were at this time last year.”
Hanson said they work with different agencies across the state to help assist with education and prevention before anyone gets behind the wheel impaired.
“Our basic message is impaired is impaired. It doesn’t matter what it is that you’re impaired by, if you feel different, you will drive different,” he said. “And if you’re sitting behind the wheel and you have to ask yourself should I drive? It’s already too late.”
Police said the suspect in an alleged armed burglary is described similarly to someone who was reportedly looking into windows in the city earlier the same day.
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Police in Brooklyn Park are urging residents to make sure their windows and doors are locked after an alleged armed burglary in the city on Thursday.
According to police, residents on the 1700 block of 73rd Ave N. were coming home around 7:30 p.m. when they discovered a man in their home. The man pointed a gun at them and then fled, officials said.
The suspect is described by law enforcement as Black, 5’9 or 5’10, a skinny build, with a beard. He was reportedly wearing a black hoodie and pants.
Police said a man with a similar description was reportedly looking into windows and trying door handles around the 7500 block of Newton Ave N and Meadowwood Drive earlier on Thursday. In that case, the suspect was wearing a black hoodie with white lettering, a black coat with red sleeves, and light-colored pants, officials said.
“In light of these incidents, Brooklyn Park Police are urging residents in the area to ensure that all windows and doors are securely locked,” an alert from police said, adding if anyone notices “suspicious activity” they should call 911.
Brooklyn Center Police had similar sightings as well, according to law enforcement.
The 10 wettest and warmest years on record have all happened since 1997, according to University of Minnesota Extension Educator Suzi Clark.
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — It’s hard to miss Degler Farms — one of the last in Chanhassen that’s now focusing less on the crops that are getting harder to grow.
“We went to an agri-tourism, trying to rely more on what we can control,” said owner Gayle Degler.
At the farm, people can expect pumpkins and hayrides and even a spin atop a converted combine that brings customers around Degler’s now harvested soybean and corn fields.
The unique experience is part of Degler’s future plans as climate change continues to affect agriculture.
“I mean, back in the 1930s it took almost a decade to get out of that drought where now you can do it in six, eight or 10 months,” said Degler.
The shifting weather is happening more quickly, according to Dr. Suzi Clark, who studies and teaches climate adaptation and resilience at the University of Minnesota.
“We can no longer assume that we know what’s going to happen in the next season based off of what happened in this season and so we have to be prepared to adapt quickly,” said Clark.
She says the patterns are also warmer and wetter. In fact, the top 10 years on record have now all happened since 1997.
“But there’s a big caveat to that wetter because it’s not happening uniformly across the year, and in fact, we’ve also seen larger swings from really wet to really dry,” said Clark.
Take this year, for example, when less than half the normal amount of snow fell in winter. There was also extraordinarily warmer temperatures that added to an already persistent drought. Then, summer rains relieved that, but the record-setting amount led to flooding. Now, we’ve experienced the driest September, driving the state back into a drought.
The dirt in Degler’s field is so dry he can hardly till it, which is something he prefers to do in the fall. The snow and varying temperatures help break it up and get ready for spring planting.
“I’ve heard of people breaking equipment,” said Degler. “Right now, there’s cracks in the ground that I haven’t seen in quite a while.”
Degler’s yields are average at best this year, but he’s hopeful his new venture will be more stable than some of our changing seasons.
While Clark says, the future depends on us.
“It’s just something you have to try and prepare for, you’re going to have to live with it one way or another,” said Degler.
“It’s our choice in this day and age to decide, not only how we change our behavior, but how we respond now,” said Clark.
She says some of those things should be implemented at a state level to right in your own backyard and include installing irrigation, watering trees and capturing and storing large rain amounts. That can range from rain barrels at your house to creating rain gardens that slow runoff and improve water quality.
