Mark your calendar: Minnesota primaries are August 14!

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Band members can make their voices heard from Milaca to Washington by participating in Minnesota primaries on Tues- day, August 14. Primaries will narrow the field of candidates who will face each other in the general election Tuesday, November 6. In addition to the Mille Lacs County Attorney's race (see above), contested races include the following:

Minnesota Governor: Several DFL and Republican candidates are hoping to receive their party's nod to run in the general election. On the Democratic side, Tim Walz and running-mate Peggy Flanagan, who were endorsed by the Mille Lacs Band, will face DFL-endorsed candidate Erin Murphy, with Erin Maye-Quade as her running mate, and Lori Swanson, who decided to leave her position as Attorney General to run for Governor, with 8th District U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan as her running mate. Lesser-known candidates Tim Holden and Ole Savior round out the DFL race. On the Republican side, former Governor Tim Pawlenty is running against Republican-endorsed candidate Jeff Johnson and Matt Kruse.

Minnesota Attorney General: When Lori Swanson decided to run for Governor, several Democrats came for- ward to run for her seat, including 5th District U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison. The other Democrats in the race are Tom Foley, Debra Hillstrom, Mike Rothman, and Matt Pelikan, who was endorsed by the state DFL. On the Republican side, the candidates are Sharon Anderson, Robert Lessard, and Doug Wardlow.

Eighth U.S. Congressional District: With Rick Nolan retiring, five Democrats, two Republicans, and Independence Party candidate Ray Skip Sandman are hoping to replace him. The Democrats in the race are Kirsten Kennedy, Michelle Lee, Jason Metsa, Joe Radinovich, and Soren Sorensen. The Republicans are Pete Stauber and Harry Welty.

Fifth U.S. Congressional District: Keith Ellison's decision to run for Attorney General threw open the race for his seat representing Minneapolis in the U.S. House of Representatives. Six Democrats and three Republicans are seeking to represent their parties in the general election November 6.

It's not too early to make plans to vote in the August 14 primary! Stay tuned to Facebook and Ojibwe Inaajimowin for information on the elections and how to get involved to make Native votes count!