Tag Archives: elections
Senate District 11 Phonebank – Duluth and St. Paul Offices
Posted January 28, 2019
We are building a people-centered democracy, and Stu Lourey is a people-centered candidate. Join us at our Duluth and St. Paul offices to support Stu in his run for this seat by making calls into the district!
Duluth Office:
25 N 21st Ave W
Duluth, MN 55806
St. Paul Office:
705 Raymond Ave #100
St. Paul, MN 55114
Elections Recap: Joyful Politics, #OneMinnesota, and Making History
Posted November 12, 2018
During midterms, TakeAction Minnesota members, member leaders, and volunteers showed up joyfully and powerfully.
And it paid off.
At TakeAction Minnesota, we’re working toward a bold, progressive vision for our state and a people-centered democracy. Going into this election, we committed to electing leaders who are ready to co-govern and share our vision for a Minnesota for all of us. A Minnesota where we all have affordable and accessible health care. Fair wages. Clean air and water. Affordable housing. Safety and liberation.
Over 600 volunteers across the state—including St. Paul, Duluth, and St. Cloud—dreamed and mobilized for that vision of Minnesota with us. Together, we reached out to 300,000+ progressive voters, on the doors, by phone, and by text.
Together, We Won BigTakeAction Minnesota made over 24 endorsements—and together, we won big.
- Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan will be our next Governor and Lt. Governor. Peggy is the first Native American woman to be elected Lt. Governor in our state—and we’re thrilled.
… Continue reading »Guess who is going to be our next Governor and Lt. Governor?!
TakeAction Minnesota members, leaders & volunteers knocked nearly 4,000 doors TODAY ALONE.
That’s power folks. Can’t wait to see what we build together with @Tim_Walz & @peggyflanagan.
St Cloud Community Doorknock for the Primaries
Posted July 17, 2018
Join TakeAction to doorknock in the St Cloud area. We will be taking time to talk to community members about why care is important and why we are grounding our elections on the bases of caring for our communities rather than fearing our community. Our work is important, powerful and will help u show up joyfully through November! Come be apart of something bigger than just our organizations build individually!
Join us for a day of joy, conversations and celebrating the work we are doing to create a more empowered community.
Training will be provided starting at 5pm and food will be provided after the doorknock!
What’s next for Democrats after ‘dumpster fire’ day?
Posted June 6, 2018
At the end of filings Tuesday, Minnesota Democrats were facing a six-way primary for attorney general in August, a sudden eight-way intraparty battle for U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison’s seat, and an unexpected, three-way primary for the open governor’s seat.
It was all part of what was described by some Democrats and Republicans as a “dumpster fire” day for Minnesota’s DFL Party.
[…]
For Dan McGrath, the executive director of TakeAction Minnesota, a progressive campaign group, the divisions in the DFL now are part of a bigger change happening in the DNA of the party. He thinks candidates like Swanson, a moderate who has been attorney general for more than a decade, represent a fading wing of the DFL party
“This is the old guard making an end run around the future of the party,” said McGrath, whose organization endorsed Murphy for governor. “For the DFL party 20 or 30 years ago, the political landscape in our state was very different. The candidates that are rising to the top right now are the ones who really understand how our state has changed demographically, racially, and they are carving out a vision for what that will look like.”
And plenty of Democrats think the glut of candidates filing for office is simply a direct result of enthusiasm across the party, voters and candidates alike.… Continue reading »
Our MN Future: Convention Training Webinar 2
Posted February 21, 2018
Minnesotans are getting together to support each other through the political convention process. We will boldly share our dreams and challenges, pushing each other and candidates to create a new kind of democracy in our state, one marked by compassion, everybody in, and deep relationships that make more possible in our communities.
Join the training via computer or phone… Continue reading »
Our MN Future: Convention Training Webinar 1
Posted
Minnesotans are getting together to support each other through the political convention process. We will boldly share our dreams and challenges, pushing each other and candidates to create a new kind of democracy in our state, one marked by compassion, everybody in, and deep relationships that make more possible in our communities.Join the training via computer or phone… Continue reading »
Defining what makes a candidate a true progressive
Posted November 4, 2017
“The bedrock of Minnesota’s Democratic voter base will head to the polls next week. As voters in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth prepare to cast ballots in their local elections, we’ve seen a progressive arms race break out.
Candidates with all sorts of different policy positions and political ideologies are vying to be “the progressive.” Even Minneapolis Works, a right-wing political action committee of downtown business leaders, promotes its candidates as progressive. The silly season has arrived.” Read more… Continue reading »
Leaders Like Londel
Posted October 25, 2017
This is Co-Governing
When I’m on the doors, I hear a lot of people who don’t believe their voices have a place in our political process. This is wrong. Our government, and our economy, should be by us and for us. This election season, we have the opportunity to do politics differently. But we can’t do it without you.
This is Amity Foster, the co-chair of our Political Committee, and Londel French, a candidate running for Minneapolis Park Board. This is co-governing: grassroots leaders from Justice 4 All running for office—and winning—to work with the community to carry out the vision and values we share.
Co-governing happens when people from our base—leaders like Londel —play big, to represent our community, while building authentic relationships with people in the community. This is how we go beyond, and do politics differently.
Leaders like Londel French remind me what progressive politics can be, and what we can do together. We can’t do it without you. Election Day is just around the corner. Take a few minutes to visit our website, and find out which progressive candidates TakeAction Minnesota endorsed in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth. Make the decision now to vote early.… Continue reading »
TakeAction Doorknock with Jillia Pessenda
Posted September 28, 2017
Join us to hit the doors (and phones!) with TakeAction endorsed candidate for city council in Ward 1, Jillia Pessenda. We’ll meet the team, get trained, talk to voters, and build community together. Check out the Facebook page for more info.
TakeAction Doorknock with Andrea Jenkins
Posted
Join us to hit the doors (and phones!) with TakeAction endorsed candidate for city council in Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins. We’ll meet the team, get trained, talk to voters, and build community together. Check out the Facebook page for more info.
Can the DFL reconnect with rural Minnesotans?
Posted August 8, 2017
August 2, 2017
If you look at the electoral map of Minnesota in 2016, it’s possible to conclude that the DFL no longer is a statewide party.
One little exercise brings that point home: If you subtract all the votes cast in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties in the 2016 election, Donald Trump would have easily carried Minnesota, with 58 percent of the vote.
As it was, Hillary Clinton defeated Trump, with 46.1 percent of the statewide vote. But she carried just nine of the state’s 87 counties. And not only did Trump crush Clinton in Greater Minnesota, but Republicans won control of both houses of the Legislature.
Minnesota secretary of state won’t supply voter information to Trump’s panel
Posted July 5, 2017
Steve Simon questioned whether Minnesota law would allow him to do it and what end the information would be used.
AARON LAVINSKY, DML – STAR TRIBUNE STAR TRIBUNE Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, shown in 2015, said Friday that he won’t fulfill a request from a presidential panel to ship voter registration information for some 4 million state voters to Washington.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said Friday that he won’t fulfill a request from a presidential panel to ship voter registration information for some 4 million Minnesota voters to Washington.
Simon questioned both whether Minnesota law would allow him to provide the information to President Trump’s Election Integrity Commission and to what end it would be used.
“When Minnesotans registered to vote, they didn’t ever think their personal information would end up in some federal database in Washington, D.C.,” said Simon, a DFLer elected to his statewide post in 2014.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and Vice President Mike Pence are overseeing the commission, which Trump established in May to explore his unfounded claim that millions of people voted illegally in the last election. In a letter Thursday, Kobach asked election chiefs in every state to provide, if public, the names of registered voters, party affiliation, last four digits of Social Security numbers, voting history back to 2006, felony convictions, military history and voter registration in another state.… Continue reading »
Voting is only one way to be a part of the political process
Posted April 3, 2016
My name is Nicole Riegert. I am a nineteen-year-old student at the University of Minnesota and have recently started as an intern for the political team here at TakeAction MN. As a college student, I spend much of my time evaluating what is important to me and envisioning my future. My opportunities to build a life I find personally meaningful and positively impactful within my community can be limited or enriched by individuals who hold power. It is important to me that the officials making decisions that will influence my life and the lives of others in my community share our bold, progressive values. This November, I want to elect leaders who will challenge the status quo to ensure our voices are represented.
Thus, I ran to be a delegate to the Senate District Convention this April and support the candidates endorsed by TakeAction. At the convention, delegates elected on March 1st present issues, debate, and choose House and Senate candidates for their party. To better understand the process, I sat down with Mary and Quinn. Mary, who has been elected a delegate to the State Convention, tells us why being a delegate matters to her. See her video here.… Continue reading »
Bold & Visionary change in Duluth
Posted September 16, 2015
This year we had the awesome opportunity to talk with thousands of Duluthians about their vision for Duluth’s future. We collaborated with many organizations representing the diverse people of our communities to develop a shared vision for our city – AICHO, CHUM, PAVSA, SOAR Career Solutions, YWCA, Northeast Area Labor Council, Community Action Duluth and Education Minnesota.
What came of this is resounding shared interest in jobs that pay living wages with benefits like earned sick and safe time so people aren’t forced to choose between caring for a loved one and earning a paycheck. Residents wanting resources and consideration of needs to be spread across the city, increased green space, free youth activities & racial justice.
We have the unique ability at TakeAction to talk about these issues and more as we engage with voters in our community. We want to see bold and visionary change! The kind of change that happens when people – like our endorsed candidates who share our vision and the vision of so many Duluthians – are elected to office. Our endorsed candidates for November are: Gary Anderson (District 2); Em Westerlund (District 3); Joel Sipress (District 4); Janet Kennedy (District 5); Elissa Hansen & Noah Hobbs (At-Large); and Emily Larson for Mayor!… Continue reading »
Women Across Minnesota
Posted October 21, 2014
Minnesota is a pretty big state. Stretching hundreds of miles from the rocky shores of Lake Superior to the vast prairie spanning along the Iowa border. But last Thursday night the state got a whole lot smaller.
We had over sixty people, mostly all women, calling from the far reaches of the state, from Northfield to the North Shore. Not to mention all the people making calls from our Duluth, St. Paul and Grand Rapids offices. Although the women callers may all see a different slice of Minnesota when they look out the window, all sixty volunteers shared a common story that night- we need a Minnesota that works for 
women and families. Several women shared their own stories of going to work too soon after a child was born or not having paid time off to care for a sick family member. Unfortunately these stories are too common in all corners of our state.
That’s why our work is so important. We can actually change this story for all Minnesota’s women and families. Seriously, this can be changed. On Thursday night we made 3,000 calls. Meaning we called households all over Minnesota to talk about these issues and why our elections are so important.… Continue reading »
The top three Election Day lessons
Posted November 21, 2013
Now that the dust has settled, and all the ranked choice votes have been counted, we know that two longtime TakeAction Minnesota members have climbed another rung on the political ladder: Betsy Hodges will be Minneapolis’ next mayor, and Dai Thao will be joining the St. Paul City Council. Both of these candidates – and their campaigns – teach important lessons about what progressives need to do to win at the ballot box and set the stage for bigger change once in office.
First, people-powered campaigns matter. Both campaigns had the largest grassroots operations of any in their respective races. Both campaigns made grassroots organizing a key strategy. Just as important, both candidates inspired grassroots organizations and volunteers to volunteer their time. Alongside other endorsing groups, TakeAction Minnesota members contributed over 1,000 hours of volunteer time knocking on doors, dialing phones, and talking one-on-one with voters. We reached out to more than 17,000 households in our membership about our endorsed candidates. In any campaign, headlines and campaign ads get the most attention. But all of that is just noise if it isn’t backed up by thousands – and tens-of-thousands – of individual, personal conversations with voters about what matters in this election and why their support is crucial.… Continue reading »
Coming Through on Election Day
Posted October 22, 2013
Election Day is nearly upon us — with two progressive champions locked in tight races that will go down to the wire.
In Minneapolis and Ward 1 of St. Paul, we’ll be hitting the phones and knocking on doors to make sure that Betsy Hodges is Minneapolis’ first choice for mayor, and that Dai Thao heads to City Hall as St. Paul Ward 1’s newest city council member.
These races will be close, and one-on-one conversations among neighbors about why Betsy and Dai are the right candidates to make our cities more equitable will make the difference on Election Day.
Want to be a part of making it happen? Head here to see when we’ll be with Betsy’s campaign, and here to see Dai Thao’s schedule of events.
See you on the doors!
— Steve Rogness… Continue reading »
On to November with Dai Thao!
Posted August 15, 2013
At the DFL special endorsing convention for Saint Paul City Council Ward 1 on July 27th, TakeAction-endorsed Dai Thao was the standout in a strong field of candidates vying for the endorsement. Having put together an impressive campaign team in a short two-month period, and having worked tirelessly to secure delegate support, Dai led on 5 of 6 ballots with support from every corner of Ward 1’s diverse communities.
Dai energized the convention with his progressive vision for Ward 1. Dai recognizes that, as he put it, “our diversity is our strength… we are the answers to our challenges when we work together.” Dai painted a picture of a Ward with boundless potential, but still struggling under divisions of wealth and race, and too many obstacles to prosperity. Dai emphasized the need for a councilmember who “will drive hard bargains at City Hall” and “build every necessary relationship and leverage every opportunity to make sure our residents have a place at the table”.
His message was heard loud and clear. While the convention ultimately came to no endorsement, Dai won the day and heads into the General Election with momentum on his side. It will be a spirited contest, but Dai’s strong message and incredible campaign team make him formidable contender.… Continue reading »
