• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newcast
          • CCX News Special Reports
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • The Connection
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Make Your Own Show
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

Minnesotans Head to Polls for First Election in COVID-19 Era

3:03 PM | Tuesday, August 11, 2020

In this first election since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of safety precautions greeted voters at a polling place in Robbinsdale — plexiglass windows, hand sanitizing stations and face coverings on everyone in the building.

“Voter safety and election judge safety is something we take very seriously,” said Robbinsdale City Clerk John Tingley. “We’ve been planning since May, really, how we’re going to be able to open up polling places for primary election day in August for COVID.”

covid-19 election

Workers at a polling place in Robbinsdale had plexiglass windows to separate them from voters.

The Minnesota Secretary of State has been pushing for voters to vote by mail this election season to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

As of Aug. 10, more than 423,032 Minnesotans have done just that, including 25 percent of registered voters in Robbinsdale.

But some preferred the in-person experience.

“For me it was a little bit about just getting out of the house, and it felt good,” said Kelsey Lawrence of Robbinsdale. “So, beautiful day to come out and vote.”

Robbinsdale resident Clayton Bradbury thought it was so important to vote that he took an Uber to his polling place.

“So I have an Uber to pick me up, take me to vote, I’m being very cosmopolitan today,” he said.

It’s just one of the many quirks on an election day that’s unlike we’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t end there.

Delayed Election Results

“In this primary, who knows what we’re going to get,” said Hamline Political Science Professor David Schultz.

Schultz says that with the dramatic increase of mail-in voting for this primary, it’s likely that we won’t get the results on every race for several days.

“It’s not clear what the candidates are going to say at this point,” Schultz said. “The smart thing might be to say, let’s wait until the returns come in, but I don’t know if they’re going to do that.”

In Robbinsdale, City Clerk John Tingley predicts they’ll have a pretty good idea of who will win the city races.

“We’ll have most of the results tonight,” Tingley said. “We won’t have an official count until all of the absentee ballots are counted on Thursday or actually are tallied on Friday morning.”

State officials are asking for patience when it comes to election results. Voters we spoke with were just happy that they could still vote during a pandemic.

“Outside of it being a civic duty, I think if you want change it’s not enough to tweet about it,” Bradbury said. “It’s not enough to be an internet activist. You actually have to put your money where your mouth is, and I think the most effective way to do that is to vote.”

Delane Cleveland, reporting

Robbinsdale

Related Stories

Robbinsdale Council Member Charged with Fleeing Police Resigns:  Robbinsdale City Council Member Tyler… Read More
Lakeview Terrace Farmers Market Kicks Off in Robbinsdale:  A new tradition kicked off in Robbinsdale… Read More
Longtime Robbinsdale City Manager Marcia Glick Retires:  Marcia Glick has worked for the city of… Read More
School Districts Respond to Texas School Shooting with Advice, Support:  School districts sent out… Read More
Robbinsdale Historical Society Shows Off Historic Clothing Collection:  The Robbinsdale Historical… Read More
Petition Submitted to Recall Robbinsdale Council Member Tyler Kline:  The Robbinsdale city clerk has… Read More

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
               
 NEWS   SPORTS
 SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2022 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in