Minnesota House approves no-excuse early voting bill
May 15, 2009
Minnesotans could vote before Election Day
without an excuse, and absentee ballots would be counted more reliably
under a bill passed Thursday by the House. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, said
it was drafted to correct flaws in the state voting system that became
apparent during the still-undecided U.S. Senate election between
Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken. He said the
measure should ensure that every vote is counted.
No-excuse early voting is a "matter of convenience for voters
who have increasingly busy lives," said Rep. Will Morgan,
DFL-Burnsville.
The change would allow voters to show up at their city halls or
courthouses four to 15 days before an election and vote "exactly like
they would on Election Day," Morgan said. The early voting would be faster and simpler than voting by
absentee ballot, which requires completing complicated paperwork.
Thirty-two other states allow no-excuse early voting.
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