Voters in Minneapolis turned Tuesday’s US midterm elections into an act of remembrance, leaving “I Voted” stickers at memorials for Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two residents who were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in January. Videos and photos shared widely online show a lamp post at Pretti’s memorial almost completely covered in the red stickers, surrounded by flowers, candles and handwritten signs.
“She Can’t Vote, But We Can”
According to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR News) and KARE 11, people began placing the stickers at both memorials after casting their ballots on 3 November. KARE reported that hundreds of stickers had been left, while Newsweek described dozens at the time of its reporting; the number grew through election day.
Visitors said the gesture was a way to honour the two victims through the ballot box. “She can’t vote, but we can,” Peg Baier told KARE at Good’s memorial. At Pretti’s memorial, Minneapolis resident Peg Ihinger told MPR News she wanted “this nightmare to end for our city and for our country.” Another visitor, Carol Ohana, told KARE the tribute gave her hope because it showed “the good side of people.”
Who Were Renee Good and Alex Pretti?
Renee Good, 37, a writer and mother of three, was shot on 7 January 2026 on Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis during a federal immigration enforcement surge known as Operation Metro Surge, Newsweek reported. Video shows an ICE officer firing as she began to drive away. Federal officials said the officer acted in self-defence, a claim her family disputes. Her wife and brother have filed federal lawsuits, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s office is still considering whether to bring state charges.
Alex Pretti, 37, a nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was killed on 24 January on Nicollet Avenue while recording federal agents, according to Newsweek, citing an ABC News review of bystander video. Federal officials said he was armed; Newsweek reported that available videos do not appear to support the claim that he approached agents with a handgun. The county medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. No agent has been charged in either case, and investigations are continuing.
A Wider Movement
The Minneapolis tributes echo a similar effort in Houston, where more than 1,000 “I Voted” stickers were placed at a memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction business owner killed by an ICE officer in July, according to Newsweek. That memorial began when his son placed his own sticker there after voting early in October.
The killings in Minneapolis sparked national outrage and became a flashpoint in the debate over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The federal surge in the city ended in February, and the administration later announced body cameras for agents. Immigration enforcement was one of the issues that weighed on Republicans in Tuesday’s elections, in which Democrats won control of Congress.
What Happens Next
The memorials remain in place, and residents say they will continue to tend them. Legal cases over both deaths are ongoing, and with Democrats set to control Congress from January, lawmakers are expected to push for greater oversight of federal immigration agents.
Sources: MPR News, KARE 11, Newsweek, ABC News.
