League of Women Voters works to 'hold our democracy together'
Promoting free and fair elections in the Roseville area
If the League of Women Voters conjures sepia-toned images of women in wide hats and high-necked dresses wielding protest signs—or perhaps a comic book-inspired vision of female superheroes brandishing ballots—there’s no better time to update that perspective than this very active election season.
And there’s no better local organization to get to know than the League of Women Voters of Roseville Area (LWVRA).
“I don’t think people have a deep understanding of what we do,” said LWVRA president Kris Olsen.
The official description on the group’s website explains:
“We operate as a community-driven, politically neutral entity dedicated to safeguarding ballot access and fostering equal civic representation for all citizens.”
Protecting voter rights for free and fair elections, in other words. And that topic is a top concern for many in the 2026 election.
The Roseville area group is part of the National League of Women Voters, which was born out of the suffrage movement of the mid-1800s, a decades long effort to get women the right to vote in the United States. The National League of Women Voters was formally organized in 1920, six months before the 19th Amendment was ratified.
The Roseville area group started in 1953 and merged with groups in the communities of Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little Canada, Maplewood and North St. Paul a couple of decades later.
LWVRA is a “grassroots, nonprofit and all-volunteer organization,” Olsen said.
Local voter education
Throughout the year, the Roseville area group works on projects such as studying accessibility for disabled citizens, immigration, and protecting clean water.
“Once the voting season started, the focus is on the election and voter outreach,” Olsen said.
The League is probably best known for sponsoring candidate forums and information sessions for voters. Olsen explains that the candidate forums (which have already taken place for this election season) are not debates and are focused on local and county elections.
“Each candidate gets the same questions and the same amount of time to reply,” Olsen said.
The Roseville-area League has seen an increase in requests for public information sessions “starting early this spring,” Olsen said. The group has had gatherings at senior living places. It has also been focusing on areas with “low-propensity voters,” she adds.
“This is such a confusing election season,” Olsen said. People have concerns about early voting and mail-in voting.
“People have a lot of questions—seeking clarity.”
For instance, in March 2026, they held a session called "Truth, Trust, and the Ballot Box: Understanding Election Security." You can watch a recording of that presentation below:
The LWVRA has been to farmers markets, community celebrations, libraries and ice cream socials to do voter outreach.
The group has been writing get-out-the-vote postcards, using data they have from all of Ramsey County’s precincts. Volunteers have sent out 1,600 postcards to 18- to 25-year-old low-propensity voters.
The next postcard session is Oct. 22 at Crooked Pint in Maplewood. Learn more and signed up to attend here.
Becoming a member
Membership in the League has grown along with interest, Olsen said. The local group had 140 members on Jan. 1, 2026, and has 190 members now. A membership fee of $75 is suggested, but people can join for $20. LWVRA has also seen an increase in donations, she adds.
And, yes, with Women in the group’s name, females definitely make up most of the local group’s membership, but LWVRA has a handful of male members. Olsen said 95 percent of the members are women – “a sisterhood, I guess you could say.”
The League of Women Voters has a reputation for members who are older women, Olsen said, adding there are “amazing, amazing women” in our League.
“It’s a collaborative and cooperative thing,” she said. “Things are done together to take steps to hold our democracy together.
“It can be overwhelming,” Olsen said, “but look at the power of the ICE protests this winter.”
Olsen, who lives in Gem Lake, said she got involved with the League following the shooting death of Philando Castile in 2016. She said she was inspired by work done by former Minnesota State Representative Mindy Greiling.
“I’d always been civically aware, but hadn’t really done a lot,” Olsen said. She got “more and more involved” in LVMRA and is serving a two-year term as the group’s president.
Get ready to vote
Voters who want to make sure they’re ready to vote on Nov. 3 can confirm with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office that they are registered in the precinct where they’re planning to vote, Olsen said.
A tip: If you have moved and had to get a new driver’s license, your voter registration is updated when the new license is issued.
Voters who have concerns about voting on Election Day can vote early or by mail. Mail-in ballots are available through the Secretary of State’s office. The easiest way to apply is online, and it’s recommended that voters apply for a mail-in ballot by Oct. 20.
Early voting at the Ramsey County Library in Roseville opens Oct. 16.
One issue on the ballot that Olsen would like to make sure voters have researched and understand is a state constitutional amendment that would increase funding to Minnesota schools from the permanent school fund. Leaving the vote blank is counted as a “no” vote. View the text of the ballot language and proposed amendment on the Minnesota Secretary of State website here.
After voters confirm their registration, the League recommends they verify and plan where they will vote and who they will vote for.
“Once you know,” Olsen said, “tell others.”
Her message: “There’s a belief that ‘I can’t make a difference.’ But that’s not true.
“Believe. Believe in this country. You will feel more empowered having done that, and feel like you’re making a difference.”
Local election information
The Roseville Reader has candidate guides for Roseville Mayor and City Council races as well as Minnesota Senate and House districts that represent the Roseville area. Learn more at the link below:
