Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our newsletter

Election day is nearly upon us—Tuesday, Nov. 6, is the big day—and Lakeville Patch wants to make sure you're not only equipped with information, but also the logistics of voting. Every vote matters. We want to make sure you get your red sticker.

• First, everyone votes for a reason: to see their candidates win. That's why we're going to offer robust election night coverage, heavy on real-time results from all the races you're following: Presidential, senate, congressional and constitutional amendment results | Dakota County election results including judicial races | Local coverage: Lakeville | Burnsville | Eagan | Apple Valley/Rosemount | Northfield | Mendota Heights | Inver Grove Heights

Where to Vote

The polls open at 7 a.m. on Nov. 6 and close at 8 p.m.

Lakeville has 17 voting precincts this year, up from 14 in previous general elections. This is primarily the result of population increases over the past 10 years causing a redistricting shift.

As a result, you may have a new voting precinct. The Secretary of State's website has a very easy to use polling place finder. Otherwise, here are the new polling sites in Lakeville (click to see the map near the top right of this article):

More Voting Information

The state of Minnesota has a Voters Bill of Rights and allows for a wide range of allowances for people to get out and vote.

• Employers are required by law to allow employees (you) to be absent from work for the purpose of voting. You cannot be docked wages, personal leave, vacation time, or otherwise penalized in any way for taking the time needed to cast a ballot. So get out there and vote.
• Long lines? Getting late? If you are in line at your polling place any time before 8 p.m., you have the right to vote, even if you ballot is cast after the polls close.
• Nowhere to bring the kids? No worries: you have the right to bring your minor children into the polling place and into the voting booth with you.
• Need help to vote? You have the right to request special assistance when voting, and if you need assistance, you may be accompanied into the voting booth by a person of your choice, except by an agent of your employer or union or a candidate.

Other Stuff

The Minnesota Secretary of State's website has a number of other useful election day tidbits for those with questions about:

• Getting rides to your Polling Place
• Polling Place and Ballot Accessibility
• Voting Challenges
• Protecting Election Integrity
• Information in other languages
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Voting for People Under Guardianship
• Voting for Students
• Voting When You Are in the Hospital
• Voting When Your Home Is in Foreclosure
• Voting When You Are Homeless
• Voting When You Fear For Your Safety
• Voting Challenges
• Protecting Election Integrity

Register to Vote on Election Day

If you are not registered to vote where you currently live, you may do so at your local polling location on Election Day as long as you can provide proof of residence. 

To register at your polling place on Election Day, you must bring one of the following with your current name and address to verify your residence in the precinct:

• A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, Minnesota ID card, or receipt for any of these
• A valid registration in the same precinct under a different name or address 
• A notice of late registration sent to you by your county auditor or city clerk
• A voter registered in the same precinct as you who can confirm your address with a signed oath
• An employee of the residential facility where you live who can confirm your address with a signed oath
• Both 1) a photo ID from the list below, and 2) a current bill from the list below with your current name and address in the precinct
  • Bills can include any utility bill due within 30 days of election day
  • Rent statement dated within 30 days of election day that itemizes utilities

Sample Ballots

Lakeville will have three different ballots with the only differences coming in the form of legislative races. Check out your sample ballots here, or download them from Patch by clicking the ballots shown near the top right of this article. Remember, if you need to, you can bring a sample ballot with you inside the voting booth.

Who/What is On the Ballot?

Just about everything is on the ballot this year from U.S. President to constitutional amendments to soil and water commissioners. Need some help sorting through all the candidates and questions?

Click on the blue links below to learn more about each candidate. An asterisk (*) denotes incumbents.

Lakeville Mayor

• * Mark Bellows
• Matt Little
• Laurie Rieb

Lakeville City Council (top two)

• * Kerrin Swecker
• Doug Anderson
• David Bares

Lakeville School Board (top three)

• * Judy Keliher
• * Bob Erickson
• Terry Lind
• Jennifer Harmening
• Lori Amborn (Dropped out, but still on ballot)
• Bader A. Alossaimi

Minnesota House of Representatives

House District 56B

• Roz Peterson (Republican)
• Will Morgan (Democrat)

House District 57A

• * Tara Mack (Republican)
• Roberta Gibbons (Democrat)

House Distrct 58A

• Mary Liz Holberg (Republican)
• Colin Lee (Democrat)

Minnesota Senate

Senate District 56

• * Dan Hall (Republican)
• Leon Thurman (Democrat)

Senate District 57

• Pat Hall (Republican)
• Greg Clausen (Democrat)

Senate District 58

• * Dave Thompson (Republican)
• Andrew Brobston (Democrat)

Dakota County Soil and Water Commissioner 

District 1 (Burnsville, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights)

• * Paul Thomas
• Joan M. Gabriel
• Scott A. Holm
• Williams Hoots, III
• John Ross
• Laura Zanmiller

District 2 (Lakeville, Farmington, Apple Valley)

• * Jason Swenson
• Marian Brown
• Thomas A. Walkington

District 4 (Southeast Townships)

• * Chris Nielsen (running unopposed)

District 5 (Southwest Townships)

• * Joe Meyers (running unopposed)

Dakota County Commissioner

District 6 (Lakeville)

• * Paul Krause (running unopposed)

U.S. House

Second Congressional District (Dakota County, including Lakeville)

• * John Kline, (Republican)
• Mike Obermueller, (Democrat)

U.S. Senate

• Amy Klobuchar (Democrat)*
• Kurt Bills (Republican)
• Stephen Williams (Independence)
• Tim Davis (Grassroots Party)
• Michael Cavlan (Minnesota Open Progressives)

Presidential Race

• Barack Obama (Democrat)*
• Mitt Romney (Republican)
• Gary Johnson (Libertarian)
• James Harris (Socialist Workers Party)
• Virgil Goode (Constitution Party)
• Dean Morstad (Constitutional Government)
• Jill Stein (Green Party)
• Jim Carlson (Grassroots Party)
• Peta Lindsay (Socialism and Liberation)
• Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson (Justice Party)

Constitutional Amendments

Recognition of Marriage Amendment

A yes or no question: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota? 

Marriage between two gay individuals is not currently recognized by Minnesota law. A ballot cast with no vote on this question will count as a "no" vote. This amendment would also invalidate common-law marriages for straight couples.

• See what supporters say: Minnesota for Marriage
• See what opponents say: Minnesotans United for All Families

Voter Identification Amendment

A yes or no question: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification to vote and to require the state to provide free identification to eligible voters, effective July 1, 2013?

• See what supporters say: Protect My Vote
• See what opponents say: Take Action MN

1st District Court Judicial Races (Dakota County)

Judge 2

• * Arlene M. Asencio Perkkio (running unopposed)

Judge 6

• * David L. Knutson (running unopposed)

Judge 10

• * Diane M. Hanson
• Michael L. Larson

Judge 14

• * Michael J. Meyer (running unopposed)

Judge 19

• * Erica H. MacDonald (running unopposed)

Judge 20

• * Kathryn D. Messerich
• Brian A. Gravely

Judge 26

• * Michael R. Savre (running unopposed)

Judge 29

• * Terry E. Conkel (running unopposed)

Statewide Judicial Races

Chief Justice - Supreme Court:

• * Lorie Skjerven Gildea
• Dan Griffith

Associate Justice - Supreme Court 1 (Seat 1):

• * Barry Anderson
• Dean Barkley

Associate Justice - Supreme Court 4 (Seat 4):

• * David R. Stras
• Tim Tingelstad

Judge - Court of Appeals, Seat 6:

• * Renee L. Worke (running unopposed)

Judge - Court of Appeals, Seat 7:

• * Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks (running unopposed)

Other Voting Related Resources

Letters to the editor

Lakeville Patch has received dozens of letters to the editor supporting and opposing a host of candidates and election related topics. Check them out.

City council, school board and mayoral candidate forums

We also have links to Lakeville's local—city council, school board and mayoral—forums. Check them out, too. All three were moderated by the Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce and held at Lakeville City Hall.

• Mayor (Held Oct. 9)
• City Council (Held Oct. 16)
• School Board (Held Oct. 2)

Campaign finance

• Lakeville's mayoral and city council candidate campaign finance reports
• Lakeville's legislative candidate campaign finance reports
• Super PAC, union money comes to Lakeville's mayoral race