Baltimore Man Honors Minneapolis Victims With Voting Sticker

Bobby LaPin traveled from Baltimore to place a Maryland "I Voted" sticker at a memorial for Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Baltimore Man Honors Minneapolis Victims With Voting Sticker

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Bobby LaPin flew from Baltimore to Minneapolis the day after Tuesday's midterm elections to place a Maryland "I Voted" sticker at the memorial for Alex Pretti. Minnesotans had begun placing "I Voted" stickers at the memorials of Alex Pretti and Renee Good after the vote.

Why it matters

LaPin said he wanted to express gratitude to Minnesotans for their response to Operation Metro Surge, and his trip reflects how people outside the state are engaging with its civic moment. His visit came after many members of his own Baltimore neighborhood were detained by ICE agents over the past year.

The account is a single first-person visit documented in the source, with LaPin spending roughly 24 hours in Minnesota. The source does not quantify how many people have placed stickers at the memorials.

The players

Bobby LaPin

LaPin owns Boat Baltimore, a sailing excursion business based at Port Covington Marina, and ran unsuccessfully for Maryland State Senate in 2026.

Alex Pretti

Pretti was a nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital whose memorial in Minneapolis became a site for "I Voted" stickers after the midterm elections.

The details

LaPin learned of the Minnesota memorial stickers while in his Baltimore backyard on Wednesday and then flew to Minneapolis, bringing his Maryland sticker and National Defense Service Medal to place at Pretti's memorial on Friday. Pretti worked as a nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital, and LaPin also visited the memorials of Renee Good and George Floyd.

- Past year: ICE agents detained many members of LaPin's Baltimore neighborhood.
- 2026: LaPin ran for Maryland State Senate and lost the Democratic primary; Maryland passed the Community Trust Act.
- Tuesday, November 2026: Midterm elections were held and Minnesotans began placing "I Voted" stickers at memorials.
- Wednesday: LaPin discovered the Minnesota memorial stickers in Baltimore.
- Thursday evening: LaPin arrived at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and saw a "Thanks for Voting" banner over the East 42nd Street Bridge.

Big Picture

Maryland's 2026 Community Trust Act, which limits local law enforcement's collaboration with ICE, provides the policy backdrop for LaPin's trip, since his own neighborhood was affected by ICE detentions. His visit places a Maryland resident's response to federal immigration enforcement in conversation with Minnesota's response to Operation Metro Surge.

For Minneapolis residents, the memorials and visits draw attention to the civic and community response to federal enforcement actions in the city. The account shows that out-of-state visitors are also participating in memorial activity, which may affect local gatherings at these sites.

The takeaway

Civic engagement can take many forms, from casting a ballot to traveling to honor a community's response to difficult events. LaPin's example shows how personal experiences of enforcement can translate into public acts of solidarity across state lines.