"We need change in St. Paul. With the candidates that are running, it was important to see who is focused on crime, and their stance trash issue." — David Schulte Jr.
"I did vote this year, haven't missed an election since I turned 18. I live in St. Paul, and I was motivated this year to vote yes in support of our "trash" question." — Rhea Thompson
"I voted because I always vote. Civic duty isn't a matter of how "big" or "small" an election seems. Also, my best friend and I ALWAYS vote together as we have the same polling place, and the tradition keeps me going." — Lauren Dwyer
"I voted to have a voice in our local school board election yesterday. More than ever I believe that political power and influence begins at the local level, and that teaching our kids to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens is critical to our country’s future." — Lucinda Winter
"I had several reminders from friends and Facebook, which helped, and I still almost forgot!
The STILL shocking election of Trump means we all have to do more and to stand up for what we believe in or we won't be heard. Freedom and human rights aren't a given. We have to speak up and fight for them." — Sandra Sleezer
"I vote in every election! Even though Minnesota does have the highest voter's turn out, only about 10 percent of voters in my ward vote in local elections! The only thing that has kept me going these past three years is local elections, caucuses and conventions. I have learned so much and have a much stronger bond with my city. shootings and all. We can do better!" — Melissa
"I am a voter. I keep an Ellen Goodman column in my office that I clipped well over 20 years ago. It lists her Top Ten Reasons to Vote. Here's the last: 'Without blushing, I vote because it's what small-d democracy is about. Because there are places where people fight for generations and stand for hours to cast a ballot knowing what we ought to remember: that it makes a difference. Not always a big difference. Not always an immediate difference. But a difference.' So, I do what may be the easiest task asked of me as a citizen of the USA. I vote." — Jen Mohlenhoff
"I was so happy to see my young neighbor Ximena Q. serving as an Election Judge when I walked into the Jimmy Lee Rec Center to have my voice counted ... hopefully a sign of great engagement from this incoming generation in the election process!" — Adam Suomala
"We had only school board elections. Not only are quality schools important for people with children, quality schools contribute to the standard of living for everyone in the community. Besides, I’ll be 69 in a couple of weeks, I’ve never missed an election, and I was going to vote in this one even though I was just discharged from the hospital (pneumonia) the afternoon of Election Day. (I like the excitement of voting on the day itself, so I don’t usually vote early.) I made my husband take me to the polling place before we even went home because I was afraid I wouldn’t feel up to going out again once I got home. I voted, happily, and I was especially gratified to learn that voting in my district was unusually high for a school board election."— Joyce Denn
"I think city council and school board elections are just as important as presidential elections! I love St. Paul and want the very best for my community. I was so happy to see and support so many women of color on the ballot this year." — Katy Cummins-Bakko
"We were voting for our school. I have a young daughter who I want to go to a great school." — Emily Wold-Boll
"I try to vote every election." — Tiffini Flynn Forslund
"I voted because it is important to have your voice be heard in every election. Especially the local ones. They effect me the most. Our city council had a candidate that was a veteran and a transgender man. I was very excited to see that he ran even though he did not win." — Jarred
"This was my first time voting in Minnesota as I had moved here from another state last year. I have extensive election experience as a candidate, poll watcher, voter and sometime election lawyer so I was interested in how the election would go here. I voted early and found out that the 'early voting' is really an 'absentee' vote rather than true early voting. It also took some time for the election clerk to look up my name and I had to fill out an 'absentee ' ballot. It was also somewhat difficult to find the 'early voting' locations online as well as to locate a sample ballot for my precinct. In the future there should be true 'early voting' procedures for all elections. On another note, this off year election should be eliminated in favor of having school and municipal elections at the same time as other offices. Turnout for off year voting is always very low which can skew the results from what you would have in a higher turnout election. My home state eliminated the Fall off year elections and turnout improved significantly." — Michael