Lobby Day FAQ

*** Additional details will be updated as they are confirmed ***

Lobby Day Rally

Thursday, March 6
1:30-2:15 p.m.
Capitol Rotunda (or Capitol Steps)
Register

There is no maximum capacity for the rally so feel free to bring friends, family, kids and allies from other unions!

Change of plans? Let us know.

We have more than 750 people registered, which has surpassed the space available for the full-day option. If your schedule has changed for the day, please cancel your registration ASAP and sign up for the rally-only option if that works better for you. To cancel, log in to the Portal, click on events, and under registered events, you will see Lobby Day 2025. To the far right is a cancel my registration link.

Lobby Day (Full-Day)

Thursday, March 6, 2025
Morning Location: St. Paul Event Center
Afternoon Location: Minnesota State Capitol

Day at-a-glance:

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Staggered check-in at Saint Paul Event Center - If your legislative appointment is after the rally, please show up closer to 10 a.m. to register. You must check in at the Event Center to receive/turn in lost time and expense forms.

10:30 a.m. | Opening remarks

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Gather materials, meet with legislative district groups, eat lunch

12:30 p.m. | Bus and/or march to Capitol

1:30 – 2:15 p.m. | Rally at the Rotunda

11 – 4:30 p.m. | Meetings with legislators

3 – 5:30 p.m. | Bus shuttle back to Saint Paul Event Center

Additional activities include touring the Capitol and attending legislative hearings.

Lobby Day – Rally Only Participants

What should I wear?
The rally is currently planned for the Capitol rotunda, but if enough people register we will be moving the rally to outside on the Capitol lawn. Please come dressed prepared to spend time outside.

Can I invite people who are not MAPE members to the rally?
Yes! The rally is open to MAPE members, supporters, other unions, family members and allies! To help us know what to expect, please ask folks to register for the rally: register here

Do rally-only MAPE members receive lost time?
MAPE Central will not cover lost time or reimbursements for rally-only participants. Please check with your local leadership to see if your local has decided to cover lost time or reimbursements for rally-only participants.

Preparing for Lobby Day – Full Registrants

Logistics

Do I have to be there for the entire day to participate?
It is strongly encouraged that in addition to attending your legislator meeting, you join us for the rally at 1:30 p.m., but you need not be there for the entire day to participate. Appointments will be sent out in advance so you may choose to come to that portion.

Do I get paid for attending Lobby Day?
MAPE covers lost time and travel expenses for Lobby Day participants, in accordance with our financial policies and procedures. Forms will be available to fill out and turn in at the St Paul Event Center. Please see the MAPE Lost Time FA

What do I wear?
Wear MAPE gear if you have it. Your Local may have extra gear, check with them if you need a shirt. All participants who are registered for the full day will receive a MAPE scarf. There is a chance the rally will be outside, so make sure you have outside gear with.

How do I get into the St. Paul Event Center?
There is drop-off point is located directly in front of the building 400 Wabasha Street North - signage is outside this door. Otherwise, park and look for MAPE members to guide you in.

Enter through the main doors of Treasure Island Center between Walgreens and The Pillbox Tavern.
Once inside, proceed down the corridor and take a left - there is also a sign in this area
Take the elevator to the third floor.
Upon exiting the elevator, St. Paul Event Center will be on your right.

Where can I park?

You can park anywhere nearby and MAPE will reimburse up to $10.
Start with the Treasure Island Parking Ramp behind the St. Paul Event Center
411 Cedar St, St Paul, MN 55101

If this lot is full, there are other options nearby.

Personal belongings
Plan to keep all your personal belongings with you throughout the day. Members with legislative meetings in a Centennial Building office (not cafeteria) must provide identification when checking in with security, so please be sure to bring your I.D. with you.

How do we get to the Capitol?
Bus: Busing is provided from the St. Paul Event Center to the Capitol and back. The first bus will leave in time for the first Legislative meeting and will make continuous loops throughout the day. Busing will remain available up until the final legislative meeting ends.

Walk: Join the march! Walking is also an option. It is a less than 20-minute walk. A group will be marching to the Capitol leaving at 12:30 p.m.

Will there be carpooling?
Yes, several locals and senate districts are working on carpools. Reach out to your local if you live outside the metro area. You will be connected with members from your senate district and house district before the event, which will also provide an opportunity to organize carpools.

Will food be provided?
MAPE will provide lunch for the day for full-day registrants. Please plan to eat breakfast before morning activities begin.

Can I bring my children?
You may bring your children to Lobby Day – it is a great place to show them the Capitol and teach them the importance of building relationships with their elected officials. No childcare is offered for this event, however. Any children in attendance will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

I have an accessibility request, who do I contact?
Contact Operations Specialist, Paige Hietpas at phietpas@mape.org.
Note: A quiet space will be available at the St. Paul Event Center.

How do I meet other members in my Senate District and House District?
On Lobby Day you will meet with your district in the morning at the St. Paul Event Center to plan for your meetings. Look for an email on Feb. 25 that will connect everyone who is registered in your district. This email will include a time for meeting with your legislators. However, this time could get changed. Please be flexible, legislators have a lot of last-minute hearings and committee meetings that we need to work around.

When will I be able to leave?
Members are free to leave once your final legislative meeting of the day is over. However, we will be busing to and from the Capitol from offsite, so you will need to take that into consideration when making plans. We ask that you fill out an evaluation sheet and a feedback form before leaving. Please also complete your lost time and/or reimbursement form before you leave.

Is there an opportunity to participate virtually?
We understand that not everyone is able to attend lobby day in person. For that reason, the Political Council and the MAPE Political and Legislative Affairs Team is creating a Legislative Contact Toolkit that will help members reach out to their elected officials individually. The toolkit will be available on the MAPE website.

Where are the restrooms?
In the Capitol, restrooms are located on either side of the hearing room on the ground floor, outside of room 123 on the first floor, and by the Supreme Court chamber on the second floor.

Can I come to Lobby Day if I don’t live in Minnesota?
Yes, if you are a MAPE member that does not live in Minnesota, you are more than welcome to join us at Lobby Day. While you won’t meet with your state representative, you can participate in the rally, attend hearings and potentially join other members’ Lobby Day meetings.

Can non-members come to Lobby Day?
Yes. However, only members are eligible for lost time and expenses.

What do I put on my timecard for Lobby Day hours/What do I tell my supervisor?
Most members choose to use vacation when attending MAPE events, but if you plan to use union leave (UNL) and want to communicate to your supervisor, feel free to copy this sentence for your email to them:

"I am requesting {date(s)} off work for association leave and will be using union leave (UNL) for this event."

If your supervisor denies your request or asks for a leave letter from MAPE, please remind them of MAPE Contract language in Article 14, Section 3, part D and reply with the following:

"Per the MAPE Contract, no leave letter is required for such a request, and this leave should not be unreasonably withheld. Please tell me how my leave would adversely affect the operations of our department or agency."

If you need a courtesy notification to hand to your supervisor please go to the portal and click on the Lobby Day Event and download the letter under the documents of the event.

If you believe your supervisor is unreasonably denying your request for unpaid association leave, please visit contact your local steward or contact your business agent for assistance.

Meeting with Legislators

How do I find my legislative office?
On the day of your appointments, a representative from your senate district and house district will receive a packet including the specific room number and location for your meeting. There are directories and maps located on each floor. There will also be MAPE volunteers located in the Capitol, the Minnesota Senate Building, and the Centennial Office Building to direct you. If you do not know where to go, ask right away. If you are late for your appointment, the appointment will be cancelled and not rescheduled for that day.

How long will my legislative appointments last?
Meetings are generally limited to 15 minutes for all groups. It’s important to use your time wisely. Keep your introductions very brief to ensure you have enough time to cover all the legislative priority talking points provided in advance and in your packet. When you’re done, be sure to thank your legislator, their staff and have one person in the group leave the talking points sheet with the legislator or their legislative assistant.

Will I be going to my legislative appointments by myself?
In most cases, attendees will be joining other members in legislative meetings. Your Feb. 25 email will list other members who will be attending the appointments with you. When you register for Lobby Day, you are also asked to allow the sharing of your personal phone number with the other members that live in your legislative district. This way you can communicate with each other, plan where to meet in advance of your meeting and decide on what roles you want to have in the meeting. If you are the only registrant in the meeting with a legislator, you may ask a volunteer or MAPE staff to attend with you.

What if my legislator asks me questions to which I don’t know the answer?
There is no harm in saying that you don’t know. The purpose of MAPE’s Lobby Day is for members to let their legislators know about important issues that affect them or their families. Please give legislators the issue summary sheet, which includes contact information for MAPE legislative staff. Make sure that you take note of any questions that your legislator asks you and include that information when you follow up with MAPE staff after your meeting in the evaluation.

How do I report back on what happens in my meetings?
Email action@mape.org or Tanner Fritsinger (tfritsinger@mape.org) with feedback about the event or your legislator meeting. Any follow-up to legislators will be done by staff after Lobby Day appointments have concluded. Please submit your feedback by Tuesday, March 11.

Where do I go when I am not in my meetings?
The morning programming will be happening offsite at the Saint Paul Event Center. Once you are at the Capitol, you are welcome to sit in on any legislative hearings, tour the Capitol, spend time in the cafeteria, view the Senate and House chambers, etc. A legislative calendar of meetings can be found online.