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Hello. I'm Mark Ritchie
and I'm honored to serve you
as Minnesota's Secretary of State.
One of the most important aspects of my job
is protecting the integrity of Minnesota's elections
and making sure that every eligible voter
has the opportunity to shape the future of our state
by participating in the election process
–whether that means marking a ballot in your polling place...
...or sending a completed absentee ballot in from overseas...
...or from a university...
...or from your home.
Your vote is your voice...
and elected officials listen.
Minnesota has a long history of fair and open elections.
We take the right to vote seriously.
We are recognized throughout the country
for our active involvement in elections.
Our state has more than 3.1 million registered voters.
We consistently lead the nation in voter turnout
and Minnesotans vote at a much higher rate
than the rest of the country.
We can only retain this first in the nation standing
if every eligible voter participates
in the democratic process.
The right to vote is an important responsibility
that should be taken seriously.
A strong election system depends on committed, informed voters
who take the time to understand what's important to them personally
and to learn where candidates stand on these issues.
Informed voters ask questions and gather information.
Informed voters analyze what they've learned
and look for objective information to make their choices
and responsible voters participate in the process
by encouraging others to join them.
Local election officials are the backbone of our election system.
They make it work.
More than 30,000 volunteer election judges are needed
to administer a typical statewide election.
Being an election judge is an important way to get involved
but it's not the only way.
You can help out with voter registration drives
or support a candidate's campaign.
You can go to a debate or organize a voter workshop
to help eligible voters understand the process.
Your local election officials and civic organizations
can help you find opportunities to get involved
before, during and after the election.
The Secretary of State's office is committed in helping make sure
that Minnesota elections are accessible to all voters
and that all eligible Minnesotans have the opportunity
to cast their ballots.
It's important that all Minnesotans understand the voting process
and who is eligible to vote and follow-through by getting registered!
There are many resources available to you.
The Secretary of State's web site –- mnvotes.org –-
offers a wealth of information about the voting process
and your voting rights,
as well as simple, easy-to-use tools
for registering to vote, finding your polling place,
learning about your ballot
and obtaining an absentee ballot.
This video series has been created to help you
understand your rights and responsibilities as a voter,
and ways to become informed on what to expect on Election Day.
I hope they help you to become
as passionate about the democratic process as I am.
Every vote counts. Your vote can make a difference.
I encourage you to get registered if you're eligible.
Get involved.
Get informed.
Most important of all, I encourage you to get out and vote.
It's your right.
Thank you very much for being part of our democratic process.
I'm Mark Ritchie and I'm honored to be your Secretary of State.
For more information, go to www.mnvotes.org.