A voter stands at a booth during early voting at Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services in Minneapolis on Oct. 31. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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On Tuesday, all across the state, we Minnesotans will go to our schools, community centers and places of worship all with the same purpose: to make our voices heard.

Minnesotans lead the nation in voter turnout. We’re passionate about building a future where everyone can thrive, and we know that the best way to do that is by coming together to participate in our democracy. From passing same-day voter registration in the 1970s to restoring voting rights to disenfranchised Minnesotans in 2023, Minnesota has a track record of making voting easier.

Our elections should be easy to participate in, because the freedom to vote is essential to our democracy. Our elections should also be safe and secure — and thankfully, in Minnesota, we know that’s the case. We have stringent safeguards in place to make sure that every vote is counted accurately and the 30,000 people who volunteer as election judges are our neighbors who we trust. That’s why the overwhelming majority of Minnesotans say they have confidence in our elections.

While we know our elections are secure, there are some politicians, backed by special interest groups, who continue to peddle lies about our elections in an attempt to undermine voter confidence. Why? Because they know that the only way they can have power over us is by dividing us.

While these bad faith efforts began with false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, this isn’t just happening on the national stage. For the past few years, election denier organizers have mobilized in Minnesotan communities, attempting to cast doubt over our elections and dilute our voices. These groups are empowered by politicians who actively encourage, or are silent in the face of, anti-democratic conspiracies.

That’s why, for the past two months, We Choose Us Action has called on Minnesota legislative candidates to sign our Democracy Defense Pledge. We Choose Us Action is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition of grassroots organizations, unions and advocacy groups working to build an inclusive, multiracial democracy. All eligible voters deserve a welcoming experience when they cast their vote, free of fear or intimidation — and that starts with the politicians seeking to represent us.

In September, we asked every candidate running for the Minnesota Legislature to pledge to protect democracy in five simple ways: to accept the certified election results of their race, to abstain from inciting political violence, to denounce intimidation against our election judges, to support the checks and balances defined in the U.S. Constitution, and to uphold the principles of democracy.

Anyone hoping to serve our state should be willing to stand up for our freedom to vote and choose our leaders — and if they aren’t, their constituents deserve to know that.

Many candidates we reached out to agreed to sign our pledge; you can find all 86 signatories on our website (wechooseusactionmn.com). Across the state, there are candidates working to make sure that everyone they seek to represent can have their voice heard, and that Minnesota’s democracy centers the will of the people.

But there is a noticeable and worrying pattern in who will commit to respecting our election results and the safety of voters. Out of the 86 candidates who signed on, just three are Republicans. It should concern all Minnesotans that one of our major parties is largely unwilling to say they will respect who we vote for and abstain from political violence.

Our pledge is nonpartisan because the freedom to vote is nonpartisan. No matter what we look like or who we support, everyone deserves to have their voice heard and their vote count. We commend the candidates who are willing to stand up for our freedom to vote, and we will continue to call into question those who do not.

While there is a real threat to our democracy, it is one that we can — and will — overcome. Because although there are people who want to divide us, there are even more who are committed to coming together to protect our freedoms.

This Election Day, let’s be thankful that we live in a state with safe, easy and secure elections run by the people we know and love.

Lilly Sasse is the campaign director for We Choose Us Action.