PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Today, Aug. 19, 2009 is the final day for citizens not already registered to vote to pre-register as a voter in the Sept. 9 Minnesota state primary election. However, if you’re not currently registered and miss the pre-registration deadline, you may still register as a voter (and vote) at the polling place in your precinct on Sept. 9.

To register at the polls on Primary Election Day, Sept. 9, you will need a valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, or Minnesota ID card to verify your name and a residential address in the precinct.

If you do not have any of the above documents, there are several alternatives available to register as a voter. For more information, click on the link below:

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=204

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MINNESOTA’S OPEN PRIMARY

Please note that Minnesota does not have partisan voter registration. In other words, Minnesota has no registered Republicans or Democrats.

For that reason, there are no separate ballots for Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the primary election. Everyone receives the same ballot (with separate columns for the Republican, Democratic, and Independence Party candidates) and voters may vote in the party column of their choice — irrespective of whether they consider themselves Republican, Democrat, or independent.

Thus, any registered voter (Republican, Democrat, or independent) may vote in the Republican primary in which I’m running against Rep. Michele Bachmann to represent the 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.