DEMOCRACY tool kit
Indivisible Twin Cities is dedicated to preserving and expanding our democracy.
This Tool Kit is your one-stop-shop for all the info you need for voting in the 2026 Primary and general elections, as well as ways to reach out to your representatives.
This is information that will help YOU in the battle for our democracy.
VOTING … YOUR RIGHT!
The MN Secretary of State’s website, mnvotes.org is THE spot for all trustworthy voting and election information.
it includes links to voter registration, what’s on your ballot, voting locations, other ways to vote, etc.
ITC ENDORSEMENTS
Additional endorsements will be forthcoming.
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A fundamental pillar that guides Indivisible Twin Cities (ITC) is electing people to office who understand the stakes our nation faces and are willing to fight hard for democracy and against authoritarianism. And so, ITC decided that we will make endorsements for the 2026 primaries and general election, selecting candidates who will not only strengthen our democracy and work to defeat the authoritarian regime, but have a vision for a future where everyone can thrive.
ITC believes that of the two DFL candidates running for U. S. Senator for Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan best meets these criteria. Our endorsement comes after the two town hall meetings with the candidates, and after receiving overwhelming support by ITC leaders and volunteers.
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A fundamental pillar that guides Indivisible Twin Cities (ITC) is electing people who understand the stakes our nation faces and are willing to fight for democracy and against authoritarianism. ITC is making endorsements for the 2026 primaries and general election, selecting candidates who will strengthen our democracy and work to defeat the authoritarian regime, and also have a vision for a future where everyone can thrive.
Indivisible Twin Cities is endorsing Attorney General Keith Ellison for re-election. Keith Ellison has shown repeatedly during his two terms in office that he is a stalwart defender of our democracy and vigorous champion for Minnesotans' rights.
Attorney General Ellison has filed https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Rule-Of-Law/Litigation/ 59 challenges against the federal government's overreach, challenging the President's attacks on the Constitution and rule of law, including: birthright citizenship, defunding or dismantling Centers for Disease Control, Department of Education, National Institutes of Health, Head Start and SNAP. Attorney General Ellison has also challenged the legality of Operation Metro Surge and defended Twin Cities' and state investigations of the shootings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Julio Sosa-Celis. Thanks to the efforts of Ellison and other AGs, courts have ruled the federal government must release frozen FEMA and Americorps funds and begin repaying the emergency tariffs it collected.
We believe Attorney General Keith Ellison has demonstrated how vigorously he stands up for Minnesotans' rights and will continue defending democracy if elected again in November.
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Indivisible Twin Cities is endorsing Secretary of State Steve Simon for re-election. Steve Simon has shown repeatedly during his three terms in office that he is a stalwart defender of our democracy and vigorous champion for Minnesotans' rights.
Secretary of State Simon states his mission simply: Protect the freedom to vote. As Minnesota's chief elections official since 2015, Secretary of State Simon works to safeguard elections and he has stood firm against President Trump's attempts to grab Minnesota voter records. In September, Attorney General Ellison and Secretary Simon challenged the federal government's attempts to take Minnesota's voter rolls, which are protected under data privacy law. The case is ongoing.
Secretary of State Simon has worked relentlessly to make sure Minnesotans understand the facts about elections and ensure all eligible Minnesotans can cast their ballots, either in person or by mail. As a state legislator, Simon sponsored two key election laws: Online voting registration and "No Excuses" Absentee Voting, which allows eligible Minnesotans to vote from home if they choose. In the last presidential election, no state had high voter turnout than Minnesota.
We believe Secretary of State Steve Simon has demonstrated how vigorously he stands up for Minnesotans' rights and will continue defending democracy if elected again in November.
YOUR OPPORTUNITIES … How to Fight Back
ELECTION PROTECTION …
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· Applications are made to either the city or county where you live, depending on your residence.
· You must attend a required training course that will be roughly two hours in length. Many classes are in the evenings.
· You can choose to volunteer or be paid.
· Your employer is required to give you time off from work to be an election judge without a reduction in pay.
· High school students can serve as election judges under supervision. This expands civic participation but is not a monitoring role.
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· Before every election, local election officials test all equipment to be used in that election. Contact your local election official to find the time and location of their next scheduled test.
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· The review is a hand count of the ballots for each eligible election (U.S. President, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, and Governor) in selected precincts compared with the results from the voting system used in those precincts.
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· Canvasing Boards meet at both a county and statewide level to confirm and certify the results of an election.
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· Polling place rules are very strict about who may be inside or near a polling place. The only people allowed inside a polling place are:
o Election judges
o Party‑appointed challengers
o Voters who are actively voting
o People assisting voters
o Authorized officials (Secretary of State, county auditor, municipal clerk)
o Approved student observers
o Minnesota enforces a 100 foot buffer zone around polling places.
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A WATCH LIST …
POTENTIAL ELECTION THREATS …
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· The Fight to Protect the Midterms (Brennan Center for Justice)
· Democracy Defense Workbook (Monarca) (not available; 403 forbidden)
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· Gerrymandering Explained (Brennan Center for Justice)
· What to Know About Redistricting and Gerrymandering (Bipartisan Policy
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· What’s So Bad About Voter ID Laws - League of Women Voters)
· Project Voter ID - Brennan Center for Justice
· What’s actually in the SAVE Act - an interactive explainer (Minnesota Reformer)
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· Protecting Voters and Election Workers from Armed Intimidation (Brennan Center for Justice)
· State Laws Providing Protection for Election Officials and Staff (National Conference of State Legislatures)
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· Officials Can’t Go Rogue on Election Certification (Brennan Center for Justice)
· Election Certification Explained (Protect Democracy)
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· Federal and State Election Laws Ban Federal Forces from Polling Places (Brennan Center for Justice)
· Federal Agents at the Polls (ACLU)
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS & OTHER INFO
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Vote411 provides loads of information on voting (League of Women Voters)
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· What is a caucus and how does that relate to voting?
· https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/how-elections-work/precinct-caucuses/
REACH OUT TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
PRO TIP: you’ve looked up your reps’ info, add them to your contacts on your phone. It makes it easy to give them a call when you need to make your voice heard.
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One stop shop for your state- and federal-level Representatives.
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Contact form to reach out to the MN Govenor and Lt. Governor’s office
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Contact form to reach out to the President of the United States
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Use democracy.io to email all of your Federal-level Representatives at once.
Let’s get to work!
If you’re looking to make a difference in making the future better for our families and communities, we have a wide variety of ways you can get involved that can fit your schedule. From event planning to communications to postcard writing and beyond, come join your neighbors and volunteer today.
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