Shakopee Snapshot: Summer 2024

What you need to know about voting in 2024 Love it or loathe it, 2024 is an election year, with a primary election this summer and a general election—from City Council up to the President of the United States—in November. So what do Shakopee residents need to know about casting their ballots? WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTE Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 13, and General Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voters must complete a ballot application on site, which typi cally takes less than three minutes. The City’s trained election judges will review and process the applica tion and provide instructions on how to properly fill out and submit the ballot. The City has several voting booths available for voters to privately complete their ballot selections.

When the voter is finished, they must place the ballot in a locked bal lot tabulator; if it’s an absentee ballot, it will need to be sealed in an envelope before being placed in a locked ballot box. The entire process typically takes less than 10 minutes, according to Hensen. WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT On a state and national level, the general election will determine who will represent Shakopee in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, and Minnesota House, as well as the presidency. On the local level, the 2024 election will determine who will represent Shakopee on the Scott County Board of Commissioners, City Council, and School Board. Being that this is a presidential election year with high voter turnout anticipated, Hensen urges voters to take advantage of the early vot ing opportunities at City Hall. “Early voting really opens up the election process to be more inclusive so anyone who wants to cast a ballot has ample opportunity to do so, as opposed to an 11-hour window one day of the year,”Hensen said.“At the end of the day, I just want as many people as possible to take advantage of their right to vote, and early voting can help facilitate that.”

To cast a ballot on an Election Day, eligible voters need to vote at their local Shakopee polling location, also known as a precinct. Voters can determine their polling location by visiting pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us and entering their address. Going to be busy or out of town on Election Day? No problem! Early vot ing is offered for both the primary and general elections. Eligible voters can cast their ballot at Shakopee City Hall (485 Gorman St.) well ahead of Election Day. The City will have trained election judges available to assist voters. Early voting for the Primary Election begins Friday, June 28, and early voting for the General Election begins Friday, Sept. 20. “People really seem to enjoy the flexibility of being able to drop by City Hall to vote early,” said City Clerk Lori Hensen, who oversees the election process for the City of Shakopee. “Whether you want to avoid a wait at the polls or are going on vacation over Election Day—the option to vote early can come in handy for a lot of reasons.” Mail-in voting is also available. Voters can request an absentee ballot for mail-in voting by contacting the Secretary of State at mnvotes.sos. mn.gov . Mail-in ballots must be received by the Scott County Gov ernment Center by the day before the election and can be mailed to: Scott County, MN

Government Center 200 Fourth Ave. W. Shakopee, MN 55379 HOW EARLY VOTING WORKS

Visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/elections and click on the red“Absentee/ Early Voting” Button to view early voting hours. Typically, early voting is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays leading up to elec tion days, with additional hours the weekend prior to the election. Early voters will enter City Hall and take an immediate right to find the polling stations down the hall. The front desk receptionist will also be happy to assist if needed. Commit to safety on the trails this summer Several voting booths will be available at City Hall for those wishing to vote early in the primary and general elections.

Please follow the trail speed limit of 15 mph Summer is a great time to get outdoors and explore Shakopee’s trails, but with that can come falls, scraped knees, and even bike collisions. We want you to have fun and also stay safe on the trails this season. Please use caution and follow these guidelines when out on the trails: ■ The trail speed limit is 15 mph ■ Electric bikes (with two or three wheels) and scooters are permitted to operate on trails but must adhere to the speed limit ■ Motor vehicles aside from electric bikes and scooters are not permitted on trails To be considered an electric bike by law, the bicycle must have fully operable pedals for human propulsion. A vehicle like a dirt bike would not be permitted on the trails. As always, keep to the right-hand side of the trail if you are not passing another trail user, and be mindful of others.

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