2020 minnesota state election guide...2020 minnesota state election guide for nicollet, blue earth,...

43
2020 Minnesota State Election Guide for Nicollet, Blue Earth, and additional counties Publication date: Oct. 6, 2020 *This non-partisan guide has been compiled by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. Information has been drawn from candidate websites, election guides, news articles, and local candidate forums. It has not been officially endorsed by any candidate.

Upload: others

Post on 01-Feb-2021

4 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 2020 Minnesota State

    Election Guide for Nicollet, Blue Earth, and

    additional counties

    Publication date: Oct. 6, 2020

    *This non-partisan guide has been compiled by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato.

    Information has been drawn from candidate websites, election guides, news articles, and local candidate

    forums. It has not been officially endorsed by any candidate.

  • Contents 1. Voting Information and Sample Ballot: check MNvotes.org for your specific ballot 2. Government Charts and Maps: Federal, State, and County 3. US President: Joe Biden (D) and Donald Trump (R) 4. US Senate: Tina Smith (DFL) and Jason Lewis (R) 5. US House of Representatives: Dan Feehan (DFL) and Jim Hagedorn (R)

    6. MN State Supreme Court: Paul Thissen (incumbent) and Michelle MacDonald

    7. MN State Senate

    District 19: Nick Frentz (DFL) and Elizabeth Bangert (R) District 20: Rich Draheim (R) and Jon Olson (DFL)

    8. MN State House of Representatives

    District 16B: Mindy Kimmel (DFL) and Torkelson (R) New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Redwood Falls, Wabasso, Springfield, Sanborn, Hanska, Comfrey

    District 19A: Jeff Brand (DFL) and Susan Ackland (R) St. Peter, N. Mankato, Kasota, Nicollet, Courtland, Lafayette

    District 19B: Luke Frederick (DFL) and Jeremy Loger (R) Mankato/Eagle Lake

    District 20A: Erina Prom (DFL) and Brian Pfarr (R) Le Sueur, Cleveland, Le Center, Belle Plaine, New Prague, Elko New Market

    District 23B: Leroy McClelland (DFL) and Jeremy Munson (R) St. James, Madelia, Lake Crystal, Janesville, Madison Lake, New Richland, Amboy, Mapleton, Elysian, etc.

    9. County Commissioner

    Blue Earth County - District 4: Paul FitzSimmons and Kevin Papp Includes the western part of Blue Earth County, the western edge of Mankato

    Blue Earth County - District 5: Kip Bruender (Incumbent) and Allen Marble Includes townships and cities located on the east side of Blue Earth County

    Nicollet County - District 5: Bruce Beatty and John Luepke (Incumbent) Includes townships and cities located on the western and northern edges of Nicollet

    County

    10. Mankato Area Municipal Election Guide

  • Voting *The best and most comprehensive information can be found at the Secretary of State website MNvotes.org.

    ● Register and/or check your registration online at MNvotes.org. ○ Deadline for online registration is: Tues., Oct. 13th ○ You may register in person when early voting or on election day. Check

    MNVotes.org for what to bring. ● Make a plan to vote: put it in your schedule, plan transportation, make work

    arrangements, make childcare plans, bring a friend ● Vote early :

    ○ By Mail - Request your ballot at MNvotes.org . Must be postmarked by Nov. 3. We recommend requesting your ballot as soon as possible and mailing your ballot by Oct. 31 just in case. You can also drop off your ballot by 3:00 Nov. 3rd at your Election Office (*not* your polling place).

    ○ Early in Person at your local Election Office at MNVotes.org . ■ Nicollet County Govt. Center (501 S. Minnesota Ave, St. Peter) ■ Blue Earth County Historic Courthouse (204 S. 5th St., Mankato)

    ○ Track your ballot here: https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AbsenteeBallotStatus.aspx ● Vote on Election Day, Nov. 3 - Find your polling place: https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

    Sample Ballot This is a sample ballot for Blue Earth County. Check your ballot at https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

    http://mnvotes.org/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Uop42BCvg15g5qieSIYGBhpyCL2ctMKLnhJSLSIcaDI/edithttp://mnvotes.org/https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AbsenteeBallotStatus.aspxhttps://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

  • 2020 Candidate Comparisons - US President

    U.S. President Duties: The President is the head of state of the United States of America; the Chief Executive Officer; and, the Commander in Chief of all military forces. The powers of the President are prescribed in the Constitution and federal law. The President appoints the members of the Cabinet, ambassadors to other nations and the United Nations, Supreme Court Justices, and federal judges, subject to Senate approval. The President, along with the Cabinet and its agencies, is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws of the United States. The President may also recommend legislation to the United States Congress. The President is elected every 4 years and may serve two-consecutive terms on re-election.

    Candidates Joseph Biden (D)

    http://www.joebiden.com

    Donald Trump (R)

    https://www.donaldjtrump.com/

    Background ● Served as 47th vice president of the United States from 2009-2017

    ● Represented Delaware in the US Senate from 1973-2009

    ● Served as chair or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary committee for 16 years

    ● Helped write Violence Against Women Act

    ● Businessman and television star. ● BS Economics, Wharton School of the

    University of Pennsylvania ● Took over family real estate business in

    1971 ● Owned the Miss Universe brand from

    1996 to 2015

    Healthcare ● Give every American access to affordable health insurance

    ● Provide the peace of mind of affordable, quality health care and a less complex health care system

    ● Stand up to the abuse of power by prescription drug corporations

    ● Ensure health care is a right for all, not a privilege for just a few

    ● Supports repeal of Affordable Care Act (ACA)

    ● Cut Medicaid spending and eligibility ● Eliminate tax credits for healthcare costs

    and rules concerning pre-existing conditions and essential health benefits.

    ● Repealed the Obamacare (ACA) individual mandate, expanded plan choices and increased competition to bring down costs for consumers.

    ● Declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency.

    Taxes ● Signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which accomplished the following:

    - increased the standard deduction, child tax credits

    - cut taxes for small businesses - repealed ACA individual mandate - lowered corporate tax rates - limit deductions for state and local income

    taxes and property taxes

    ● Signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which accomplished the following:

    - increased the standard deduction, child tax credits

    - cut taxes for small businesses - repealed ACA individual mandate - lowered corporate tax rates - limit deductions for state and local

    income taxes and property taxes

    http://www.joebiden.com/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/

  • Guns ● Hold gun manufacturers accountable ● Get weapons of war off our streets ● Keep guns out of dangerous hands ● End the online sale of firearms, ammunition ● Incentivize state “extreme risk” laws and to set up

    gun licensing programs ● Adequately fund background check system ● Hold firearm owners responsible for ensuring

    their weapons are used safely ● Tackle urban gun violence with targeted,

    evidence-based community interventions ● Address epidemic of suicide by guns

    ● Designated gun businesses to be “critical infrastructure” during the Covid-19 pandemic

    ● Loosened regulations on the export of firearms

    ● Reversed an Obama-era rule restricting gun purchases by people deemed by the Social Security Administration to be mentally unable to manage their affairs

    ● Opposes expanding background checks and additional regulation on gun sales and transfers.

    Immigration ● Modernize immigration system ● Welcome immigrants in communities ● Reassert America’s commitment to

    asylum-seekers and refugees ● Tackle root causes of irregular migration ● Implement effective border screening ● End family-separation practices happening at the

    border ● Protect undocumented service members,

    veterans, and spouses from deportation ● End travel ban on Muslim-majority countries

    ● Calls on Congress to fully fund a border wall on the US/Mexico border

    ● Pulled US out of negotiations for international “Global Migration” plan to help resettle refugees

    ● Attempted to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program

    ● Rescinded Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program

    Climate/ Environment

    ● Ensure the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050

    ● Stand up to the abuse of power by polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities

    ● Fulfill our obligation to workers and communities who powered our industrial revolution and decades of economic growth

    ● Expand off-shore drilling ● Increase exports of energy resources,

    including coal and fossil fuel energy products

    ● Denounced wind power ● Approved multiple pipeline projects

    (Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipeline, New Burgos pipeline)

    ● Rescinded Obama-era Clean Power Plan

    ● Withdrew US from theParis Climate Agreement

    ● Signed legislation to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to domestic oil drilling

    Agriculture ● Pursue a trade policy that works for American farmers

    ● Support beginning farmers ● Re-invest in land grant universities’ agricultural

    research so the public, not private companies, owns patents to agricultural advances

    ● Make American agriculture first in the world to achieve net-zero emissions, giving farmers new sources of income

    ● Expand bio-based manufacturing to bring manufacturing jobs back to rural America

    ● Promote ethanol and next gen biofuels

    ● Increased states’ flexibility by reducing federal oversight of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that assists food insecure families

    ● Imposed tariffs on aluminum & steel imports to protect American industries

    ● Provided $15bil in federal aid to struggling farmers

    ● Promised $13bil in additional coronavirus aid to farmers at September 2020 rally in Wisconsin

    Education ● Support our educators by giving them the pay and dignity they deserve.

    ● Invest in resources for our schools so students grow into physically and emotionally healthy adults, and educators can focus on teaching.

    ● Supports public school choice, charter schools, and private school choice

    ● Proposed $5bil tax credit on donations that fund scholarships to private and vo-tech schools

  • ● Ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability.

    ● Provide every middle and high school student a path to a successful career.

    ● Start investing in our children at birth ● Provide 2 years of college/training debt-free and

    make 4-year public colleges/universities tuition free for students with family income below $125,000.

    ● Simplify and expand loan forgiveness for public service and fix existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

    ● Support colleges and universities that play unique and vital roles in their communities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions.

    ● Implemented the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to give states flexibility to educate students

    ● Implemented year-round distribution of Pell grants

    ● Wants to modernize student loans

    Foreign Policy ● During his first year in office, Biden intends to bring together the world’s democracies to strengthen our democratic institutions, honestly confront the challenge of nations that are backsliding, and forge a common agenda to address threats to our common values.

    ● Rejoin the Paris Climate Accord ● Will end Forever Wars in the Middle East ● Elevate diplomacy as premier tool of our global

    engagement

    ● Withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership to protect American workers.

    ● Recognizes the right to sovereign governance for foreign nations & our own

    ● Sanctioned Cuba to redirect economic activity from its government to its people.

    ● Renegotiated NAFTA into the USMCA to open new markets for farmers & manufacturers.

    ● Pursued anti-dumping & countervailing duties investigations

    Government Accountability/ Corruption

    ● Reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics and make it easier for candidates of all backgrounds to run for office;

    ● Return integrity to the U.S. Department of Justice and other Executive Branch decision-making;

    ● Restore ethics in government; ● Rein in Executive Branch financial conflicts of

    interest; and ● Hold the lobbied and lobbyists to a higher

    standard of accountability

    ● Signed an executive order that placed a five-year ban on lobbying and a lifetime ban on lobbying for foreign countries for federal employees.

    ● Called for a comprehensive plan to reorganize the executive branch.

    ● Began a comprehensive overhaul of digitally-delivered government services.

    ● Called for a “full audit of the Pentagon.”

    Demographics Women ● Specifically included in gun control plans ● Reauthorize The Violence Against Women Act,

    strengthen Title IX and Clery Act enforcement ● End the rape kit backlog ● End global gender-based violence

    Tribal Communities ● Reaffirm Tribal sovereignty to support victims and

    hold offenders accountable ● Expand federal resources for Alaska Native and

    American Indian women and girls impacted by violence and abuse

    Women ● Expanded Mexico City Policy that

    redirected $9 billion from foreign aid for reproductive health services

    ● Allowed states to restrict Planned Parenthood funding

    ● Launched the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative

    Veterans ● Signed Veterans Accountability and

    Whistleblowers Act

  • LGBTQ ● Combat the epidemic of violence against

    transgender women of color ● Includes LGBTQ veterans in his plan Veterans ● Provide Veterans World Class Health Care to

    Meet Their Specific Needs ● Drive Progress to end vet homelessness ● Decrease suicide rates ● Create job and educational opportunities ● Improve VA Management and Accountability ● Support military families

    Disability Rights ● Ensure full inclusion of people with disabilities in

    policy development and aggressively enforce the civil rights of people with disabilities

    ● Guarantee access to high-quality, affordable health care and expand access to services appropriate to each person’s needs and based on self-determination

    ● Expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities

    ● Protect and strengthen economic security for people with disabilities

    ● Ensure that students with disabilities have access to educational programs and support they need to succeed

    ● Expand access to accessible, integrated, and affordable housing, transportation, and assistive technologies and protect people with disabilities in emergencies

    ● Advance global disability rights

    ● Signed Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act

    ● Signed V.A. Choice & Quality Employment Act

    ● Expanded & modernized VA healthcare with hotlines, telehealth technology, and the VA MISSION Act.

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last

    name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparisons - US Senate

    U.S. Senate The U.S. Congress has two chambers, the Senate and the House. In order for ideas to become law, they require passage in both chambers. Each state has two senators and senators serve for six year terms. Usually only one of the two senate seats is up for election in a single state in any given year. Both senators represent the entire state and are elected by all of the residents of the state. The senators up for election this year serve in the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C (not to be confused with State Senators who serve in the state legislature). In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on pieces of legislation that may become new laws, the Senate also is responsible for ratifying treaties and confirming presidential nominations to the federal court system (including the Supreme Court) and bureaucratic agencies (like the Department of Justice and other cabinet level agencies). In the event that articles of impeachment are brought by the House of Representatives against members of the executive or judicial branches, the Senate would serve as the trial court to decide whether the person should be removed from office (removal from office requires a 2/3rds vote).

    Candidates Jason Lewis (R)

    website: https://lewisformn.com/

    Tina Smith (DFL) (Incumbent)

    website: https://www.tinaforminnesota.com/

    Background ● Born in Waterloo, Iowa ● American politician who served as the

    U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 2nd congressional district from 2017 to 2019

    ● BA from University of Northern Iowa in education/business, MA from University of CO, Boulder in Political Science

    ● He was a radio talk show host, political commentator and writer before entering Congress.

    ● Born in Albuquerque, NM ● MBA from Dartmouth ● Worked for General Mills and was a small business

    owner afterward. ● Former Chief of staff for Minneapolis mayor R.T.

    Ryback. ● Former Chief of staff for Governor Mark Dayton. ● Elected Lieutenant Governor in 2014 - worked on

    tax fairness, healthcare, early education, and rural broadband

    ● US Senator (current)

    Healthcare ● Voted to repeal Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass the American Health Care Act in 2017

    ● Continue Trump’s reforms and make small business “association pools” and inexpensive short-term plans permanent

    ● Supports requiring pharmaceutical benefits manager’s rebates to be passed on to consumers and allow treatment for chronic conditions to be considered preventative care.

    ● Supports single-payer health care ● Opposes attacks on current healthcare system. ● Has co-sponsored bills to allow more Americans to

    purchase Medicaid. ● Supports lowering the cost of prescription drugs by

    closing loophole keeping generic drugs off the market

    ● Supports a bill to require drug companies to pay “penny a pill” to fund opioid treatment costs.

    ● Written legislation to expand mental health services in schools.

    Education

    ● Supports increased focus on technical education.

    ● Serves on US Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

    https://lewisformn.com/https://www.tinaforminnesota.com/

  • Education (cont’d)

    ● Introduced Perkins Act amendment to

    require consideration of dual-enrollment efforts in career & technical education.

    ● Fought to establish all-day kindergarten in MN. ● Working to reduce student debt by allowing people

    to refinance student loans ● Helped secure $5M for pilot program cutting

    expense of textbooks ● Introduced 21st Century Work Force Act to prepare

    Minnesotans for jobs in healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and construction

    Climate/ Environment

    ● Maintains that “reasonable mining and energy projects and logging” can coexist with a healthy environment.

    ● Supports classifying forest biomass as a renewable resource

    ● Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee

    ● Supports Paris Climate Agreement. ● Led fight to raise MN Renewable Energy Standard

    to 50% by 2030 to improve air quality, make renewable energy cheaper, and generate new energy jobs

    ● Introduced bill to encourage farming practices that protect water quality

    ● Cosponsored a bill to permanently reauthorize land and Water Conservation Fund

    ● Opposes projects threaten the Boundary Waters and all projects that do not adhere to rigorous and strict environmental review

    Gun Violence ● Prioritizes preserving & protecting the 2nd amendment

    ● Cosponsor of bill to expand background checks and ban bump stocks, assault weapons, and high capacity magazines

    ● Working to ban people convicted of stalking from having guns

    Agriculture ● Member of the US Agriculture Committee. ● Formed Farm Bill Working Group ● Pushed administration for temporary loan extension

    program for grain farmers ● Worked on Farm Bill to provide strong safety net

    programs for farmers dealing with low commodity prices and maintains nutrition assistance programs

    Rural Issues ● Leader of the Senate Rural Health Caucus. ● Expand rural broadband infrastructure across MN,

    especially in tribal communities, remote, and low-income areas.

    ● Introduced legislation to maintain rental assistance through Rural Housing Service to keep families and seniors stay in their homes.

    People Women ● Believes workplace sexual

    harassment laws infringe on freedom of speech

    ● Anti-abortion LGBTQ

    ● Opposes same-sex marriage & transgender bathroom access

    Women ● Co-sponsoring Paycheck Fairness Act to close pay

    gap between men and women and white women and women of color

    ● Pro-choice Veterans ● Encourage MN business to hire veterans ● Pushing Department of Veteran Affairs to end

    backlog so veterans can get treatment. ● Introduced legislation to reduce “red tape” for

    veterans to receive better access to health care. LGBTQ ● Pushed for marriage equality laws in MN ● Pushed for legislation to prevent bullying in schools ● Supporting bill to make it illegal to fire someone for

    being LGBTQ ● Cosponsor of Student Non Discrimination Act.

  • Tribal Communities ● Serves on US Indian Affairs Committee ● History of working with tribal communities -

    introduced Community Connect Grant Program to increase broadband in tribal communities; introduced bill to help address opioid crisis; holding non-native people responsible for crimes on tribal land

    Immigration ● Supports country’s ban on refugees ● Supportive of Immigrations Custom

    Enforcement (ICE) and Safe Communities Act Co-Founder

    ● Supports wall on Mexican border

    ● Supports pathway for citizenship for DREAMERS ● Pushed to prevent deportation agenda impacting

    MN’s Liberian community ● Introduced HELP Separated Children Act to keep

    ICE from separating families

    Criminal Justice Reform

    ● Opposes reform efforts and defunding police departments

    ● Supports the Innovation in Public Safety Act, which would help state, local and Tribal Governments reimagine policing and fund innovative projects to change the delivery of public safety

    Campaign Finance Reform/ Corruption

    ● Voted against the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, a bill that increased discretionary spending by $300 billion

    ● Authored a bill that would mandate an audit of the Department of Defense; praised the department's decision to undergo an audit in 2018

    ● Supports Constitutional Amendment to reverse Supreme Court Citizens United decision

    Labor/Unions ● Serves on US Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

    ● Appointed to new bipartisan committee on pensions and will fight to protect pensions

    ● Supports efforts to end illegal steel dumping, which puts jobs in MN’s Iron Range at risk

    Economy/ Trade

    ● Voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

    ● Supports Enbridge 3 pipeline & new precious metals mining as a way to create new jobs

    ● Supports fair trade policies and cracking down on foreign countries that break international trade rules.

    ● Believes a path to a strong economy is investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, expanding career and workforce training and a tax code that supports working families.

    ● Believes that investing in clean energy is smart economic policy.

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparisons - US House of Representatives (District 1)

    U.S. House of Representatives The U.S. Congress has two chambers, the Senate and the House. In order for ideas to become law, they require passage in both chambers. Members of the House of Representatives serve two year terms. Unlike the Senate, where each state has the same number of senators (2 per state), the number of Representatives for each state is based on population. States with larger populations have more Representatives. Minnesota currently has 8 Representatives. Representatives represent a specific geographic district within the state and only people who reside within that geographic district are able to vote in that district’s election. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on pieces of legislation that may become new laws, the House has the responsibility of originating bills related to revenue (taxing and spending). The House has the right to bring articles of impeachment against members of the executive or judicial branches by a majority vote. Someone running for this office may be said to be “running for Congress,” “running for US Representative” or “running for the House of Representatives.”

    Candidates Dan Feehan (D)

    website: https://danfeehan.com/

    Jim Hagedorn (R)

    website: http://www.jimhagedorn.org/

    Background ● Born in St. Paul, MN; raised in Red Wing, MN. ● Resides in North Mankato, MN ● Military veteran, served 2 tours in Iraq. ● Earned the Bronze Star for Service, the Army

    Commendation Medal with Valor, and the Ranger Tab

    ● Taught middle school math in Chicago and Indiana through Teach for America

    ● Served as Asst. Sec. of Defense at Pentagon ● After service in DC, moved back to Minnesota

    with family, worked in military research. ● Previously ran for this seat in 2018

    ● Born in Blue Earth; raised near Truman, MN. ● Resides in Blue Earth, MN ● BA in Government and Politics from George

    Mason University. ● Served as legislative assistant for MN

    Congress Rep. Strageland ● Served as the Director for Legislative and

    Public Affairs for the Financial Management Service and Congressional Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

    ● Conservative blogger ● 1st term congressman seeking re-election

    Healthcare ● Expand Medicare eligibility age to 55 ● Join bipartisan efforts to build on the

    Affordable Care Act and work to make the individual market more stable and more affordable

    ● Need to insure as many people as possible ● Accessibility is a priority ● Promote early exposure to health careers and

    support programs that recruit and train providers in rural areas

    ● Bring down prescription drug prices with common sense reforms

    ● Address opioid crisis and remove stigma around addiction

    ● Opposes expansion of medicare beyond original intent

    ● Covering pre-existing conditions, limiting health care costs through high-risk pools

    ● Create transparency of medical and prescription drug costs to create informed consumer choices

    ● Establishing Association pools to encourage pooling of risk among farmers and small businesses

    ● Expand FSAs to allow payments on healthcare costs for all americans

    ● Cosponsored HR 2207, the Protect Medical Innovation Act

    https://danfeehan.com/http://www.jimhagedorn.org/

  • Education ● Accessible and affordable early childhood education

    ● Supports Early Childhood Education and an education system that prepares K-12 to be adaptive life-long learners

    ● Support efforts in Congress to make sure teachers have access to ongoing professional development and fair compensation.

    ● Support teachers with proper compensation, recruit teachers in shortage areas and in rural communities

    ● Will support legislation that caps student loan rates and expand job pathways to loan forgiveness

    ● Supported a letter to USDA requesting that schools be allowed flexibility in implementation of child nutrition program

    ● Co-author of bi-partisan bill to allow pre-tax college savings to be put toward post-secondary trade schools and training programs

    Jobs/Economy ● Supports strengthening labor unions and workers rights

    ● Supports real, direct tax relief for the middle class

    ● Opposes 2017 tax bill that mostly provides tax benefits to the ultra-wealthy

    ● Don’t balance the budget at expense of Social Security, but cut debt by ending 17-year, $5 trillion “perpetual war” following 9 /11

    ● Enable southern Minnesota access to capital, international trade assistance, and skilled trades apprenticeship programs

    ● Encourages government contracting for veteran-owned businesses

    ● Supports FSA rollovers and expanded eligibilities

    Agriculture/ Trade/ Infrastructure

    ● Favors open markets and wants to end trade war(s)/tariffs with China and other countries

    ● Invest in technology that allows farmers to be more efficient in their crop production, saving time and costs

    ● Give farmers access to capital and loan forgiveness programs.

    ● Improve/maintain rural roads, bridges, barges ● inspire young people to pursue careers in

    agriculture

    ● Supports expansion of overseas markets through passage of trade deals such as the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.

    ● Favors elimination of small refinery exemptions

    ● Supports biofuel tax credit extensions ● Signed on to bipartisan efforts to secure

    federal funds for completion of Highway 14

    Energy/ Environment

    ● Agrees with Pentagon that climate change is a major long-term national security threat

    ● Address water crisis and healthy soil issues by leading farmers to use practices like cover crops and diversifying their crop rotations

    ● Believes that science, evidence, and experts must be trusted

    ● invest in research ● opt back in to Paris Climate Accord ● invest in wind, solar, etc. here in Southern MN

    ● Does not believe that climate change is manmade

    ● Embrace an “all of the above” approach to energy production which includes oil, natural gas, clean coal, renewables and conservation

    ● Reduce burdensome EPA regulations ● Increase energy independence by drilling our

    own oil, fracking, etc.

    National Security

    ● Supports congressional strategy and action to check the executive branch from entering into unnecessary conflict and putting service members in harm's way

    ● Build partnerships and take a holistic approach to the dangerous threats that exist in the world through diplomacy, international cooperation, while maintaining a careful balance to address domestic challenges

    ● Believes the main threats we face are from digital terrorism/hacking and bioterrorism, not from Mexican border

    ● Believes that perpetual war is making us less safe because we are not investing in training our military

    ● Agrees with Pentagon that climate change is a major long-term national security threat

    ● Supports the building of a physical border wall as main priority in national security

  • Immigration ● Work toward comprehensive immigration reform

    ● Provide pathway to citizenship for those who pay taxes and don’t have a criminal record

    ● Hold employers who hire undocumented immigrants accountable

    ● Develop a robust guest worker program ● Supports DACA (Deferred Action on Childhood

    Arrivals)

    ● Supports President’s policy on the border ● Supports immigrants who come to legally

    Reproductive Health

    ● Believes reproductive health is a personal matter that shouldn’t be dictated by politicians

    ● Aims to be an ally in Congress to reproductive freedom

    ● Is pro-life ● Sponsored “Born Alive” bill ● Supports protections for medical and

    pharmeceutical professionals to opt out of providing abortion-related care or medication

    Gun Violence ● Supports universal background checks for gun purchases

    ● Lift federal ban on gun violence research. ● Bar violent criminals from access to guns.

    ● Against new limits on gun sales ● NRA member ● Received “A” rating from NRA & support

    from Gun Owners of America ● Supports concealed carry reciprocity

    People Veterans ● Served in the Army for two tours in Iraq

    defusing roadside bombs ● pledges to ensure veterans have high quality

    healthcare and mental health care, jobs (by protecting the GI Bill), and educational opportunities after leaving service

    ● believes Congress should prevent entering into unnecessary conflicts

    Seniors

    ● Would fight to keep retirement age as-is ● Work to ensure cost-of-living adjustments

    are tied to inflation ● Would fight any efforts to reduce senior

    benefits ● Preserve Social Security

    Veterans ● Supports Education Savings Accounts for

    military families ● Supported bi-partisan effort to secure

    housing & social services through Minnesota Homeless Veteran Registry

    Seniors ● Supports current Social Security & Medicare

    benefits for seniors ● Cosponsored HR808, Promoting Access to

    Diabetic Shoes Act

    Accountability/Campaign Finance

    ● Wants to end corruption in Washington ● Refuses corporate PAC money ● Pledges to prevent politicians from becoming

    lobbyists ● Will fight for campaign finance reform and end

    gerrymandering ● Will stop members of Congress from trading

    individual stocks

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparisons - MN State Supreme Court

    Judges and State Supreme Court Unlike in the federal system where judges are nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and serve life terms (or until they decide to retire), Minnesota judges serve six year terms and are subject to reelection. The Minnesota court system includes a supreme court (7 justices), an appeals court (19 judges) and 10 district or trial courts (nearly 300 judges). When a vacancy occurs on a court, the Governor appoints a judge to fill that vacancy. Vacancies happen because judges resign, retire, or are nominated to higher courts. Governor’s choose their candidates from a slate of candidates prepared by the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection, which evaluates potential judges and makes recommendations to the Governor. Judges who are appointed by the Governor run in the first regular election that is at least a year after they begin. This is why most judges run unopposed in the election. Editorial Note: Candidates marked “Incumbent” on the ballot will be those who were nominated by the Commission on Judicial Selection, appointed by the Governor, and have been serving in the position. Judicial candidates will not have a party label by their name, so you may need to do some research about these candidates. There are many judicial candidates on the ballot, but you may notice that most of them are running unopposed. There is only one contested race in this 2020 election.

    MN State Supreme Court The state supreme court is the state’s court of last resort. On matters of state law, decisions of a state supreme court are considered final and binding on state and US federal courts. Generally, the state supreme court is used for hearing appeals of legal issues and does not hold trials.

    Candidates Paul Thissen (Incumbent)

    https://paulthissen.com/

    Michelle MacDonald

    http://www.macdonaldforjustice.com/ *Note: Michelle Macdonald is currently in the middle of her second disciplinary hearing and is in danger of losing her law license

    Background ● Born and raised in MN ● Undergraduate degree from Harvard ● Law degree from University of Chicago

    Law School ● Served as chair of Briggs and Morgan’s

    Pro Bono Committee

    ● Graduated cum laude from Boston College with degrees in Communications and English

    ● Law degree from Suffolk University Law School

    ● Worked as an attorney for 30 years in areas of Family law, divorce, paternity, adoption, estate

    https://paulthissen.com/http://www.macdonaldforjustice.com/https://minnlawyer.com/2020/09/14/bar-buzz-supreme-court-referee-to-hear-macdonald-case/

  • ● founded “Access for Persons with Disabilities,” a group of lawyers dedicated to providing legal services to persons with disabilities

    ● Served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 16 years and served as Speaker of the Minnesota House from 2013 to 2015

    ● Served on the boards of the Minnesota Justice Foundation, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Women of Nations domestic abuse shelter and other community organizations

    ● Appointed to MN Supreme Court by Governor Dayton in 2018

    planning, and probate, including civil litigation and appeals

    ● Served as Conciliation Court Judge in Hennepin County

    ● Served as Adjunct Referee in Family Court (1992-2014)

    ● Founded and serves as volunteer president of Family Innocence, a nonprofit that aims to keep families out of court

    Priorities/Key Issues

    ● Believes in expanding gun regulation ● Supports greatly increasing funding for

    education, the environment, and infrastructure

    ● Supports same-sex marriage ● Believes courts should serve all people ● Aims to expand access to the justice

    system ● Supports expanding welfare ● Supports the right to basic healthcare

    ● Believes in smaller government ● Supports eliminating over-regulation of

    individuals, families, and property ● Wants to ensure accountability and oversight

    of the justice system in MN ● Pro-life; opposes government funds to planned

    parenthood ● Believes in the constitutional right to bear arms

    safely for protection and hunting activities

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN State Senate 19

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate) The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents each district and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because of changes resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (A and B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms. The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majority agreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, the legislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). In the event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate). Cities in District 19: Mankato, North Mankato, St. Peter, townships in Nicollet County

    Candidate bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/137 Candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters: https://youtu.be/M-DaKqJsHKI

    Candidates Nick Frentz (D) - Incumbent

    https://www.frentzforsenate.com/

    Elizabeth Bangert (R)

    https://www.facebook.com/BangertforSenate/

    Background ● Lives in North Mankato ● Education: Macalester College, B.A. William

    Mitchell College of Law ● Employment: Attorney, Machka, Riedy, Ries &

    Frentz, Attorney, Frentz & Frentz, Minnesota Association for Justice

    ● 2016 Incumbent

    ● Lives in St. Peter ● Education: MSU-Mankato, MS,

    Educational Leadership; Martin Luther College, BS, Education

    ● Employment: Here We Grow Early Childhood Center

    Healthcare ● Supports a public option ● Supported $200mil infusion into state healthcare

    system

    ● Opposes a public option, supports a free market and price transparency

    ● Opposes the Affordable Care Act

    Police Reform ● Passed legislation to address police reform, including statewide bans on chokeholds, neck restraints, and prohibition of warrior-style training for officers

    Rural Broadband

    ● Co-authored bill for $27mil toward rural internet access that will provide schools and homes high speed internet access in southern Minnesota

    ● Believes rural broadband is important, but must be done at a reasonable cost with spending transparency

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/137https://youtu.be/M-DaKqJsHKIhttps://www.frentzforsenate.com/https://www.facebook.com/BangertforSenate/

  • Infrastructure ● Supports infrastructure spending for Mankato water quality projects on the Minnesota River; improvements for MSOP-Saint Peter Regional Treatment Center; local roads, bridges and water projects

    ● Supports infrastructure improvements with reasonable cost and spending transparency

    Agriculture ● Appropriated $50mil to Rural Finance Authority (RFA) for farmer financing resources, including beginning farmer loans

    ● Chief author of “Landon’s Law” that provides funding to farmers for safety upgrade features on grain bins

    ● Supports buffer strip tax credit ● Supports ethanol production because it is cleaner

    burning and improves the price of corn

    ● Supports organic farming, admits being less familiar with commercial farming

    ● Advocates for more direct grower to consumer options

    ● Opposes regulations that inhibit the ability to sell product

    Transportation ● Senate Chief Author of Highway 14 funding bill that will facilitate a federal loan to build a four-lane highway from Nicollet to New Ulm

    Environment/ Climate Change

    ● Chair of Clean Energy and Climate Caucus ● Introduced legislation to move MN to carbon free

    by 2050

    ● Believes water quality and safe drinking water is a top environmental issue

    COVID-19 Emergency Response

    ● Supportive of state COVID-19 response, but also calls for a nationwide approach

    ● Secured $60.3mil for small business assistance ● Passed legislation for $9mil to support food

    shelves ● Garnered $32mil for housing support and

    homlessness ● Secured $30mil in emergency relief for child care

    providers during COVID-19 crisis

    ● Critical of state COVID-19 response ● Critical of Minnesota Department of

    Health and contact tracing methods ● Believes the state’s COVID-19 response

    is slippery slope to losing individual rights and freedoms

    Other ● Assistant Senate Minority Leader ● Senate Committees: transportation, agriculture,

    long term care and aging ● Commissions: pension, legislative audit ● Chair of Rural Caucus

    ● Platform: ensuring individual and financial freedom by reducing taxes and regulations, increase spending transparency

    ● Lobbies for fewer regulations on daycare providers

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN State Senate 20

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate)The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and aHouse of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents eachdistrict and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because ofchanges resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (Aand B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms.

    The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majorityagreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, thelegislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). Inthe event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executiveand judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate).

    Cities in District 20: Le Sueur, Cleveland, Le Center, Montgomery, New Prague, Belle Plaine, Lonsdale, ElkoNew Market, Northfield, Dundas

    Candidate bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/138Candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters: https://youtu.be/5_0DbGkdz_Y

    Candidates Rich Draheim (R) - Incumbent

    https://www.draheimforsenate.com/

    Jon Olson (DFL)

    https://jonolsonformnsenate.com/

    Background ● Lives in Washington Township● Serving 1st term as State Senator● BS in Business Administration from

    MSU-Mankato● Owner of Weichert Realtors in Mankato and the

    New Ulm Event Center● Worked at John Deere Implement for 19 yrs

    ● Lives in Cedar Lake Township● Served in the US Navy for 21 years● Educator in law enforcement and criminal justice

    at Metropolitan State University and teachesnational security in the political sciencedepartment at Carleton College

    ● Involved in several veterans organization and anenvironmental non-profit called Metro Blooms

    COVID-19Response

    ● Believes the state should create specificmetrics for reopening

    ● Believes state should have done a better jobmanaging the virus in long-term care facilities

    ● Supports state measures and believes thepandemic needs to be taken seriously regardlessof political affiliation

    ● Supports carefully planned, thoughtful reopening

    Healthcare ● Passed “Cost of Care” price transparency billthat was signed into law

    ● Authored the “Right to Shop” bill to enablepeople can shop for care outside of network

    ● Believes healthcare is the top priority● Supports equal access, affordable healthcare that

    includes medical care, dental, mental healthservices, vision, and prescription drugs

    ● Believes health insurance should not be tied to anemployer and the pandemic has revealed thissystem as a “structural failure”

    Economy ● Prioritizes reopening the economy● Aims to support small business start-ups● Supports research and development tax credits

    ● Supports tax benefits for companies as anincentive for start ups, innovation in technology,and businesses tackling environmental issues

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/138https://youtu.be/5_0DbGkdz_Yhttps://www.draheimforsenate.com/https://jonolsonformnsenate.com/

  • ● Pledges to eliminate “job killing regulations andgovernment red tape”

    ● Establish research and innovation, attract topScience, technology, engineering, breakthroughsin healthcare, energy, create incentives to createresearch environment in our state

    Budget/Taxes ● Believes state government is “too big” and eachprogram and service needs an audit

    ● Believes taxation or “poorly designed” taxpolicy hurts the economy and job growth, butaims to continue making investments inhealthcare, education, and the environment

    ● Supports tax cuts for working families and smallbusinesses

    ● Concerned about the growing Health andHuman Services department and assistanceprogram fraud

    ● Supports funding Local Government Aid (LGA) forcities and counties

    ● Believes “everything is on the table” when lookingat cuts in order to manage the state deficit, butsupports protecting critical services for the mostvulnerable Minnesotans

    ● Believes education is the most strategicinvestment for our state

    Infrastructure ● Co-authored “Emergency Rural Broadband” billthat passed in the Senate (has yet to beintroduced in the House)

    ● Supports community-led approach to bringingbroadband to rural communities, so counties candecide whether to operate their own utility orincentivize a private sector provider

    Agriculture ● Supports initiatives that increases internationaltrade opportunities for farmers

    ● Opposed to regulations on farmers and pledgesto work to roll back buffer strip mandates

    ● Believes the legislature plays a role in buildingincentives into farming system that supports bothfarmers and the environment

    Environment/ClimateChange

    ● Introduced a bill to for MNDOT to use moreenvironmentally-friendly road sealant madefrom soybean oil that will both reducepetroleum on road surfaces and also supportfarmers

    ● Believes aquatic invasive species and plantsare a threat to Minnesota lakes and views thisas a top environmental issue

    ● Strongly supports clean energy and policies tohelp the state becomes carbon free by 2050

    ● Aims to establish a Clean Energy InvestmentFund to bolster development in the private sector

    ● Supports incentives for the vehicle industry tocreate clean energy vehicle solutions (electriccars, hydrogen fuel cells)

    ● Believes in reducing or removing corporate taxesfor companies that revolutionize recycling industry

    ● Work with farmers to help protect the environment

    Education ● Supports equitable and reliable funding forschools

    ● Opposes state imposed mandates on schools● Supports more control for local school boards,

    teachers, and parents in their districts

    ● Views education as a strategic investment● Supports funding for more career counselors in

    middle schools and high schools● Believes legislature should work with private

    sector on career training

    Other ● Pro-life● Strongly supports 2nd Amendment rights

    ● Supports the 2nd Amendment, but also supportsuniversal background checks and red flag laws

    ● Believes state should research legalizingmariujuana and decriminalizing offenses

    ● Seniors-believes long-term memory care or othersenior care must be affordable, regulated, safe,and available for all seniors and believes thesystem requires a change in the current

    ● regulations and business model● Police Officers: Aims to develop better training to

    improve police culture and to build better officersto rebuild trust with the public

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St.

    Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no

    information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’

    websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN House of Representatives 16B

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate) The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents each district and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because of changes resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (A and B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms. The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majority agreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, the legislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). In the event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate). Cities in District 16B: New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Redwood Falls, Wabasso, Springfield, Sanborn, Hanska, Comfrey League of Women Voters Candidate Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x2rGFwQnFU&feature=youtu.be

    Candidates Mindy Kimmel (DFL)

    https://www.kimmelforhouse.com/

    Paul Torkelson (R) Incumbent

    https://ptorkelson.com/

    Background ● Lives in New Ulm ● Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist ● BA in Pyschology from University of MN

    Duluth; Masters in Education in Community Counseling from Univ. of Wisconsin Superior

    ● Lives in Hanska ● Livestock and Crop Farmer, former Music

    Teacher ● BA from Gustavus Adolphus College ● Currently serving sixth term as representative ● Committees: Transportation, Ways&Means,

    Ethics

    COVID-19 Response

    ● Provides comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources on campaign website

    ● Supports state efforts to slow the spread of the virus

    ● Supports efforts to provide aid to small businesses, farmers, and communities impacted in the pandemic

    ● Supports efforts to provide rapid testing for students in schools and people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities

    ● Supports efforts to keep vulnerable people, in nursing homes and long term care facilities, safe while working to bring our economy “roaring back”

    ● Believes COVID-19 response and economic recovery is the top priority

    ● Believes the state approach has been “heavy handed” and believes improvements are needed in the relationship between government and small business

    Economy ● Supports economic policies that benefit families, farmers, and small businesses

    ● Believes childcare access supports economy ● Opposes cuts to essential services that impact

    the economy in the long term

    ● Believes unchecked government growth is unsustainable

    ● Believes jobs in the private sector are the “backbone of our economy”

    ● Supports maintaining an economic and regulatory climate where businesses are allowed to thrive

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x2rGFwQnFU&feature=youtu.behttps://www.kimmelforhouse.com/https://ptorkelson.com/

  • Healthcare ● Supports affordable, equal access to healthcare for all

    ● Supports improving access to mental health services by providing loan forgiveness to therapists willing to work in underserved areas

    ● Concerned about mental health for all Minnesotans, including the prison population, but it cautious of the affordability to provide services

    Environment ● Advocates for wind and solar fields with pollinator habitats underneath them

    ● Pledges to include farmers in environmental policy

    ● Supports bill to move toward 100% clean energy

    ● Involved in negotiating a compromise on water quality regulations

    ● Believes climate change needs to be addressed globally, not by MN alone

    ● Believes in diversity of energy sources: coal, nuclear, natural gas, solar, wind

    Agriculture ● Concerned about farmer access to market in this pandemic and its impact on food access

    ● Supports compensation for land that was taken out of production for buffers, supports tax reforms that accounts for decrease in land values, and believes government should base property taxes on production capacity

    ● Advocates for policies that support small and large producers/farm operations

    ● Concerned about regulatory environment and its impact on farmers ability to thrive

    ● Believes in protecting the “rural way of life”

    Transportation ● Supports funding Hwy 14 expansion, along with other road and infrastructure projects

    ● Worked to secure funds for Hwy 14 expansion ● Supports replacement of MNLARS system

    Education ● Supports fully funding preschool and K-12 schools

    ● Supports establishing rural broadband border to border to support internet access needs for students across rural areas

    ● Believes excessive mandates on schools takes away resources for students

    ● Supports delaying payments to K-12 schools as a budget tactic that has been used previously in deficits

    Childcare ● Believes companies should partner with employees to provide on-site childcare

    ● Supports adjustments to variances, quotas, and working with unlicensed providers to meet the growing need

    ● Believes stringent state regulations should not hinder childcare providers from operating

    ● Believes in encouraging rural communities to open childcare centers

    Other ● Supports passing a bonding bill while interest rates are low

    ● Prioritizes rural broadband on her platform ● Supports law enforcement, but does not

    believe police have capacity or expertise to address mental health issues in communities

    ● Believes in welcoming communities for all (race, ethnicity, LGBTQ, ability)

    ● Voted to block bonding bill because it was “too much debt to take on at this time”

    ● Includes pro-life agenda on his platform ● Strong supporter of 2nd amendment rights ● Believes there is an “alarming trend to condemn

    the entire law enforcement community because of the actions of a few” and strongly supports law enforcement

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN House of Representatives 19A

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate) The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents each district and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because of changes resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (A and B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms. The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majority agreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, the legislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). In the event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate). Cities in District 19A: St. Peter, North Mankato, Kasota, Nicollet, Courtland, Lafayette Candidate bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/132 Candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters: https://youtu.be/M-DaKqJsHKI

    Candidates Jeff Brand (DFL)

    https://www.brandforhouse.org/

    Susan Akland (R)

    https://www.susanakland.com/

    Background ● Lives in St. Peter ● Grew up on a dairy farm near Howard Lake, MN ● Past employment: worked for US Forest Service and Field

    Organizer for the MInnesota Environmental Partnership. ● Small business owner: Seed to Site. ● Served 7 years on the St. Peter City Council ● Currently serving 1st term in MN House of Representatives

    ● Lives in St. Peter ● Grew up in Oklahoma City, OK ● Past employment: 40 year career in

    nursing ● Education: Bachelor’s Degree in

    Nursing from Oklahoma Baptist University

    Healthcare ● Supports MN Care buy-in as option in the individual market ● Create greater discounts for common medical devices and

    medication ● Supports “Bailey’s Bill” to allow EMTs and First Responders

    to administer life saving drugs ● Funding the construction of more community-based mental

    health facilities to address crisis across Minnesota

    ● Supports private insurance ● Supports transparency in cost of care ● Advocates for cost counseling prior to

    any medical treatment ● Opposed to the Affordable Care Act ● Supports tuition reimbursement

    program for medical students who work in an underserved area

    ● Opposed to abortion

    Education

    ● Supports fully-funded schools ● Supports voluntary, state-funded pre-K for up to two years

    prior to Kindergarten ● Calls for investment in school social workers to tackle

    behavioral & mental issues

    ● Supports reducing state mandates for education

    ● Opposes comprehensive sex education in schools

    ● Supports expanding post-grad options

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/132https://youtu.be/M-DaKqJsHKIhttps://www.brandforhouse.org/https://www.susanakland.com/

  • Education (cont’d)

    ● Advocates for a tuition waiver for 2-year public college tuition for high demand jobs

    beyond traditional college degree

    Jobs/Economy ● Supports “bottom-up” economic growth including raising the minimum wage

    ● Strongly supports the right for employees to collectively bargain with their employer

    ● Believes that strong unions are one of the hallmarks of a healthy Minnesota economy and that union organization means higher wages and better benefits for all workers

    ● Believes correcting the deficit calls for cutting government spending and holding state agencies accountable for misuse of funds

    ● Supports fewer regulations for small businesses

    ● Supports tax incentives for small business to encourage entrepreneurship and growth

    Environment ● Believes in embracing a clean energy economy ● House co-author of bill to move MN toward 100% clean

    energy by 2050 ● Believes in mitigating the effects of climate change ● Aims to incentivize manufacturers to reduce carbon

    emissions by reducing payroll taxes for carbon capture ● Supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing

    state electric vehicles ● Authored a water storage bill that would stop or slow run-off,

    reduce erosion, improve water quality

    ● Opposes investing too much in wind

    and solar until it becomes more cost effective

    ● Believes in balancing wind and solar with natural gas and other natural resources we currently have

    Agriculture ● Supports farmers as they transition into 21st century technology by advocating for rural broadband

    ● Encourages new agricultural products out of potential cash crops such as industrial hemp and perennial kernza

    ● Supports a buffer tax credit and tax exemption for each acre of land locked up into buffer strips

    ● Supports nitrate reduction practices ● Supports cover crops by subsidizing a portion of crop

    insurance

    ● Supports fewer regulations for

    farmers ● Believes in strengthening the Farmers

    Advocate Program in the Department of Agriculture

    ● Opposes inheritance tax

    Transportation ● House author of bill to complete Hwy 14 project ● Believes funding for transportation should be distributed

    equally to meet Metro & Greater Minnesota needs ● Supports increased funding "Safe Routes to Schools"

    funding and the Statewide plans for traveling and recreating across Minnesota

    ● N/A

    Child Care ● Supports funding for community grants to cover up-front costs of certification / training

    ● Supports tax credits for employer-provided child care ● Advocates for establishment of sub-committee to tackle

    training requirements, investigations, correction orders, and to identify regulations that should be eliminated.

    ● Supports fewer regulations for childcare providers

    Other ● Supports background checks on all gun sales, red flag laws ● Seniors: supports forming commission to end elder abuse ● Veterans: believes in improving their quality of life through

    jobs, housing, and mental wellness programs

    ● Opposes gun reforms ● Seniors/retirees: supports eliminating

    the social security tax on income

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

    http://www.dot.state.mn.us/saferoutes/http://www.minnesotago.org/learn-about-plans/statewide-multimodal-transportation-planhttps://www.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/scorp/index.html

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN State House Representative (Dist. 19B)

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate) The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents each district and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because of changes resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (A and B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms. The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majority agreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, the legislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). In the event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate Cities in District 19B: Mankato and Eagle Lake For candidates bios, visit: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/133 Candidates Luke Frederick (DFL)

    https://frederickforhouse.com/

    Jeremy Loger (R)

    no website

    Background ● Grew up in Eagle Lake and served for a year in AmeriCorp

    ● Graduated from MNSU and worked at the State Hospital. Joined the union and advocated for worker rights and workplace safety

    ● BS, Political Science, Minnesota State University-Mankato

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/133https://frederickforhouse.com/

  • Workers and Businesses

    ● Supports protecting collective bargaining rights, and any attempts to restrict or worker rights

    ● Supports a living wage for workers so that a full-time job is enough to support a family

    ● Supports paid sick leave and safety leave ● Supports paid family leave for all

    Minnesotans

    ● Supports reductions in spending and taxes

    Healthcare ● Supports expanded healthcare access

    ● Supports Gov. Walz’s Minnesota Care buy-in plan.

    ● Aims to ensure affordable prescriptions

    ● Believes in free market and individual choice in healthcare

    Community ● Promotes investment in small businesses ● Supports sustainable infrastructure

    spending ● Supports investment in health and human

    services to ensure our communities are inclusive and welcoming to all

    ● As a center-line moderate, promises to advocate for entire constituency--not just Republicans

    ● Aims to lower taxes for the middle class

    ● Seeks to end corruption in Department of Health and Human Services

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison - MN House of Representatives 20A

    State Legislature (State House, State Senate) The Minnesota state legislature is organized similar to the U.S. Congress with two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The state of Minnesota is divided into 67 districts. One State Senator represents each district and serves in four year terms (once every ten years they serve a two year term instead because of changes resulting from population shifts). Each of the 67 Senate districts are divided into two House districts (A and B). Representatives are elected by residents within the House district and serve two year terms. The purpose of the legislature is to pass laws and a state budget. Passage of laws and a budget requires majority agreement by both the Senate and the House. In addition to proposing, debating, and voting on legislation, the legislature also proposed amendments to the state constitution (which must then be voted on by the citizens). In the event that the Governor vetoes a piece of legislation, the legislature can override the Governor’s veto with a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate. The House also has the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches (convicting and removing these members requires a vote in the Senate). Cities in District 20A: Le Sueur, Cleveland, Le Center, Belle Plaine, New Prague, Elko New Market Candidate bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/140

    Candidates Erina Prom (DFL)

    https://www.erinapromformnhouse.com/

    Brian Pfarr (R)

    https://www.electpfarr.com/

    Background ● Lives in Le Sueur, grew up in Rochester ● Currently serving as Vice Chair of the Le

    Sueur-Henderson School Board ● Community involvement: Leading Sibley Together

    ● Lives in Le Sueur, grew up on a family farm in Gaylord

    ● Employment: President of First Farmers & Merchants Bank in Le Sueur, taught farm business management at South Central College

    ● Colonel in the National Guard ● Community involvement: Le Sueur

    American Legion Post, Le Sueur VFW Post, Le Sueur Lions, Le Sueur Economic Development Authority

    COVID-19 Response

    ● Believes the Coronavirus has “laid bare multitudes of inequities”

    ● Supports state measures to slow the spread of coronavirus

    ● Supports measures to “return to a sense of normal” like allowing high schools sports to compete and play

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/140https://www.erinapromformnhouse.com/https://www.electpfarr.com/

  • Budget/Taxes ● Supports proposed bonding bill, fully funding schools, and investing in infrastructure that also creates jobs and supports a strong economy

    ● Believes we need a smaller, more efficient government that supports business rather than regulates it

    ● Believes government should “live within its means” and pledges not to pass the budget shortfall burden on to taxpayers

    Healthcare ● Believes more should be done, beyond price transparency and accountability, to improve universal access, quality, and health outcomes

    ● Aims to bring more attention and services to address the growing mental health crisis facing farmers and families across the district

    ● Supports state funding for rural hospitals

    ● N/A

    Environment ● Believes climate change is real and thinks we need to use science to work together, with agriculture and business communities, to address growing ecological conflicts and concerns

    ● N/A

    Agriculture ● Supports funding relief that benefits small farming operations vs. large corporate operations

    ● Supports the passage of the Ag2School credit and advocates for expanding the credit

    ● Aims to encourage sustainable farming practices ● Advocates for an increase in outreach and

    affordable mental health services for farmers

    ● Supports less regulations for farmers ● Includes agriculture on his campaign

    platform and cites his experience working in agriculture lending to help him understand challenges facing the industry

    Infrastructure ● Supports a robust bonding bill ● Believes roads and bridges need consistent,

    long-term funding streams to address: stormwater, wastewater, rural broadband

    ● Believes state legislative bonding for infrastructure projects at a time when interest rates are low is a win-win option

    ● N/A

    Education ● Advocates for state investment in early childhood education and to fully fund mandates for special education

    ● Aims to ensure that rural taxpayer dollars achieve the same buying power as in urban districts

    ● Believes investment in K-12 schools supports our economy in the long run

    ● Believes border to border broadband will help low-income, rural, and students of color who are disproportionately lack access to reliable internet

    ● N/A

    Other ● Supports unions and employees’ right to organize ● Strong supporter of 2nd Amendment rights

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites, interviews, and candidate forums by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any

    candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are

    listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison Blue Earth County Commissioner (District 5)

    County Commissioner The state of Minnesota is divided into 87 counties, each responsible for things like tax administration, elections, transportation, parks and water management, health and human services, law enforcement, and courts. The County Board consists of 5 commissioners who are elected to set policy and make decisions which govern the county. A commissioner’s term of office is 4 years. The County Board of Commissioners is responsible for establishing overall goals and future direction for the county and for serving on policy-specific sub-committees related to topics of parks, public health, public safety, day care centers, libraries, nursing homes, etc. The board sets the budget for each county department, approves contracts, appoints officials to carry out resolutions and policies, and appoints citizen commissions and committees. The County Board also approves purchases and expenditures, sets the tax levy, and develops a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which addresses the anticipated needs of the County. The commissioners make decisions which include county buildings and furnishings, land acquisition, computer equipment, office machines, and vehicles. The board also establishes priorities for the construction and repair for county ditches, and approves plans for development and expansion of the county park. District 5: Includes townships and cities located on the east side of Blue Earth County. Cities include: Madison Lake, St, Clair, Eagle Lake, Mapleton, and Pemberton. Greater Mankato Growth Bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/141 Greater Mankato Growth Candidate Forum Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3vDQI-KHjo

    Candidates Kip Bruender (Incumbent)

    Allen Marble

    https://www.facebook.com/Allen-Marble-for-County-Commissioner-101454141591193/

    Background ● Born, raised, and resides in Eagle Lake ● Has served as Nicollet County

    Commissioner in the 5th district for 18 years ● Employment: owns a automotive repair

    business in Eagle Lake ● Previously served as Mayor of Eagle Lake

    for 6 years

    ● Lives in rural Good Thunder ● Employment: Hog farmer on a 6th

    generation farm ● Previously elected and served as a Soil and

    Water Conservation Supervisor in Blue Earth County

    Priorities/Key Rural Issues

    ● Believes the top priorities for the county are: COVID-19 safety, maintaining the county budget, and keeping county taxes “relatively low”

    ● Believes environment issues are very important in terms of water quality and river erosion issues and should be balanced with planning and zoning concerns

    ● Believes top priorities for the county are: budgeting, broadband, watershed quality, maintenance of roads and bridges, preventing erosion

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/141https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3vDQI-KHjohttps://www.facebook.com/Allen-Marble-for-County-Commissioner-101454141591193/https://www.facebook.com/Allen-Marble-for-County-Commissioner-101454141591193/

  • Budget/Taxes ● Aims to keep tax levy low and affordable for county residents

    ● Voted in past years to operate the budget at a deficit by using reserves to balance the budget

    ● Believes in using the reserve fund to balance the budget during the pandemic emergency

    ● Believes the county should “watch taxes” and understand its impact on farmers

    Transit ● Believes transit to rural areas is a challenge due to low participation of ridership when the board tried pilot programs in the past

    ● Believes public transportation is difficult to bring to rural areas because of low population in the country and townships

    Rural Broadband

    ● Believes the county should be a facilitator in engaging the private sector and does not support using levy dollars toward broadband unless it is to organize efforts to work with the private sector

    ● Believes broadband is very expensive and considers whether the investment is worthwhile if the technology advances beyond what we are currently using

    Infrastructure/ Projects

    ● Believes general maintenance of buildings and infrastructure is important but is concerned by the expense

    ● Stated that the next project should be updating the county shop facility

    ● Voted in the past to support improvements to the Human Services building and the Justice Center

    ● Prioritizes maintenance of equipment and infrastructure

    Diversity/ Opportunities for all

    ● Believes growing diversity is a good thing and can contribute to the workforce as long as people are “law abiding citizens”

    ● Voted to support an increase in funding to the Greater Mankato Area Diversity Council

    ● Believes jobs and trades provide opportunities and that people should not burden the human services system or the taxpayers

    Note: This information has been compiled from campaign websites by volunteers from Indivisible St. Peter/Greater Mankato. These comparisons are not officially endorsed by any candidate. Where there is no information for a particular category, this does not mean that the candidate does not care about or has not

    spoken about the issue - it just may not appear on the website. Voters are encouraged to visit candidates’ websites and reach out to campaigns for more information. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.

  • 2020 Candidate Comparison Blue Earth County Commissioner (District 4)

    County Commissioner The state of Minnesota is divided into 87 counties, each responsible for things like tax administration, elections, transportation, parks and water management, health and human services, law enforcement, and courts. The County Board consists of 5 commissioners who are elected to set policy and make decisions which govern the county. A commissioner’s term of office is 4 years. The County Board of Commissioners is responsible for establishing overall goals and future direction for the county and for serving on policy-specific sub-committees related to topics of parks, public health, public safety, day care centers, libraries, nursing homes, etc. The board sets the budget for each county department, approves contracts, appoints officials to carry out resolutions and policies, and appoints citizen commissions and committees. The County Board also approves purchases and expenditures, sets the tax levy, and develops a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which addresses the anticipated needs of the County. The commissioners make decisions which include county buildings and furnishings, land acquisition, computer equipment, office machines, and vehicles. The board also establishes priorities for the construction and repair for county ditches, and approves plans for development and expansion of the county park. District 4: Includes the western part of Blue Earth County, the western edge of Mankato, as well as Amboy, Butternut, Cambria, Garden City, Good Thunder, Judson, Lake Crystal, Rapidan and Vernon Center. Greater Mankato Growth Bios: https://greatermankato.com/candidates/121 Greater Mankato Growth Candidate Forum Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3vDQI-KHjo

    Candidates Paul FitzSimmons

    https://www.facebook.com/Paul-FitzSimmons-for-County-Commissioner-101668931608654/

    Kevin Paap

    https://www.paapforcommissioner.com/

    Background ● Born and raised in Lyra Township near Good Thunder

    ● Employment: hog farmer, owns and operates a livestock management business in Mapleton, owns and operates a grain elevator in Good Thunder

    ● Community involvement: Sons of American Legion and other veteran support organizations, served on various pork producer boards

    ● Lives in Vernon Center, lifelong resident of Blue Earth County

    ● Employment: MN Farm Bureau President, farmer, EMT, emergency medical instructor at South Central College

    ● Community involvement: 28 years on the Vernon Center Volunteer Fire Dept, serves on several agriculture organization committees and boards

    Priorities/Key Rural Issues

    ● Foresees balancing the budget to be a top priority due to COVID-19 challenges

    ● Aims to make it easier for small business to operate in rural areas, wants to support

    ● Believes the top priority is managing the budget and addressing the decrease in revenues and increased expenditures due to the COVID-19 pandemic

    https://greatermankato.com/candidates/121https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3vDQI-KHjohttps://www.facebook.com/Paul-FitzSimmons-for-County-Commissioner-101668931608654/https://www.facebook.com/Paul-FitzSimmons-for-County-Commissioner-101668931608654/https://www.paapforcommissioner.com/

  • Priorities/Key Rural Issues (cont’d)

    small businesses with loans to help with business planning and sustainability

    ● Advocates for “Freedom to Farm” zoning ordinance that prevents litigation against farmers

    ● Opposes restrictive permitting of feedlots and calls for consistency in the process

    ● Aims to focus on rural economic development and adding value to crops and livestock

    ● Believes in a “direct and protect” philosophy where the county engages in long range planning while protecting natural and economic resources

    Budget/Taxes ● Stated he errs on the side of lower taxes and wants to ensure taxpayers are “getting a bang for every dollar spent”

    ● Believes county government should be run like a business

    ● Stated he is a “fiscal conservative” and the county should refrain from spending money without revenues to support the spending

    Transportation ● Believes road maintenance is one of the top responsibilities of the county, but road construction should not be constant and disrupt businesses or be a deterrent for commerce

    ● Believes transportation is “critical” for people and farmers a