Last Wednesday, Carleton’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) and its subsidiary CarlsVote group hosted an “All Politics Are Local” guest panel and discussion. Four panelists, including Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, State Representative Kristi Pursell, Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha and Northfield City Councilman Davin Sokup, spoke to over 80 Carls about various local election issues, as well as their own roles in Minnesota politics.
Opening the conversation, Secretary Simon expressed his 2 wishes for the coming election season: “high turnout and low drama.” And with Minnesota having been the top state for voter turnout in 3 of the last 4 presidential elections, Simon stressed the importance of fulfilling his second wish. To him, the violence and chaos of the last election cycle should be a thing of the past.
“If anyone wants to challenge the results of an election,” he explained, “the courthouse doors are wide open.” The matter is particularly important to Simon, with his own office having received threats of violence over the past few years.
Shifting to a more local focus, Councilman Sokup implored students to put forward their voices. “‘If you really care about politics,’” said Sokup, “‘if you see things around you that you don’t like, you should get involved in state and local politics.’”
Many Carls do care, as well as students across the Canon at St. Olaf, where Representative Pursell spent the night knocking on doors with student organizers after the panel. “Hanging out with all of you is my favorite part of this job,” Pursell said. “You are what’s giving me and my campaign life.”
Pursell has her hands full this coming election season, given she’s running for reelectionPursell said that “Campaigning every two years gives [her] a great read on what is important to people,” keeping her priorities adaptable and relevant to her constituents.
Pursell detailed the long hours and meager pay of her position, as Minnesota House representatives are only paid part-time. “It’s been clear to me in the past two years,” she reflected, “that the job I have was not made for me. It is made for rich, maybe retired dudes who have a wife at home.”
Pursell, who works another full-time job to keep up with bills, still remained optimistic about her role. “The people and the work itself are incredibly rewarding. It’s about figuring out how to make it work.”
Speaking on their work between election seasons, the panelists detailed how much goes on behind the scenes in local politics. “People disappear after elections,” explained Sokup, “but that’s when we get to work.” Between city council meetings, long bureaucratic processes, and disagreements among council members, local politicians like Sokup have their work cut out for them. “Getting there is the fun part,” said Sokup regarding passing local measures, “but it can also be the most challenging.”
The panelists also stressed the importance of keeping up with the public. To Simon, “The worst thing you can do is sit behind a desk in St. Paul all the time.” Recounting his many trips around the state, Simon explained the importance of seeking out voters’ voices. “Ideas I never could’ve thought up,” he said, “come from hundreds of miles away.”
Prompted by a question from the audience, Sokup spoke briefly on the ethics of voting away from home at Carleton. “Because Northfield is a small college town,” he noted, “a lot of what we do really impacts the tax levies, and every choice you make does have an impact on those around you.” And he stressed the importance of reading the fine print on local ballot measures, especially when students might not know their full context. “If you look into the school referendum specifically, you can see the changes and why they’ve been needed for years and years.”
County Commissioner Malecha made his position clear. “If you’re a firm believer in a measure,” he declared, “it’s your right to voice your opinion on those measures here or at home.” To Malecha, “it’s your right to vote, so you need to vote and feel proud of it.”
Pursell added on with her own perspective: “For me, I’m gonna vote my values, no matter where they are.” She followed with a message to all Carls. “Your input into our community really shapes who and what our community is,” she explained, “and you are a part of it.”
Simon backed up this sentiment with a decisive message: “when in doubt, vote.”
