Perhaps the most important thing to note about the Aug. 13 primary ballot is what isn’t on it. There are no city of Duluth or Duluth School Board races in this election cycle. There are several state, county and judicial offices that have no primary, so those candidates go straight to the general election on Nov. 5. And there is nothing on the primary ballot related to the U.S. Presidency because that is up to party delegates to determine.

The front of the primary ballot features federal and state offices in which voters must choose a party and vote for the same party in all races. All of the candidates in this election cycle are either Republican or Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidates; there are no third-party candidates.

Some races shown on the sample ballot will not appear on ballots in particular areas, depending on state office district boundaries. The back side of the ballot includes city offices on the Iron Range that will obviously not appear on Duluth ballots. The Sixth District Court 6 Judge races, however, will be on Duluth ballots.

Also note that although there are numerous candidates who are not appearing on the primary ballot because they are unopposed, some partisan races appear on the ballot even when they are not contested because an opposing party has a contested primary and the party with the uncontested race doesn’t want voters to forget it is putting a candidate forward.

Early in-person voting and absentee voting can be done in the city clerk’s office at Duluth City Hall, room 318. The hours are:

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday before election day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday before election day, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 12, is the last day to vote early in person.

To vote by mail, fill out the online Minnesota Absentee Ballot Request at mnvotes.sos.mn.gov, or use the paper form at duluthmn.gov. Return the ballot as soon as possible. Ballots must be returned to the city clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots cannot be returned to polling locations.