ST. PAUL  (AP) - A Ramsey County judge has blocked a child care worker unionization vote that was to get underway this week.

Judge Dale Lindman ruled Monday that the union issue must go through the state Legislature.

Gov. Mark Dayton had called the election by executive order, but opponents to the election sued. They said the Democratic governor had exceeded his powers.

Lindman also said he was concerned that less than half of the state's 11,000 in-home child care workers were eligible to vote in the election.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he plans to meet with the state attorney general to consider the next steps on a union push for in-home child care providers.

Union leaders say they doubt they'll ask the Legislature for a vote on unionizing child-care providers if that's the path they have to follow.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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