While national politics and statewide elections make headlines, it's the effort of each individual voter that makes democracy matter.
Across Northern Minnesota, Election Day is full of comforting images — of "I Voted stickers" and plastic voting booths, of smiling election judges and their potlucks, of first-time voters and every-time voters.
KAXE volunteer photographer Lorie Shaull captured the images of small-town Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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— Voters inside City of Remer Offices in Remer.jpg
Voters cast their ballots on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, inside the Remer city garage.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Stella votes for the first time on Election Day in Bagley.jpg
Stella votes on Election Day for the first time at the Bagley Public Library on Nov. 3, 2026, in Bagley.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A dream catcher hangs on a window at Bagley Public Library on Election Day.jpg
A dream catcher hangs on a window at Bagley Public Library on Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026, in Bagley.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— voting at Akeley Township Hall.jpg
Voting inside Akeley Township Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Akeley.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Voters at NWICDC in Bemidji.jpg
Voters cast ballots at the Northwest Indian Community Development Center on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Bemidji.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Voters in Northern Township 2026
Voters cast ballots on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, at Northern Town Hall. The election marks the first time Northern voters will elect a mayor and city council members, as the township is becoming a city.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A voter takes an I Voted sticker in Nevis.jpg
A voter takes an "I Voted" sticker after voting on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, at Nevis City Hall in Nevis.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A closeup of an I Voted sticker and Election Judge sticker at Northern Town Hall.jpg
A close-up of an "I Voted" sticker and an "Election Judge" badge on an election judge at Northern Town Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Closeup of a voter taking an I Voted sticker in Nevis.jpg
A voter takes an "I Voted" sticker after voting on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, at Nevis City Hall in Nevis.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A closeup of an I Voted sticker.jpg
A voter at the Bagley Public Library in Bagley wears an "I Voted" sticker on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— An Election Judge hands out I Voted stickers in Nevis.jpg
An Election Judge hands out "I Voted" stickers on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nevis.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Dianne Dockendorf, an election judge since 1997, holds her homemade Minnesota shaped lemon cookies.jpg
Dianne Dockendorf, an election judge since 1997, holds her homemade Minnesota-shaped iced lemon cookies at Northern Town Hall in Northern on Nov. 3, 2026. Dockendorf has been making the cookies for Election Day for years.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Dianne Dockendorf iced lemon sugar cookies.jpg
Dianne Dockendorf's iced lemon sugar cookies await hungry election workers at Northern Town Hall in Northern on Nov. 3, 2026.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Head Judge Kristi in Akekely with Christmas sampler.jpg
Head Election Judge Kristi Kath holds a Christmas sampler she was cross-stitching during downtime at Akeley City Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026. When this photo was taken, she was 12 stitches away from completion.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A closeup of a Christmas sampler by head judge in Akeley.jpg
A close-up of Head Election Judge Kristi Kath's Christmas sampler she was working on during downtime on Election Day at Akeley City Hall, Nov. 3, 2026.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Election Judges wait for voters in Nevis.jpg
Election judges wait for voters to arrive at Nevis City Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nevis.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— voters leave polling place in Akeley SXS.jpg
A man drives a side-by-side across Highway 34 in Akeley on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, with a "Jimmy Hansen for Sheriff" sign in the trunk. Akeley's famous Paul Bunyan statue is in the background.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Voting location Akeley Township Hall.jpg
Outside polling location Akeley Township Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Akeley.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A voter exits Northern Town Hall on Election Day.jpg
A voter exits Northern Town Hall on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Northern.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— A voter enters the Remer City offices building to vote on Election Day_1.jpg
A voter enters the Remer city garage to vote on Election Day evening, Nov. 3, 2026, in Remer.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Hill City voting Election Day evening.jpg
A voter at Hill City Community Center on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Hill City.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— NWICDC 110326 medicine table ward 1 bemidji.jpg
The entrance of the Northwest Indian Community Development Center in Bemidji on Nov. 3, 2026, has a table offering traditional Anishinaabe medicines, such as sage, cedar and tobacco. The center is the polling location for Ward 1.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
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— Items for smudging available at Northwest Indian Community Development Center on Election Day in Bemidji.jpg
Items for smudging are available at the entrance of polling place NWICDC (Northwest Indian Community Development Center) on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, in Bemidji.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
