“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Second Timothy 4:7 was the Bible verse of the day for young flag football players who gathered Saturday morning for the first game of the season.
Every Saturday for the next several weeks, the west edge of Luverne will come alive with hundreds of elementary-age flag football players through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Softball diamonds, soccer fields and grassy areas in between are divided into kid-sized football fields surrounded by parents, grandparents and other fans in lawn chairs and on blankets.
Now in its seventh year, there are 370 players and 35 teams — up from last year’s 300 players on 28 teams.
They come to Luverne from five different communities — Luverne, Edgerton, Hills-Beaver Creek, Adrian and Rock Rapids. Teams are organized by age in grades 1-6 and practice in their home towns.
 
‘Humbling’ growth
FCA is an international non-profit Christian sports ministry with chapters in nearly all sports for all ages and incorporates Christian principles into team playing.
The Luverne FCA Flag Football league started seven years ago when Ryan Johnson was looking for an FCA flag football team for his son.
“I learned that if I wanted a team, I should start one,” Johnson said.
That first year 120 local players participated, and the program has tripled in numbers since then.
“I’ve been blown away — and humbled — by the growth of it and how it has reached so many people and how it has benefited so many kids,” Johnson said in 2021.
Coaches and teams work on the fundamentals of football, teamwork and physical conditioning. And they learn what it means to be an athlete and a Christian.
“They learn the message of Christ and they learn how to grow and become better people,” Johnson said. “They learn how to be patient, how to be a teammate and how to be a competitor.”
Following their 9:30 a.m. Saturday games, players huddle with their teams to review play highlights and bow their heads in prayer.
Then all the teams gather for a final huddle to review their Bible verse of the week and what it means for them as athletes and as Christians. Players who could recite the verse from memory when called on are rewarded with T-shirts or footballs.
Guest speakers (some from the NHL and NFL) each week share what it means to be a Christian both on and off the field. On Saturday it was former NFL punter Brian Hansen.
“A coach will have more influence on a child in one season than most people will in a lifetime,” he told the volunteer coaches.
More information is at southdakotafca.org. There is a flag football tab where the Luverne link can be found in the list of communities.

Meet the face of Luverne’s new Fareway Meat Market, Brian Tieskotter, the 6-4 Iowa native sporting a bow tie with his company polo shirt.
“We take pride in having quality product and quality service,” he said when asked what he’s looking forward to about opening the store next week.
Since February, contractors have been working in the former W-2’s Quality Meats building at Main Street and Highway 75 to retrofit the 2,300-square-foot space.
Fareway’s investment includes a 9-by-12-foot walk-in cooler, new frozen and refrigerated cases and upgraded infrastructure and cosmetic touches.
The building also has new siding, fresh paint, new signage, LED lighting on south and west, blackout glass, a new door and parking lot improvements.
A ribbon-cutting Tuesday evening will celebrate the improvements and usher in the first official day of the store being open on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
Tieskotter has been with Fareway for 17 years, but this is the first store he’s in charge of opening, and it’s the company’s first stand-alone Fareway Meat Market in Minnesota.
In addition to fresh cuts of beef, pork and chicken, the store will offer meal sides, some groceries and meat accessories, such as seasonings, rubs, marinades, wood pellets and charcoal.
Tieskotter received his meatcutter training directly through Fareway, first working in New Hampton, Iowa, which is near Protivin where he grew up on a dairy farm that also raised poultry, pork and grain.
Tieskotter said the right cut of meat properly trimmed makes a big difference in quality and palatability.
Fareway uses Duroc pork from Windom. “It has a higher fat content, which makes it more flavorful,” he said. And its beef is sourced from the Midwest.
Tieskotter most recently worked in Spirit Lake, but he has also been involved in Fareway stores in Humboldt, Sioux Center, Shenandoah, Sioux Falls, Storm Lake and Spencer.
“This will probably be my last stop,” he said about being in Luverne. “It’s a nice small town.”
He’s buying a home in Luverne and said he looks forward to skydiving at the airport and seeing an outdoor movie at the Verne Drive-In.
Fareway in Luverne will employ nine other people in various positions, most of them part-time, mostly in product preparation.
Luverne Properties LLC owns the corner lot building and has a two-year lease with Fareway.
Gary Papik is among six local investors comprising Luverne Properties LLC. He said he’s been holding out for a business like Fareway to come into the building.
“There was a lot of other interest in the building, but we waited,” Papik said earlier this year. “We knew it needed to be a meat market, because that’s what the people in Luverne were asking for.”
He said the location is also well-suited for a meat market.
“It is great when you can stop in quick to get what you need and get on to your next thing,” Papik said. “This location is ideal for that.”
He pointed out that W-2’s Quality Meats left town for staffing reasons and pending retirements, not because there wasn’t support for a meat market.
“The business was here, but they were at a point in their lives where they needed to leave,” Papik said.
If all goes well for Fareway with the small meat market, the company has an option to acquire property across the intersection to the southwest to build a stand-alone meat market store.
In addition to the Luverne store opening, Fareway, based in Boone, Iowa, is opening eight other Midwest stores this year and next year in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

A long-term study of Rock County’s demolition landfill predicts the eight-acre construction and building debris disposal site will be at capacity by 2027.
Eric Hartman, the county’s Land Management Office director, presented the 39-page feasibility study to commissioners at their Sept. 6 meeting.
“We have about five to 5 1/2 years at present fill levels — if we continue as we have,” Hartman said.
“This doesn’t take into account if we have a catastrophic event like a tornado … (which) could wreak havoc with what we have capacity-wise.”
On average the demo landfill, located three miles east of Luverne, receives 12,981 cubic yards of debris annually.
It’s placed in a large pile where it is compacted and mounded in dirt with a 5:1 slope.
The study, conducted by longtime landfill consultants SEH of St. Cloud, outlines four possible options.
They suggest commissioners decide a course within the next 12 months due to the length of time it takes to receive state permits.
 
Do nothing, close
landfill in five years
The study indicated if commissioners do nothing and close the facility once capacity is reached, future debris will need to be trucked elsewhere.
The nearest demo landfill to Rock County is 25 miles away in Nobles County. The next is in Lincoln County, and both are reaching capacities in an estimated eight years.
“The whole state is in the same predicament,” Hartman said.
Local municipal solid waste (MSW) is already transported to Lyon County, which occurred in 1993 when the MSW landfill in Rock County was closed.
In an existing agreement, when MSW is delivered by truck to Lyon County, the Rock County truck returns with demo debris and deposits it in the local landfill in a cost-saving measure.
The study indicated that changing which materials are accepted or limiting the use of the landfill to just county residents would extend the landfill’s lifespan.
 
Increase slope of current debris pile
A variance to Rock County’s 10-year landfill permit would be needed for a vertical expansion.
The variance would allow Rock County to increase the height of the current debris pile.
Instead of a 5:1 slope, the proposal increases the slope to 4:1.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issues the permit and would need to OK the change that would extend the landfill’s capacity to 10 years.
The vertical expansion takes place on the same eight-acre landfill footprint.
“One of the downfalls to a steeper slope is that we will be susceptible to runoff during heavy rainfall,” Hartman said.
Boron and manganese are typically found in groundwater testing. Elevated levels are attributed to the leaching of the chemicals from building debris, the study reported.
Mark Sehr, the county’s engineer, said samples from local test wells and runoff from a nearby creek are completed quarterly and haven’t showed chemical levels exceeding state standards.
Cost associated with a vertical increase is $750,000 to $1 million.
 
Expand existing landfill eastward
The study indicated that the county owns an additional 14 acres, located east of the current demo landfill.
The lateral expansion would increase capacity to 44 years and cover an additional seven acres, adjacent to the existing site.
When the state took over the nearby MSW landfill in 1993 under the state’s Closed Landfill Program, the county granted the state perpetual restrictive easements when the state took over monitoring the former MSW site and fund a potential cleanup.
A leachate collection system may also be necessary.
The system allows any precipitation to collect stormwater and/or stormwater that comes in contact with the debris. The leachate would then be rendered at a municipal treatment plant.
Estimated costs put the expansion at $2.5 to $3.5 million, with additional ongoing operational costs due to the leachate treatment.
“It is a nice long-term solution,” said County Administrator Kyle Oldre. “But it’s got its own challenges.”
 
Develop a
new demo landfill
The study indicated MPCA’s history issuing permits for new demo landfills or expansions as few or none at all.
The study estimates a five-year wait for any permit issuance. Rock County’s demo landfill permit expires in 2027.
Since 2002, Hartman and Sehr have talked with MPCA officials about how the landfill is quickly coming to capacity.
Hartman said it’s uncertain if a potential synthetic liner is necessary or what other requirements are needed, if any.
“It’s been a little challenging trying to move forward with plans because the state is operating under a set of rules regarding demolition waste that they have talked about updating for the last 6-8 years,” Hartman said.
The study put no estimated costs to a new landfill and indicated that this was not a recommended option for Rock County.
“Nobody wants this in their backyard,” Oldre said.
Currently the transfer of local municipal waste is brought to a facility at the landfill site. If a new landfill site is establish, the garbage collection would also be moved.
 
Landfill origin
dates back to 1995
The demolition landfill in Rock County opened in 1995. At the time engineers set a lifespan of 36.5 years based on use.
At 27 years, the demo landfill is reaching capacity faster than expected.
Commissioners encouraged staff to work at a solution, which may include working with the other regional counties and/or the Association of Minnesota Counties. Together with legislators and state officials, a solution can be found.
“We are not looking for a fight. We just want guidance and timely responses,” said Commissioner Jody Reisch.
“We want to work with them and do what’s right for the environment and citizens, but I don’t want to be four to five years from now and looking at a $3, $4 or $5 million bond.”

A large-scale fine art project three years in the making will be dedicated Sunday in Luverne.
Three 8-foot-tall hand-painted nutcrackers stand at attention at downtown Main Street intersections — one at Estey Street, one on Blue Mound Avenue and a third in front of the History Center.
The “destination branding committee” of Luverne Initiatives For Tomorrow (LIFT) is hosting the dedication at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at the intersection of Redbird Road and Main Street.
The sculptures trace their beginnings to 18-inch prototypes that were hand-painted in 2019 by local artists — 10 of them in all.
By this time, word had spread among travelers about Luverne’s unique nutcracker collection at the History Center where the guest book recorded thousands of visitors.
To capitalize on tourism traffic, local leaders invited artists to create 18-inch nutcrackers which were unveiled at a reception in June 2019.
The 10 artists who created the nutcrackers are Janine Brands, Lori Hallstrom, Cody Henrichs, Jen Huisman, Cora Mumme Miller, Chris Nowatzki, Mary Petersen, Kristen Peterson, Kim Schmidt and Lois Young.
“There are some very talented people in our community,” said Chamber Director Jane Wildung Lanphere. “We did this project to see if not-your-typical nutcracker could be seen as art.”
Planners were gauging feedback to the pieces with an eye toward future life-size nutcrackers to promote Luverne’s tourism draw.
“Experts say this is our unique brand,” Lanphere said in 2019. “We’ll see how people respond to them. Would you stop and take your picture with an 8-foot nutcracker?”
It turns out, many would — and have — taken selfies with the three that were erected earlier this summer.
The artists who recreated their 18-inch prototypes on 8-foot-tall canvases are Janine Brands, Kim Schmidt and Jen Huisman.
Brands was the first to complete her sculpture last summer. Its exterior is loaded with artistic details, such as pheasants in flight, and Sioux quartzite rock outcroppings among prairie grasses.
“I tried to represent Luverne,” she said, “because that’s what the project is for.”
Her 18-inch prototype nutcracker also has a bison and state park theme, but the larger nutcracker has more surface area, and Brands didn’t waste a single square inch.
On its torso is a landscape scene of a bison cow and her calf against a colorful sky.
On one leg of the nutcracker, a deer stands along a bubbling stream, and daisies and asters bloom among the blades of grass. The other leg carries a scene of the upstream source that cascades over small waterfalls.
Brands, who is more accustomed to smaller art projects, said the sculpture work challenged her to paint more landscape scenes.
“I was afraid of doing rocks,” she said. “I studied pictures of rocks and YouTube videos.”
All the sculptures are made of fiberglass and weigh nearly 80 pounds. All three have the same size and shape but carry distinctly different artwork.
They’re painted with acrylic paint that received three clear-coats of auto-quality sealant at Kevin Aaker’s Luverne Body Shop.
A reception at the History Center will follow the 4 p.m. dedication Sunday.
The project is supported by a grant of the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council and coordinated by LIFT in partnership with the Rock County Historical Society.

The Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots moved to 2-0 on the season with a 36-6 victory over the winless Madelia Blackhawks Friday night in Hills.
On a cool, wet evening the Patriot offense was balanced with 163 yards rushing and 121 yards passing, while the Patriots’ defense held Madelia to less than half that total, 126 total yards.
Running back Beau Bakken put the Patriots on the board first with a 1-yard plunge for a touchdown with 9:05 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Sawyer Bosch ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.
A first-quarter Patriot fumble led to Madelia’s only score of the game. A Blackhawks defender scooped up a Patriots fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown that narrowed the Patriots’ lead to two points.
The second quarter started with H-BC freshman punter Jamin Metzger pinning Madelia at their own two-yard line after his 43-yard punt.
The Pates’ defense forced the Blackhawks to punt, and only three plays later H-BC scored after a 29-yard drive. Justin Roelfs extended the Patriots’ lead to 14-6 with 8:09 left in the first half on a 12-yard run.
Madelia’s next offensive drive stalled as senior defensive end Cole Rozeboom sacked the Madelia quarterback for a loss on third down. After Madelia’s fourth down punt, the H-BC offense drove to the 1-yard line and faced a fourth down. Bosch took it over the goal line with just six seconds left in the half. He tacked on the two-point conversion and the Patriots held a 22-6 halftime lead.
Early in the second half Madelia attempted to covert a fourth and 3, but linebackers Brayden Metzger and Luke Fuerstenberg stopped the runner short of the line and the Patriots took over at the 50-yard line.
On first and 10, Bosch connected with wide-out Brock Harnack on a 50-yard pass and catch for another six points. Cooper Gehrke added the two-point conversion and the Patriots were cruising with a 30-6 third-quarter lead.
Madelia did threaten to score on the stingy Patriots defense during their next possession, as the Patriots defense held on a fourth and goal from the 6-yard line.
Later in the fourth quarter, H-BC added a 1-yard touchdown run by Roelfs with 9:25 left in the game, the final score for the game.
Head coach Rex Metzger said he was pleased with the defensive effort put out by the Patriots, while on offense he was happy with his team’s ability “to put some nice drives together” in the win.
On Sept. 16 H-BC will travel to Heron Lake to take on the 0-2 Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda Coyotes. Game time is 7 p.m.
 
Team statistics
HBC – 163 rushing yards, 121 passing yards, 284 total yards, 20 first downs, one penalty  for 5 yards, one turnover.
Madelia – 100 yards, 26 yards, 126 total yards, seven penalties for 45 yards, one turnover.
 
Individual statistics
Rushing: Bosch 20-66, Roelfs 12 – 64, Gehrke 5-22, James VandenBosch 2-9, Bakken 2-1, Team 2-Minus 1 (-1)
Passing: Bosch 4-4 for 121 yards.
Receiving: Roelfs 2 for 60, Harnack 1 for 50, Riley Tatge 1-11.
Defense: B. Metzger 8.5 tackles, Fuerstenberg 6.5 tackles, Riley Tatge 6.5 tackles, Cooper Gehrke five tackles, Cody Moser 3.5 tackles, Cole Rozeboom three tackles, one sack, James Vanden Bosch one interception.

The Luverne girls’ and boys’ varsity cross country runners placed first as teams at the Bruce Gluf Classic cross country meet Saturday, Sept. 10, in Luverne.
Junior Jenna DeBates led the way with a first-place individual finish, running the 5k in 18:54.40.
The next-fastest Luverne girls’ runner was Ella Schmuck with a fourth-place finish of 21:09.80.
“I thought we had another great meet with some outstanding and PR performances,” coach Pete Janiszeski said.
“The teams combined for 20 Top-15 finishes, and of the three complete teams that we had, each won their division at the meet.”
Other varsity girls’ 5k finishers were Khloe Visker eighth in 21:45.80, Kayla Bloemendaal 13th in 22:37.10, Grace Ingebretson 15th in 22:48.40 and Tiana Lais 16th in 23:07.80.
The varsity boys’ top finisher was Owen Janiszeski at 17:04.38, earning second place. Closely behind for Luverne was fourth-place finisher Camden Janiszeski with a time of 17:10.33.
In other varsity boys’ 5k results, Ryan Fick was eighth with a time of 17:49.19, Sage Viessman was 14th in 18:32.80, Leif Ingebretson 17th in 19:15.14 and Kaleb Hemme 26th, 19:48.96
Redwood Valley finished second as a team for both girls’ and boys’ varsity team scores.
Janiszeski had high praise for his runners.
“The kids are growing and gaining confidence,” he said. “I’m very proud of them for all of their hard work and their attention to improving and striving to become the best runners that they can be.”
Junior Varsity girls’ 4k: Olivia Lund was first with a time of 18:40. 20, Makena Nelson third in 19:09, Andrea Luitjens 23rd in 24:46.60 and Maddy Schepel 29th in 26:26.90.
Junior Varsity boys’ 4k: Logan Ommen was first with a time of 15:56.40, Dylan Ommen was second in 16:03, Zach Terrio third in 16:07, Camden Hoven sixth in 16:33.30, Eli McLendon 12th in 17:06.20, Isaac DeBates 16th in 17:19.50 and Riley Ripka 22nd in 18:24.50.
In the junior high boys’ 3200-meter, Marcus Papik was first with a time of 13:34.82 and Zander Fountain was 27th in 17:59.04.
In the junior high girls’ 3200-meter, Reinha John was first in 14:49.77, Grace Kempema third in 14:55.12, and Mariah Knorr 12th in 15:54.35.

Luverne Lawn Care celebrated a grand opening and ribbon-cutting Thursday morning, Sept. 8, at their Harrison Street shop and office. Owners Ross and Mira (Uithoven) Steensma and Nick and Brittany Weidert purchased the mowing and chemicals business from the Luverne Farm Store in February when the longtime local business closed its doors and since then opened in the former Mel’s Alignment building on Harrison Street. Pictured are (front, left) Becky Walgrave, Amber Lais, Cris Oeltjenbruns, Bill Martin, Greg and Marilyn Uithoven, Ross and Mira (Uithoven) Steensma, Nick and Brittany Weidert, Grace Steensma, Matt Van Grootheest, Elaine Steensma, Annie Opitz, (back row) Tyler Bush, Knute Oldre, Adam and Linda Uithoven, Steve and Terri Steensma, Ryan Oye, Jan and Jeff Weidert, Cade Ver Steeg, Andy Steensma, Pat Baustian and Bob Junak.

Meetings
Blue Mound Quilters will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. Park in the north lot. Bring your own projects to work on and an item to share for a light noon lunch. Call 507-227-0914.
MS Support Group will meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Pizza Ranch in Luverne. All persons with MS, family and friends are invited. Call 283-2069 or 283-2964 for info.
 
Food distribution is Sept. 15
New Life Celebration Church’s third Thursday monthly food giveaway is at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Atlas building at 101 W. Maple St. in Luverne.
Enter from Maple Street and stay along the west side of the building. Parking lot opens at 3 p.m. Do not block the Redeemed Remnants parking lot, intersection or alley entrance. Food will be loaded into vehicles, which exit via the alley going west. Call 507-283-8963 or 507-283-4366 with questions.
 
Book sale starts Sept. 15
The Friends of the Rock County Library annual book sale is Thursday, Sept. 15, through Saturday, Sept. 17. Times are from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15; from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16; and from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p. m. Saturday, Sept. 17 (bag sale).
For more information, contact the library at 507-449-5040.
 
Blue Mound Lutheran Church observes 150th
The Blue Mound Cemetery Association will celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Blue Mound Lutheran Church with a Fall Festival service at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at the church in rural Luverne. A catered meal in the parish hall will follow the service, led by guest pastor Gary Klatt. All are welcome.
 
CoffeeBreak Bible study starts Oct. 4
The kickoff meeting of CoffeeBreak begins at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, and will meet each Tuesday, at the Luverne Christian Reformed Church at 605 North Estey Street in Luverne.Children ages 3 to kindergarten are invited to participate in StoryHour, a program with Bible stories and playtime. A nursery is also available. No charge and no prior Bible knowledge necessary. All faiths and ages are welcome. For more information call Kristi Stroeh at 507-227-5102 or email atkristi.stroeh@hotmail.com
 
Rock County Historical Society annual meeting Oct. 3
The Rock County Historical Society annual meeting is at noon Monday, Oct. 3, at the Big Top Events Center. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the History Center for $15, or the day of the event at the door for $25. The program is on old restaurants.
 
Community Ed
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
Students will follow along with the instructor to create a painting at Paint & Snack class. Grades 4-6 is Sept. 19. Fee is $33.
Junior Cardinal Cross Country Team for grades K-6 will be from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Sept. 13. On the last day, kids will do their own race at the end of the home cross country meet.
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) classes for children ages 0-5 is a Community Education program for parents and their children from birth to kindergarten age. It offers information and support to parents and provides activities for parents and children to explore together through classes that meet once a week throughout the school year.
Taking Defensive Driving Classes allows adults 55 years of age and older to save on insurance premiums. The eight-hour beginner Defensive Driving class will be offered on Nov. 7 and 10.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Prairie Ally seeks workers
Volunteer workers are needed from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Prairie Ally public food forest for a variety of maintenance tasks. No RSVP necessary. Other work opportunities are available by appointment by contacting info@projectfoodforest.org. Donations are also welcome for Prairie Ally, which is located along Blue Mound Avenue in Luverne.
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.

Voting season is just around the corner in Minnesota, and now is the time to get registered.
Using mnvotes.gov, Minnesotans can register to vote, check their registration, and update their registration on their computer or smartphone.
Early voting will begin on Sept. 23. Minnesota registered voters can request an absentee ballot to vote from home at mnvotes.gov or vote early with an absentee ballot at a local election office.
To highlight the importance of updating and registering to vote, Governor Tim Walz proclaimed September Voter Registration Month in Minnesota.  
“Minnesota leads the nation in voter registration; still we know that as many as 550,000 Minnesotans who are eligible to vote are not yet registered,” said Secretary Steve Simon. 
“That’s why our office is working with local election partners around the state to ensure that every Minnesotan has the opportunity to make their voice heard at the polls this voting season.” 
Voter Registration Month culminates on Voter Registration Day Sept. 20 – the national holiday for registration.
Secretary Simon will make several stops at area colleges and universities to encourage young voters to make a plan to vote ahead of Nov. 8.  
Registration is especially important for those who live in mail-in ballot precincts. In the 2022 election, more than 150,000 Minnesotans live in areas that vote exclusively by mail — without a local polling place.
Registered voters in these parts of the state will be mailed ballots starting Sept. 23, which must be returned to elections offices by Nov. 8.
In addition to registering to vote, Minnesotans can use mnvotes.gov to learn more about the races on the ballot and where they can vote.
This year voters may notice the races they can vote in, and their polling places, have changed due to redistricting. 
In Minnesota, new maps of these district lines were produced by a panel of five judges and released to the public on Feb. 15, 2022.
Quick Links: 
View the elections home at http://mnvotes.gov/
Register to vote or update your registration at mnvotes.gov/register
Request an absentee ballot at mnvotes.gov/absentee
View a sample ballot at mnvotes.gov/myballot
Find your polling place at mnvotes.gov/pollfinder