First things first — if you’re here from Minneapolis, as far as I know, you have NO ELECTIONS THIS YEAR. If you want to be sure, check the Secretary of State site — it’s not absolutely impossible that there’s a special election somewhere that I missed. But you had city races in 2017, and will have another set in 2021, and so far as I know you get this year off. Before you go, though, I HAVE A BOOK COMING OUT and I’m doing a fundraiser for a group of Minneapolis fifth graders to go to Wolf Ridge nature center.

On to Saint Paul! Here’s my sample ballot.

City Question 1: Referendum on whether Ordinance ORD 18-39 should remain in effect.

YES

Analysis on the trash hauling referendum here.

Council Member Ward 1

1. Liz De La Torre
2. Anika Bowie
3. Dai Thao

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 2

1. Rebecca Noecker
2. Bill Hosko

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 3

1. Chris Tolbert

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 4

1. Mitra Jalali Nelson
2. Tarrence Robertson-Bayless

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 5

1. Amy Brendmoen
2. Suyapa Miranda
3. Bob Blake

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 6

1. Terri Thao
2. Nelsie Yang
3. Danielle Swift

Analysis here.

Council Member Ward 7

1. Jane Prince
2. Mary Anne Quiroz

Analysis here.

Saint Paul School Board

(You don’t get to rank these, you just pick four.)

• Zuki Ellis
• Steve Marchese
• Chauntyll Allen
• Jessica Kopp

Analysis here.

Did I mention that I have a book coming out on November 19th? If you would like to pre-order it, you can do that on the usual big behemoth sites OR you can preorder from Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore — which will allow you to get a signed copy even if you’re not local. I will be signing at Uncle Hugo’s on November 23rd if you’d like to come get your copy signed in person, and I will also be doing an event with fellow authors Sue Burke and Marissa Lingen at Magers & Quinn on November 21st, and I will be doing an “authors in conversation” event at the Loft on November 22nd with Newbery Medalist and South Minneapolis author Kelly Barnhill.

Also, it has warmed my heart immensely to see people donating to the fundraiser to send this year’s class of 5th graders at Richard Green Central Park school in Minneapolis to Wolf Ridge environmental center. Last year, partly in response to some of the issues that came up in the Minneapolis school board race, I suggested that my readers donate to teacher projects at some of the schools in Minneapolis that lacked the inherent PTA fundraising prowess of the schools in Southwest Minneapolis. Many of my readers donated, and they raised enough money that they were able to make the trip. I would be delighted if my readers could help this year’s class to go as well.