Winter 2019-20 Hometown Messenger

NEWS & NOTES

represent Shakopee in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Minnesota House and Senate, as well as the presidency. Shakopee will also have two City Council seats on the ballot. Election filing for the open seats begins in July. Learn more at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/elections. As with the other elections, the 2020 general election will be held at your predetermined polling location. You can find your precinct location on the city website or at mnvotes.org. EARLY VOTING OPTIONS With three major elections in eight months, Shakopee residents

may be relieved to know they have options for voting. If you will be away from home during an election, you can request an absentee ballot. “This is very important for our residents who winter in the south but would still like to be a part of the presidential primary,” Hensen said. To receive an absentee ballot, download an application from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website at sos.state.mn.us. Your absentee ballot must be received no later than 3 p.m. on election day. You can use this process for any 2020 election. New this year, residents can vote early in person at City Hall. In previous years, all Scott County residents voted early at the county Government Center. Now, larger cities like Shakopee will run their own early in-person voting.

MVTA adds Highway 169 bus service to Minnetonka This fall, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority introduced Route 498, an express route between Scott County and the Golden Triangle. Trips operate non-stop between Marschall Road Transit Station and Highway 169/ Valley View Road. Local service is also available along the route between Valley View Road and United Healthcare in Minnetonka, including Optum’s headquarters in Eden Prairie. Route 498 is funded through a federal grant, with a local match by Scott County.

For the presidential primary, in person early voting begins on Jan. 17. Residents can vote during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The city will have election judges available to assist voters. “With all these options available, we are really encouraging Shakopee residents to vote early or by absentee,” Hensen said. ELECTION JUDGES To accommodate the added primary and heavy election schedule, the city is looking to train new election judges in 2020. “We have many dedicated election judges who have been doing this for years, but many of them are ready to retire, and we’ll need more to ensure we’re covered,” Hensen said. Residents who are interested in serving as an election judge can find more information on the city website or email lhensen@ShakopeeMN.gov. “It’s a great way to give back to your community and meet fellow residents who are also interested in being a part of the election process,” Hensen said. The election changes do come with added expense for staffing, equipment and training. The state has also promised an additional $13 million to Minnesota cities to help ease the burden of the presidential primary. “This whole process is new for our staff and election judges,” Hensen said. "We will train them well to ensure you can vote quickly and without any headaches." Shakopee residents can vote early in person at City Hall, 485 Gorman St., during business hours, for all three 2020 elections. Early voting was previously held at the Scott County Government Center.

Mark your calendar for Dec. 6 Holiday Fest The Shakopee Chamber and Downtown Shakopee present the annual Holiday Fest Friday, Dec. 6 to kick off the holiday season. The open streets event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in downtown Shakopee. This free, family event includes the Parade of Lights, tree lighting ceremony and a stellar firework show. You can also take a photo with Santa, enjoy holiday activity stations and shop local businesses. More info: www.downtownshakopee.org/ holiday-fest

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