Presumptive President-Elect Donald Trump has won the presidential election, even though Democratic candidate Secretary Hillary Clinton won the popular vote across the nation. Many people are asking what the Electoral College is and why we have it.

The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.

Each candidate running for President in your state has his or her own group of electors. The electors are generally chosen by the candidate’s political party, but state laws vary on how the electors are selected and what their responsibilities are.

A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President.

You can learn more about the Electoral College at the National Archives and Records Administration website. You can also find information on Wikipedia.

You can watch the District 67 Candidate forum on SPNN (CH19) on the following dates and times:

Sunday, October 30, 07:00 pm

Tuesday, November 1, 07:00 pm

Thursday, November 3, 01:00 pm

Friday, November 4, 07:00 pm

Saturday, November 5, 03:00 pm

Sunday, November 6, 02:00 am

Sunday, November 6, 09:00 am

You can also watch on Youtube.

This information is from the Secretary of State's website: 

A write-in candidate for U.S. President, U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative must file a written request for his or her votes to be counted. This request must be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State no later than November 1, 2016.

Presidential candidates must also include the name of a vice-presidential candidate and the name of at least one, but not more than ten, candidates for presidential elector.

We received further clarification from the Secretary of State's Office:

When you vote for a write in candidate, you will fill in the oval/square next to the write in candidate space on the ballot. That “write-in” candidate spot will receive a number as to how many people filled in that oval/square. So, the “write-in” candidate for that office will receive a number on election night. That vote is counted and is a part of the official report from that precinct. The names that are written in that spot will also receive a number associated with the name, if that name is a registered write in. That is a separate report completed by the election judges/absentee ballot board members.

You can click here to see all the candidates for office for President/Vice President on the Minnesota ballot.

The list of individuals registered as write-ins will be continuously updated until November 1. You can contact the Secretary of State's Office for an updated list. 

DISTRICT 65 CANDIDATE FORUM

https://youtu.be/0nowAOA1Pfs

Viewing Schedule on SPNN
Thu 10/13/16, 7:00 pm
Sat 10/15/16, 8:00 am
Sat 10/15/16, 7:00 pm
Sun 10/16/16, 9:30 am

Co-Sponsor: Hallie Q. Brown Community Center

 DISTRICT 64 CANDIDATE FORUM

https://youtu.be/sxiIqe-NoIg

Viewing Schedule on SPNN

Fri 10/14/16, 7:00 pm
Sat 10/15/16, 9:30 am
Sun 10/16/16, 8:00 am
Sun 10/16/16, 7:00: pm

Co-Sponsors: Highland Park District Council and Civic Eagle

ELECTIONS AND CANDIDATES INFORMATION SITES

https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page

http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

http://www.nonprofitvote.org/all-resources/

REGISTER TO VOTE: https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterRegistration/VoterRegistrationStep1.aspx

NOTE SURE IF REGISTERED? https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx

ABSENTEE BALLOT: https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/ABRegistration/ABRegistrationStep1.aspx

You can read the September-October 2016 issue of our newsletter here!

On November 8, 2016, Minnesota voters will be asked whether to amend the Constitution to remove from the Legislature the power to set their own salary. This proposed Constitution Amendment will create a Legislative Pay Council. This citizen council will be responsible for determining the salary of state legislators. This proposed amendment was authorized with bipartisan support in the 2013 Legislature. Failure to vote on the amendment has the same effect as voting no on the amendment.

Click this link to download a flyer with more information on the Amendment.

The following report was provided by our Observer Corps volunteer, Elizabeth Zalanga:

As students prepare to head back to school, The Saint Paul Board of Education is also preparing for the 2016- 2017 school year. During the August Board meeting, the Board listened to presentations about district-wide school readiness updates. Interim Superintendent Dr. John Thein expressed his excitement for his first day of school by saying he “can’t wait to see the smiling faces of all the students and staff on September 6th and 8th.”

Dr. Thein, a former educator, administrator, and superintendent of Roseville Public Schools, was named the interim superintendent last month when the Board officially voted Valeria Silva out of the superintendent seat. This decision was heavily criticized and led to the immediate resignation of Board member Jean O'Connell, who strongly disagreed with the actions of some of the Board members and the lack of transparency in this matter. Silva received a separation agreement worth $787,500 and will serve full-time as a special consultant through September 2017. No details have been provided yet about the search for her permanent replacement. 

Another important topic discussed during the Board meeting was about clarifying the role of school resource officers (SROs) in district high schools. The board voted 5–0 to approve a new contract for police officers assigned to work at high schools, which includes additional training, monthly meetings with student advisory councils, and new distinguishing uniforms. The contract comes after a video of a school resource officer at Central High School arresting a former student suspected of trespassing was posted on Facebook and within hours was viewed nearly 206,000 times. The officer was widely criticized for his actions as many believed he was being unnecessarily aggressive. This contract serves as a way to improve relationships between school resource officers and students.

Our Observer Corps works to help monitor city government and its various departments, including: City Council, Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED), and the soccer stadium committee. If you would like to become an Observer Corps volunteer, please email Mary Vik at shack194849@gmail.com. 

We've received an overwhelming response to this request for volunteers and have filled up the fall schedule at local libraries. Thank you to our volunteers for your energy and support of the League. We couldn't do it without you!

You can make a difference this election season by registering voters this September and October at the library! Many local libraries have coordinated times for the League to visit and register voters. The libraries will provide tables and computers to help voters register online or find their polling place. While LWVSP will provide signs, forms and information. All we need is you! As a volunteer you will help library visitors fill out forms and empower them to make their voices heard this November.

Please see the schedule suggested by the libraries below and let us know if you can volunteer for one or more shifts. We'd obviously love for you to volunteer as much as you can. Please email or call Nichole Fairbanks at nicholef@hlaccountants.com or 651-251-4389 and let her know the dates, times and locations you would be available to volunteer.

Please note: There has been a specific request from the Highland Park location for a volunteer that speaks Amharic. If you or someone you know speaks Amharic, please let us know and consider helping in this location.

Branch and Location	Preferred Days in September/October	Preferred Times
Dayton's Bluff  645 E 7th St  Saint Paul, MN 55106	Thursdays (except October 19)	5-7 p.m.
George Latimer Central Library  90 W 4th St  Saint Paul, MN 55102	Mondays, Tuesdays or Sundays	Mon. 12-2 p.m.  Tue. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  Sun. 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Highland Park  1974 Ford Parkway  Saint Paul, MN 55116	Tuesdays	5-7 p.m. or  5:30-7:30 p.m.
Merriam Park  1831 Marshall Ave  Saint Paul, MN 55104	Mondays or Wednesdays	4-6 p.m. or  5-7 p.m.
Rondo Community Outreach Library  461 North Dale St  Saint Paul, MN 55103	Mondays or Tuesdays	Any two-hour block between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Sun Ray  2105 Wilson Ave  Saint Paul, MN 55119	Tuesday, Sept 20, Monday, Sept 26,  Monday, Oct 3, and/or Tuesday, Oct 4	9/20 5-7 p.m.  9/26 4-6 p.m.  10/3 5-7 p.m.  10/4 4-6 p.m.
West 7th Community Center  265 Oneida St  Saint Paul, MN 55102	Friday, October 7 (This is the date of the monthly program "Fare for All" with 150+ library visitors.)	10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

From a report to the Board of Directors from Program Chair Judy Screaton about our 2016 Youth Voter Registration project:

We visited six St. Paul High Schools hosting eight registration events.  We used iPads and iPhones to conduct the registration.  Online registration is encouraged by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office due to accuracy and the resulting saving of money.  Overall, 99% of registrations were done online with only five students using paper forms. St. Paul High Schools provide students with an electronic device. We asked for a show of hands to get registration totals.

We registered over 300 students, provided voter information to over 1090 students, 10 League volunteers participated, and estimated volunteer hours spent on the project was 67.

We partnered with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office to register the entire senior class at one time at Harding High School.  We registered 93 students in 15 minutes.

Congratulations and thanks to Judy and our volunteers! A special thanks also to Alena Porter, our Youth Voter Coordinator.