Minnesota House approves no-excuse early voting bill

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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House begins debate on changes to election rules

The Minnesota House of Representatives began debating Wednesday night a bill authored by Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, that would allow early voting, move primary elections to June and change the way absentee ballots are handled.

“Because of the Senate recount and the closeness of the election there was clarity about some aspects of Minnesota statute that I think should be updated or changed,” Sieben said. “These are provisions that aren’t necessarily controversial.”

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Early-voting bill advances at Capitol

Minnesotans are a step closer to being able to vote early without the hurdles of the state's beleaguered absentee-ballot system.

The House approved a bill today that would broadly overhaul the state's elections law, an effort that was given momentum by voting flaws uncovered by the long battle over the still-unresolved U.S. Senate race.

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Mankato Free Press: Election law can be improved

The Mankato Free Press editorial board wrote an editorial in favor of election reform. 

A voting and election reform proposal moving through the Legislature offers a lot of common sense, low-cost ways to improve the efficiency of vote counting and voting itself in Minnesota.

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Minnesota Senate relaxes early voting rules in wake of Coleman-Franken fight

Want to avoid standing in a long line of voters on Election Day?

You could under a bill passed Friday by the Minnesota Senate.

The measure, approved 41-22, would permit voters to cast ballots early without an excuse.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport, said early voting would make it easier and faster for people to vote.

Sieben said she also designed the measure to "correct gaps that came to light" during the glare of Minnesota's still-undecided 2008 U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken.

"While Minnesota has much to be proud of, the Franken-Coleman contest demonstrated areas that also could be strengthened," she said.

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Early voting supported

Minnesota voters could cast ballots in person during the weeks leading up to Election Day under a bill senators supported Friday.

Minnesota would join states that offer early in-person voting. Voters could cast ballots at designed polling places during a two-week window before Election Day.

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Letter: Don't delay election reform

The editorial "Don't rush election repair" (May 3) would have us waste precious time to fix problems that we already know exist, from the Senate recount.

Calls for delay to the election reform package moving through the Legislature are completely unjustified. No matter what the Supreme Court decides in Coleman vs. Franken, Minnesota's election system needs reforms that can only be enacted through the legislative process.

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Forum editorial: Minnesota can make vote better

Election reforms proposed by Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie would improve a system that already is one of the best in the nation. The reforms would not be wholesale changes, but rather pragmatic refinements. They should be embraced by the Legislature.

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LTE: Election Reform, Early Voting

Because Minnesota already allows voters to register and vote same day, we routinely lead the nation in voter turnout, early voting is the logical next step. I hope that our legislators in St. Paul recognize that early voting is good for Minnesota, and will vote for it this legislative session.

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Time for election reform

From the editorial board of the Fergus Falls Daily Journal:

If there’s one thing we’ve learned since the November elections, it’s that our voting system isn’t perfect. It might be one of the best in the nation, but some flaws exist.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was in Fergus Falls Thursday to discuss some election reform bills inching their way through the Legislature. He expects them to clear both the House and Senate. When that happens we encourage Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign the bills into law.

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