With Election Day looming on Nov. 5, Ramsey County is ensuring that residents have ample opportunities and methods to cast their ballots. Those who prefer to vote early can do so in person at multiple locations, provided they show the required documentation, or if they've requested a mail-in ballot, they can drop it off at these locations, according to detailed instructions on mnvotes.gov. Another option allows for voting by agent, which is available in the week leading up to the election as outlined by the county's voting guidelines.
On the actual day of the election, absentee ballots must be returned in person to the Elections Office by 8 p.m., however, if you haven't mailed back your absentee ballot, you can still head to your polling place where your absentee ballot will be invalidated and you will be able to vote in-person, "Your absentee ballot will be spoiled (made invalid) and you will be issued a new ballot to cast at the polling place" as mentioned on the county's Elections page.
Looking beyond the polls, later in November, Ramsey County property owners can expect to receive their 2025 proposed property tax notices with estimates of taxes based on budget proposals from the county, cities, and other jurisdictions. The Department of Revenue’s property tax refund page offers details on possible refunds for both homeowners and renters, which could ease the financial burdens associated with property taxes.
Moreover, from Oct. 28 to Nov. 8, Ramsey County is calling on its residents to provide feedback on Service Center operations through both paper surveys available at Service Centers and partner sites, featuring a small incentive in the form of a $5 gift card for participants, and an online survey that enters residents into a draw for a bigger reward, "Participants will be entered into a drawing for one of ten $25 gift cards" as the announcement states.
Reaching out to its diverse communities, the county introduced "Nyob Zoo Ramsey County," a Hmong language cultural media program streaming on Facebook and YouTube. The initiative aims to provide program and service information to a wider audience with the county intending to learn from this pilot and potentially expand it to additional languages. The next live-streamed episode will be on Nov. 6, inviting community engagement and questions in real-time.
In the realm of solemn recognition, Operation Green Light has Ramsey County projecting shades of solidarity and tribute as key county buildings light up green from Nov. 4-11 to honor veterans and their families. Around 23,500 veterans living in Ramsey County are the focus of this initiative, and through #OperationGreenLight, social media is turning into a canvas of support and awareness, aligning local efforts with national ones to highlight resources and challenges faced by the veteran community.
