opinion

What may be most interesting about Tuesday's municipal primary election in Minnesota is that in Minneapolis, there isn't one. For the first time, the city is conducting an election via ranked choice, or instant runoff, voting, a method that eliminates the need for a separate primary election.

For Minneapolis residents, every news report about the mayoral primary in St. Paul or Maplewood, or the council primaries in Bloomington and St. Louis Park, ought to serve as a reminder: It's time to become familiar with the new voting method. A little preparation in coming weeks will go a long way toward eliminating confusion and long lines at the polls on Nov. 3.

The city's DFL Party is doing its part for public education by conducting a straw vote via ranked choice voting for the DFL gubernatorial nomination. The balloting will take place at three locations in Minneapolis, at 7 p.m. Tuesday:  North Commons Park, 1701 Golden Valley Rd.;Tiger Sushi, 2841 Lyndale Ave. S.; and Communication Workers of America Local 7200 headquarters, 3521 E. Lake St. With a lively race involving 10 or more DFLers already in progress, the straw vote is bound to be viewed by some as a test of more than just a new voting method. Its outcome might attract more interest than some of the real primaries across the state on Tuesday.