An election worker attaches labels to crates of ballots being mailed to voters at Anoka County Elections office on Sept. 20. (Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Opinion editor’s note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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“One Minnesota” is an admirable aspiration and a positive political slogan. But even the inclusion of Gov. Tim Walz on the Democratic presidential ticket, the candidate who successfully ran on the slogan, hasn’t bridged deep divides straining our state. Like the rest of the nation, Minnesota is split along gender, generational, geographic, racial, educational and political lines.

That’s the clear conclusion coming from the Minnesota Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 poll published Monday, which shows Democratic running mates Kamala Harris and Walz lead Republican running mates Donald Trump and JD Vance 48% to 43%.

Demographic distinctions, however, reflect a wider divide than that relatively tight race: 53% of men favor Trump/Vance compared with 37% of women, who favor Harris/Walz 59% to 35% (in each category some are undecided or prefer other candidates).

Voters under 50 are for Harris/Walz 53% to 38% while those older than 50 give a slight nod to Trump/Vance, 47% to 45%. And geographic gaps are enormous gulfs in many cases: The 64% for Harris/Walz in Hennepin and Ramsey counties drops to 40% in northern and southern Minnesota, while the 53% and 52% in the north and south supporting Trump/Vance drops dramatically to just 28% in Hennepin/Ramsey.

College/no college cleaves as well, with 54% of respondents with degrees choosing the Democrats compared with 37% for the Republicans, while those without degrees go for the GOP ticket 49% to 44%. White voters are nearly evenly split but nonwhites support for Harris/Walz more than triples Trump/Vance (72% to 20%). And not surprisingly, nearly every respondent identifying as a DFLer or Republican chose their respective standard-bearers.

Similar splits were evident among those polled on the issues of immigration, abortion and the economy. Most strikingly, however, there’s one question that seemed to be answered much more equally across all demographics: “Do you think democracy in our country is or is not currently being threatened?”

Overwhelmingly, Minnesotans said yes to the notion of the threat — 68% to 25%.

While the partisan divisions that divides us can appear dispiriting, an opposite and optimistic view can be also be seen through the following lens: despite the seeming two Minnesotas, there’s one unifying desire to protect democracy.

That is the bedrock that sustains us. And as always, the best way to protect our democracy is to take active part in it.

Most Minnesotans already do. In fact, often at nation-leading levels. Civic groups like the Citizens League, Itasca Project, Greater MSP and scores more make a difference in Minnesota’s democracy. But ultimately, it’s not just up to institutions to preserve our system of government, but individuals as well.

“The best way is to stand by [democracy] and defend it in whatever way you can,” said Steve Simon, Minnesota secretary of state.

“The good news in Minnesota is we have a long tradition of respect for elections” regardless of outcome, Simon said. “When it comes to elections I think people do have and should continue to demonstrate confidence in the fundamentals. Is the system fundamentally honest? Is it fundamentally accurate? Is it fundamentally secure? And I think the answer to all three is ‘yes.’”

Simon highlighted a half century of same-day voter registration — while still encouraging voters to preregister, as well as step up to be election judges, which is a paid position. Indeed, just like our high levels of voter participation, the state has historically turned-out armies of volunteers and poll workers to administer elections. That history bodes well for Minnesota even as we enter the stretch run of a highly partisan and deeply divided electorate.

Americans can and should unite on the need to protect and project democracy despite the challenges. That’s a message Simon continues to communicate to all Minnesotans.

“Does democracy sometime feel a little bit dinged or dented in the last few years? I would say ‘yes,’” the secretary of state said. But, he added, it’s “never defeated. Not even close.”