Absentee ballot drop off box in West St. Paul city hall

2020 Election: West St. Paul Voter’s Guide

Election 2 comments

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The 2020 general election is on Tuesday, November 3 with absentee voting starting on Friday, September 18. Here’s your voter’s guide for West St. Paul.

Where & How to Vote

We’ve got details on where and how to vote.

  • If you vote absentee, the preferred method of returning your ballot (according to the city clerk) is to drop it off at West St. Paul city hall.
  • If you vote in person on election day, remember to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

What’s on the Ballot?

There are federal, state, county, and city races on the ballot, as well as races for judge on the back of the ballot (though only two are contested). Take a look at your sample ballot so you know what to expect.

Who’s Running in West St. Paul?

Here’s a look at who is running for West St. Paul races:

Mayor

City Council Ward 1

City Council Ward 2

City Council Ward 3

Candidate Q&As

Here are the Q&As we asked the candidates:

More Forums and Q&As

Here are some additional candidate forums and questionnaires:

* Please note: In the only places he appeared or gave answers, David Meisinger gave false or misleading information about public safety and other issues. This prompted our endorsement of Lisa Eng-Sarne. Read our endorsement post for more details.

More West St. Paul Election Coverage

Our 2020 election coverage also includes a number of other stories, including a series on firsts in West St. Paul, featuring interviews with Johnson and Fernandez. We also covered how COVID-19 is changing campaigning for all candidates across West St. Paul. You can also check our archives for posts tagged Julie Eastman, Lisa Eng-Sarne, Anthony Fernandez, Robyn Gulley, Kimetha Johnson, David Meisinger, Dave Napier, and Bob Pace.

This post, written during the 2018 campaign, is also enlightening for Ward 3 voters: Why David Meisinger should never hold public office again. Plus why we endorsed Lisa Eng-Sarne.

Other Races

While we focus on West St. Paul, there are a few other races we’ll comment on. We’ll add more as we get closer to the election.

Second Congressional District

The death of one of the candidates has throw this race into disarray with the November election called off and replaced with a February special election, and then the November election reinstated. Currently this election is still on.

Here’s an overview of this race between incumbent Democrat Angie Craig and Republican Tyler Kistner—as well as what to do if you voted absentee and either skipped this race or need to change your vote (you only have until Oct. 20 to fix that).

State Legislature

The state house representative and state senator are on the ballot this year. For West St. Paul, that’s incumbent Rick Hansen against Mariah de la Paz in the Minnesota House and incumbent Matt Klein against Tomas Settell in the Minnesota Senate. Here’s our summary of the Town Square TV candidate forum for the legislative races. (We’ve also written a fact check about Mariah de la Paz’s claims against Rick Hansen.)

Soil and Water Conservation District

Incumbent Laura Zanmiller is running uncontested for District 2 Supervisor. We interviewed Zanmiller earlier this year to learn more about this position.

Judicial Races

Don’t forget to flip your ballot over—there are two contested judicial races, including Minnesota Supreme Court and First District Court.

Thanks for Participating in Our Democracy

No matter who you’re supporting, be sure to get out there and vote.

If you think our civics could be a little more civil, you’re not alone. Learn more about a new book, Better Politics, Please, inspired by politics in West St. Paul and written by two West St. Paul residents.

Local election coverage happens thanks to people like you. Please consider supporting West St. Paul Reader.

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