Minnesota ballot measures to know, from repealing ranked choice voting to lottery money allocation
MINNEAPOLIS — While most of the Election Day attention this year will be on the presidential election, there are plenty of downballot items deserving of attention.
In Minnesota, there are a few interesting local ballot measures of which voters should be aware, including how lottery money is allocated, subsidizing money for child care and more. Below is a breakdown.
Want a look at everything on the ballot in Minnesota this year? WCCO has you covered.
Should lottery money keep going to state's environmental fund?
Every voter in Minnesota will see this Constitutional amendment on their ballot.
Forty percent of lottery proceeds go to the state Environment and National Resources Trust Fund, which funds projects like Dakota County's Thompson Park. Every 25 years, voters must reaffirm the amendment.
Here's how the question will look on your ballot:
"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to protect drinking water sources and the water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams; conserve wildlife habitat and natural areas; improve air quality; and expand access to parks and trails by extending the transfer of proceeds from the state-operated lottery to the environment and natural resources trust fund, and to dedicate the proceeds for these purposes?"
If you skip this question, your vote will count as a no.
St. Paul: Child care subsidy
A ballot measure in St. Paul would create a special tax levy— which would increase property taxes meaning a rise in property taxes — to subsidize child care costs for low-income families. It would be the first city in Minnesota to attempt such an approach.
The levy would bring in $2 million in the first year and scale up to $20 million by the tenth year of implementation for a total investment of $110 million over a decade.
Supporters believe it's a step in the right direction to find solutions to a persistent problem facing young families. Detractors, including St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, believe the plan over promises but will under-deliver. Carter told the City Council last month that city staff would not be able to implement the subsidy program should it pass.
Here's the full language:
SHOULD THE CITY LEVY TAXES TO PROVIDE EARLY LEARNING SUBSIDIES?
In order to create a dedicated fund for children's early care and education to be administered by a City department or office that provides subsidies to families and providers so that early care and education is no cost to low-income families and available on a sliding scale to other families, and so as to increase the number of child care slots and support the child care workforce, shall the City of Saint Paul be authorized to levy property taxes in the amount of $2,000,000 in the first year, to increase by the same amount each year following for the next nine years ($4,000,000 of property taxes levied in year two, $6,000,000 in year three, $8,000,000 in year four and so on until $20,000,000 of property taxes are levied in year ten).
St. Paul: Should city races switch to presidential election years?
The capital city is also asking voters whether they want a change in when they vote for local races.
The measure would switch city races, such as the mayor and City Council, from odd-numbered years to presidential election years.
Supporters say it's designed to boost voter engagement, since odd-numbered elections traditionally see very low turnout. Meanwhile, opponents like Carter say the city deserves to have its own election conversation separate from big-ticket races that capture the headlines.
If approved, the change would phase in by 2028.
Bloomington: Should ranked choice voting be repealed?
In Bloomington, voters will be asked if they want to repeal ranked choice voting for their local elections, four years after voters chose to implement it in the first place.
Four other cities in Minnesota — Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park — use ranked choice voting in their local elections.
A similar repeal effort failed in Minnetonka last year.