Apple Valley-Rosemount Voter's Guide: What to Know Before Hitting the Polls

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Election day is nearly upon us—Tuesday, Nov. 6, is the big day—and Patch wants to make sure you're not only equipped with information, but also the logistics of voting. Every vote matters. We want to make sure you get your red sticker.

• First, everyone votes for a reason: to see their candidates win. That's why we're going to offer robust election night coverage, heavy on real-time results from all the races you're following: federal, Senate, congressional and constitutional amendment results | Dakota County election results including judicial races | Local coverage: Lakeville | Burnsville | Eagan | Apple Valley/Rosemount | Northfield | Mendota Heights | Inver Grove Heights.

Where to Vote

Apple Valley has 16 voting precincts and Rosemount has seven voting precincts; all will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To find the precinct in which you will vote, check the secretary of state's website, which has a very easy-to-use polling place finder.

Here are the polling sites in Apple Valley (click to see the map near the top right of this article):

Hayes Community and Senior Center
14601 Hayes Road

Westview Elementary School
225 Garden View Drive

River Valley Church
14898 Energy Way

Here are the polling sites in Rosemount (click to see the map near the top right of this article):

More Voting Information

The state of Minnesota has a Voters Bill of Rights and has a wide range of allowances for people to get out and vote.

• Employers are required by law to allow employees (you) to be absent from work for the purpose of voting. You cannot be docked wages, personal leave, vacation time or otherwise penalized in any way for taking the time needed to cast a ballot. So get out there and vote.
• Long lines? Getting late? If you are in line at your polling place any time before 8 p.m., you have the right to vote, even if your ballot is cast after the polls close.
• Nowhere to leave the kids? No worries: You have the right to bring your minor children into the polling place and into the voting booth with you.
• Need help to vote? You have the right to request special assistance when voting, and if you need assistance, you may be accompanied into the voting booth by a person of your choice, except by an agent of your employer or union or a candidate.

Other Stuff

The Minnesota secretary of state's website has a number of other useful election day tidbits for those with questions about:

• Getting rides to your polling place
• Polling place and ballot accessibility
• Voting challenges
• Protecting election integrity
• Information in other languages
• Frequently asked questions
• Voting for people under guardianship
• Voting for students
• Voting when you are in the hospital
• Voting when your home is in foreclosure
• Voting when you are homeless
• Voting when you fear for your safety
• Voting challenges
• Protecting election integrity

Register to Vote on Election Day

If you are not registered to vote where you currently live, you may do so at your local polling location on Election Day as long as you can provide proof of residence. 

To register at your polling place on Election Day, you must bring one of the following with your current name and address to verify your residence in the precinct:

• A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, Minnesota ID card or receipt for any of these
• A valid registration in the same precinct under a different name or address 
• A notice of late registration sent to you by your county auditor or city clerk
• A voter registered in the same precinct as you who can confirm your address with a signed oath
• An employee of the residential facility where you live who can confirm your address with a signed oath
• Both 1) a photo ID from the list below, and 2) a current bill from the list below with your current name and address in the precinct
  • Bills can include any utility bill due within 30 days of election day
  • Rent statement dated within 30 days of election day that itemizes utilities

Sample Ballots

Lakeville will have three different ballots with the only differences coming in the form of legislative races. Check out your sample ballots here, or download them from Patch by clicking the ballots shown near the top right of this article. Remember, if you need to, you can bring a sample ballot with you inside the voting booth.

Who/What is on the Ballot?

Just about everything is on the ballot this year, from U.S. president to constitutional amendments to soil and water commissioners. Need some help sorting through all the candidates and questions?

Click on the blue links below to learn more about each candidate. An asterisk (*) denotes incumbents.

Apple Valley City Council (top two)

• * Tom Goodwin
• * Ruth Grendahl
• Michael Holsten
• Wilma Ruppert
• Nicholas Stepka

Rosemount City Council (top two)

• * Jeff Weisensel
• Vanessa Olson Demuth
• Joe Kurle
• Joseph P. Zanmiller

Minnesota House of Representatives

House District 57A

• * Tara Mack (Republican)
• Roberta Gibbons (DFL)

House District 57B

• Anna Wills (Republican)
• Jeff Wilfahrt (DFL)

Minnesota Senate

Senate District 57

• Pat Hall (Republican)
• Greg Clausen (DFL)

Dakota County Soil and Water Commissioner 

District 1 (Burnsville, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount)

• * Paul Thomas
• Joan M. Gabriel
• Scott A. Holm
• William Hoots III
• John Ross
• Laura Zanmiller

District 2 (Lakeville, Farmington, Apple Valley)

• * Jason Swenson
• Marian Brown
• Thomas A. Walkington

District 4 (Southeast Townships)

• * Chris Nielsen (running unopposed)

District 5 (Southwest Townships)

• * Joe Meyers (running unopposed)

Dakota County Commissioner

District 4 (Rosemount)

• * Nancy Schouweiler
• Bill Klein

District 7 (Apple Valley)

• Chris Gerlach
• Victoria "Vicki" Swanson

U.S. House

Second Congressional District (Dakota County, including Lakeville)

• * John Kline (Republican)
• Mike Obermueller (Democrat)

U.S. Senate

• Amy Klobuchar (Democrat)*
• Kurt Bills (Republican)
• Stephen Williams (Independence)

Presidential Race

• Barack Obama (Democrat)*
• Mitt Romney (Republican)
• Gary Johnson (Libertarian)

Constitutional Amendments

Recognition of Marriage Amendment

A yes or no question: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota? 

Marriage between two gay individuals is not currently recognized by Minnesota law. A ballot cast with no vote on this question will count as a "no" vote. This amendment would also invalidate common-law marriages for straight couples.

• See what supporters say: Minnesota for Marriage
• See what opponents say: Minnesotans United for All Families

Voter Identification Amendment

A yes or no question: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification to vote and to require the state to provide free identification to eligible voters, effective July 1, 2013?

• See what supporters say: Protect My Vote
• See what opponents say: Take Action MN

1st District Court Judicial Races (Dakota County)

Judge 2

• * Arlene M. Asencio Perkkio (running unopposed)

Judge 6

• * David L. Knutson (running unopposed)

Judge 10

• * Diane M. Hanson
• Michael L. Larson

Judge 14

• * Michael J. Meyer (running unopposed)

Judge 19

• * Erica H. MacDonald (running unopposed)

Judge 20

• * Kathryn D. Messerich
• Brian A. Gravely

Judge 26

• * Michael R. Savre (running unopposed)

Judge 29

• * Terry E. Conkel (running unopposed)

Statewide Judicial Races

Chief Justice - Supreme Court:

• * Lorie Skjerven Gildea
• Dan Griffith

Associate Justice - Supreme Court 1 (Seat 1):

• * Barry Anderson
• Dean Barkley

Associate Justice - Supreme Court 4 (Seat 4):

• * David R. Stras
• Tim Tingelstad

Judge - Court of Appeals, Seat 6:

• * Renee L. Worke (running unopposed)

Judge - Court of Appeals, Seat 7:

• * Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks (running unopposed)