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Morning Edition
Cathy Wurzer and Gracie Stockton

‘Better than my birthday’: Election directors on busy primary day

Two people stand at polling booths
Voters cast ballots at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center in Minneapolis during the primary election on Tuesday.
Peter Cox | MPR News

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year — for election officials.

One of the most-watched races in Minnesota’s Primary Election Tuesday was a rematch between incumbent U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and former Minneapolis city council member Don Samuels in the 5th Congressional District. Much of that district is in the state’s most populous county, Hennepin, and includes Minneapolis.

Hennepin County Elections Director Ginny Gelms and Minneapolis Director of Elections and Voter Services Katie Smith joined Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer Tuesday to get folks prepped for voting and new privacy protections for poll workers.

“I’m really happy that we’ve had these updated laws go into effect in Minnesota that help protect folks who are really just being the guardians of democracy,” Gelms told Wurzer.

Minneapolis election director shares excitement for primary, publicly testing voting equipment

“We love Election Day. It’s like better than my birthday,” Smith said. “It’s one of my favorite days of the year, and it’s just really exciting to see all of the hard work and planning all come together in one big event like this.”

Spend time with the MPR News Voter Guide to learn more about candidates on your ballot.