KAAL

When we come back, we'll dive into the CD1.

Two excerpts from that debate this week on KAAL.

on key issues that I think voters are getting more substantive content out of debates than they do out of media coverage or out of, certainly, commercials.

I'm Blois Olson.

As of last Friday, nearly 469,000 absentee and male ballots have been distributed statewide, with more than 127,000 returned, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State's office.

KAAL-TV attributed the increase to heightened interest and emotion surrounding issues including health care costs, Operation Metro Surge, and fraud, along with increased campaign spending.

Local election officials say turnout remains difficult to predict, though more ballots are expected as early voting continues.

An exclusive KAAL-TV and SurveyUSA poll found nearly two-thirds of Minnesota respondents said they would definitely vote, with another 14% saying they probably would.

Early in-person voting begins today, October 16th, ahead of Election Day on November 3rd.

Welcome back to this week's Minnesota Business Podcast.