Good morning. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
It’s Election Day. Hundreds of political candidates awaited the decisions of voters Tuesday, with dozens of city council seats and more than 100 school board posts hanging in the balance as well as ballot measures dealing with city taxes and classroom funding. The odd-year election focused on municipal and school district governance was also a subtle tune-up for 2024 as groups tested themes and messages they plan to employ when the stakes are raised next year. More here from MPR News.
I’m reupping two things that might come in handy: An FAQ about voting and a landing page that has plenty of information about key races in the 2023 election. We’ll have results as they come in this evening, then have wrap-up stories and analysis tomorrow and throughout the week.
Donald Trump’s day on the stand was combative. The former president was pressed on the value of his properties compared with what he told lenders and tax authorities they were worth. It’s part of a civil fraud trial against Trump and the business empire that turned him into a household name. NPR details how he and the judge in the case sparred over his answers, which often veered into campaign-style remarks as he pushed his belief he’s being politically persecuted. Given the criminal indictments Trump is facing elsewhere, it probably won’t be the last time the Republican candidate looks to convert the media’s full-scope attention into a campaign boost even if the downside risk is immense.
Speaking of real-estate valuation, the State Office Building is about to undergo a major renovation at considerable expense. We’ve reported on the extensive problems with the plumbing, electrical and other building systems for the House of Representatives office headquarters. But there is no doubt the renovation will be used as a political hammer in 2024’s legislative elections. The Minnesota Reformer's Michelle Griffith has an update on the all-in costs — that is, project costs plus borrowing interest. Those could wind up topping $700 million when the debt is fully paid off.
A three-year process of updating Minnesota’s social studies standards is nearing completion. The Star Tribune’s Eder Campuzano writes that the proposed standards have sparked “a contentious debate over adding an ethnic studies component to the way public school students learn about history.” An administrative law judge is concluding a public comment period this week. | 