HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 05-19 Filing for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'grassroots democracy' PIONEER PRESS5/19/2016 Filing for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'grassrootsdemocracy' -Twin Cities
NEWS > GOVERNMENT& POLITICS
Filing for Election, Day Lawn chairs,
photos and 'grassroots •
Std: U f...iegg aIrTld 1:31r ad Anderson of tiny:' Secireta iry of State's off ice hey p SLApire Ili(8e C4. LAirt JLAS tll4. e Nataiie
I...ILA 6.f<.>on fliie foir ire ..eiectlio in TLAeK.>day, May 17 (PIioneeir PIreK.s: Tory Cooney)
By ""III""(".YRY UN"IIIWEY I vcooney@pioneerpress.com
May 18, 2016
House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin, R -Rogers, was once again the first in line to file for re-election Tuesday.
Her lawn chair was new, though, and after she brought the House floor session to a close Monday night, she
napped for a few hours, showered and got a cup of coffee. Then she was back in the hallway outside the
Minnesota Secretary of State's St. Paul office before anyone else could snatch her traditional camp -out
spot.
It's the seventh time she's camped out to save her spot in line. The first was in 2004, while running against a
Republican incumbent.
"I decided to get here early to show how excited and how interested I was — to say `I'll work hard for you,"'
Peppin said.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/05/18/fiIing-for-election-day-1-lawn-chairs-photos-and-grassroots-democracy/ 1/5
5/19/2016 Filing for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'grassrootsdemocracy'—Twin Cities
110LAse Majoirity I eadeir Joyce Peppin, IR Rogeirs, waited OLAtside the Minnesota Seciretairy of State's oii4::e
foir h0i[Airs to Ibe first in line to file foir ire election TLAesday, IP ay 17 (Pioneeir IPiress: Tory Cooney)
And she keeps coming early to show she's still excited to do the job.
Whfle thEcaincfidatEr filhIg IPEErin: d for i`E&Tal, statEr air d COU111ty OffiCES lasts thirough May 3l, Peppin was not
alone in filing early. On Tuesday, 53 DFLers, 28 Republicans and 88 nonpartisan candidates filed for offices.
"The first day of filing is kind of cool. It can be a carnival atmosphere, particularly for people who file for the
first time," Secretary of State Steve Simon, a former DFL member of the Minnesota House, said. "It's
thrilling, surreal, exhilarating ... You get this feeling like there's no turning back."
Many people coming in to the office to file want to take pictures as a way of marking the event, so staff
members try to wear neutral clothing, so they took professional and blend in, program administrator Stella
Hegg said.
"No red or blue," joked Hegg, who's been involved in candidate filing on the state and county level for more
than a decade.
"It's a major life activity to run for office," she said. "We get to be a part of it, and I like that."
A group of three first-time DFL candidates from the southern suburbs, Lindsey Port and Jared
Christiansen for the House and Phillip Sterner (a former House member) far the Senate, filed as a group to
tend each other support.
hftp://www.twincities.com/2016/05/18/fi I i ng -for -election -day -1 -lawn -chairs -photos- and-grassroots-dern ocracy/ 2/5
5n9/206 Fling for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'graoomotsuemooraoy'-TwmCities
Rep. 1:3arbYarLASSO, DRI Shoreview fHesfmrire ekectimmat the Minnesota SecretarymfState's Office
"We've known each other for a few years, and a[[ our campaigns are talking, working together. We're a[[
trying to build community," Port said. "I'm excited. It's time to get going now.People are ready for ittobe
campaign season."
Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson arrived before 9 a.m. to file for her current position. Gov.
Mark Dayton appointed herto the Supreme Court in October and she is the onlyjustice up for election this
hftp://www.twincities.com/2016/05/18/fi I ing-for-election-day-1 -I awn -chairs -photos- and -grassroots- democracy/3/5
5/19/2016 Filing for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'grassrootsdemocracy' —Twin Cities
"I lave the jab, so it was important to file on the first day, bright and early," she said. "I wanted to make it
clear that I'm interested in keeping my seat."
Her husband, the Rev. Willie Hudson, joined her to snap photos as she filled out her paperwork, wrote a
check for the filing fee and received a packet of election materials.
A group of eight judges from the Minnesota Court of Appeals came to file en masse for the second year in a
raw.
1::::ight Minnesota COLAirt ofAppeas i[Adges went to the Seciretairy of estate's Office to gir()Up...fHe foir ire...
eiectiio in i"LAeK.>day, I ay 17.11.E cti[Ared are 1Peter 11,eyes J r., IDenise 11,e iiy, Heidi S4..Irneiilrnas, Il....ai ry StailA ber Jr.,
1....C)LAiiK. e IDovire I13)Joirkimain,, i irair ciis ConnoUy, I ii4..heUe II....airlkiiin,, and IMatthew Johnson (Piioneeir 1Pite<. s: Tory
"We want all goad judges, all goad friends re-elected," said Judge Francis Connally, who organized the
group and made sure everyone had their paperwork in order. He began organizing group -filing when he was
a Hennepin Countyjudge.
"Last time I filed locally," said Judge Michelle Larkin. "And they put me in the wrong seat, as if I was
challenging one of my colleagues. (Connally) caught it immediately and said `go back!' ... He was
apoplectic."
"That's why she's here naw," Connollyjoked.
A clutch of four Republican senators came together to file after a meeting, just to make sure they gat it
done.
http://www.twi nciti es.com/2016/05/18/fi 1 i ng -for -election -day -1-I awn-chai rs-photos-and-grassroots-dem ocracy/ 4/5
5/19/2016 Filing for Election, Day 1: Lawn chairs, photos and 'grassrootsdemocracy' —Twin Cities
"Quite frankly, with the fact that we've gat a week of session to go, there gets to be plenty of other things to
take care of," said Sen. Bill Weber, R-Luverne, said.
He wasjoined by Redwood Falls Sen. Gary Dahms, Lina Lakes Sen. Roger Chamberlain and Ham Lake Sen.
►I ffa TO I MIT; in Me,
P alpiewood Deimocrats Sen. ClfnUck Wigeir (left) and IRep. IC= eteir i.:-6<.>4::Iheir train into each otlheir Iby coincidence
at the Minnesota Seciretairy of State's Office vhein they vent to fiie foir ire .eiectioin iLAe>day, Iay 17.
(Pio
n
eer ir{{Ks�poiryaXXlrey)
As the office filled with more incumbent legislators, Benson snapped photos of her colleagues as theyjoked
and teased and signed their affidavits. Sen. Bobby Jae Champion, DFL -Minneapolis, went in to file his
papers and warmly greeted his Republican colleagues — even though he is in a safe Democratic area, he
said, he always door -knacks his district, even on the doors of people who do not usually vote.
"It's always exciting. Every time," Sen. Chuck Wiger, a Maplewood Democrat and a 20 -year veteran of the
Legislature, said. "You go back to the people and present your case. It's democracy, grassroots democracy."
hftp://www.twincities.com/2016/05/18/fi I i ng -for -election -day -1-I awn -chairs -photos- and -grassroots- democracy/ 5/5