Fair Vote Minnesota

ORGANIZES AND ADVOCATES FOR LOCAL AND STATE POLICY CHANGE TO IMPROVE VOTING METHODS IN PUBLIC ELECTIONS.

MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE - 2020 WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF THE LEGISLATIVE BIENNIUM. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE RANKED CHOICE VOTING LOCAL OPTIONS BILL IN THE MINNESOTA HOUSE IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO BUILD SUPPORT TO ADVANCE THE MEASURE IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE AND FIGHT BACK ON EFFORTS TO BAN RCV IN MINNESOTA. VOLUNTEERS AND LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE JOINED US TO FOLLOW OUR LOCAL OPTIONS BILL EVERY STEP OF THE WAY BY ATTENDING PRESS CONFERENCES, HEARINGS, AND COMMITTEE VOTES. WE ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE CALLS, SEND EMAILS, AND COLLECT AND DELIVER HUNDREDS OF POSTCARDS TO LEGISLATORS IN SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL OPTIONS BILL. SEVERAL ADDITIONAL CITIES, SCHOOL BOARDS, AND COUNTIES PASSED RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL OPTIONS BILL. FVMN CONTINUED TO EXPAND SUPPORT AMONG PROMINENT BUSINESS LEADERS TO HELP ADVOCATE FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING. THEY JOINTLY SIGNED A LOCAL OPTIONS LETTER OF SUPPORT WHICH WAS PRESENTED BEFORE THE SENATE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE AGAINST THE RCV BAN MEASURE, WHICH DID NOT ADVANCE BEYOND COMMITTEE.

2020 CANDIDATE PROGRAM - IN 2020, WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS IN EDUCATING AND SECURING SUPPORT FOR RCV FROM CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE. BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE OFFICES WERE UP FOR ELECTION. OUR WORK INCLUDED: (1) RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS TO ATTEND CAUCUSES AND CONVENTIONS, WHICH WERE HELD VIRTUALLY DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. (2) ASSISTING THE MN DFL IN USING RCV FOR THEIR VIRTUAL ENDORSEMENT PROCESS INVOLVING A RECORD 20,000 CONVENTION DELEGATES. (3) SURVEYING ALL CANDIDATES FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES ON THEIR SUPPORT FOR RCV. OF 115 CANDIDATES RESPONDING, 94 PERCENT EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR LOCAL AND STATE USE OF RCV. (4) AWARDING RCV CHAMPIONSHIP BADGES TO CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT RCV. (5) HOSTING DEMOCRACY TOWN HALLS AND CANDIDATE MEET & GREETS. IN TOTAL, WE HOSTED: (A) 10 MEET & GREETS WITH 29 CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR ENDORSEMENT IN APRIL. (B) 5 MEET & GREETS WITH 10 CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED PRIMARIES. (C) 7 REGIONAL MEET & GREETS WITH 50 CANDIDATES IN TARGETED SENATE AND HOUSE DISTRICTS. IN TOTAL, OUR MEET & GREETS BROUGHT TOGETHER 89 CANDIDATES WITH 644 VOTERS AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WHO COULDN'T ATTEND BUT RECEIVED THE VIDEO RECORDINGS. FAIRVOTE MN STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO ATTENDED 108 CANDIDATE AND LEGISLATIVE FORUMS HOSTED BY CAMPAIGNS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WITH 228 PARTICIPANTS. (6) PHONE BANKING FOR RCV CHAMPIONS THROUGH OUR INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE PROGRAM. (7) ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS MADE 43,992 CALLS ON BEHALF OF CANDIDATES, NOT INCLUDING THE CALLS TRACKED DIRECTLY BY THE CAMPAIGNS OUR STAFF OUR VOLUNTEERS MADE, WHICH ARE AN ESTIMATED 90,000. (8) ADDITIONALLY, WE SENT MORE THAN 1160 POSTCARDS TO VOTERS IN TARGETED DISTRICTS.

2020 BALLOT MEASURES - FVMN SUPPORTED THE BALLOT MEASURES FOR RCV IN BLOOMINGTON AND MINNETONKA. THE MEASURES PASSED 51:49 IN BLOOMINGTON AND 55:45 IN MINNETONKA. A TOTAL OF 43,814 VOTERS CAST A YES BALLOT FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING. KEY STRATEGIES INCLUDED: (1) SECURING THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCILS TO REFER RCV TO THE BALLOT. (2) BUILDING BROAD BIPARTISAN COALITIONS OF SUPPORT IN BOTH CITIES. WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DOOR KNOCK DURING COVID, WE SENT 121,150 PIECES OF MAIL, MADE OVER 116, 000 PHONE CALLS REACHING NEARLY 7,700 VOTERS, TEXTED OVER 99,000 VOTERS, DELIVERED 500 LAWN SIGNS, SENT OVER 1,200 POST CARDS, REACHED 50-60 PERCENT OF VOTERS THROUGH PAID DIGITAL MEDIA, TARGETED MAILING, AND DIGITAL ADS TO LATINO AND SOMALI COMMUNITIES, PUBLISHED WEEKLY PRO-RCV LETTERS IN LOCAL PAPERS, HOSTED A DOZEN VIRTUAL EVENTS, AND HELD RALLIES WITH LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS.