Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

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Minnesota lawmakers polished up the state’s election laws before adjourning this week, addressing some issues that tripped up races last year and changing a system some blamed for slowing down Election Night results.

The last bill approved before the regular session closed Monday made a series of changes that will mostly affect election administration but also put the onus on voters to return absentee ballots sooner.

Minnesota voters opting to cast absentee ballots will have an earlier deadline to turn them in on Election Day. Envelopes containing those ballots would have to get to county auditors or municipal clerks by 5 p.m. — a few hours earlier than the prior 8 p.m. deadline. 

Republican lawmakers pushed for the change to speed up ballot collection and processing on election night and enough Democrats agreed to get it across the finish line. The 8 p.m. deadline was put in place to match the in-person voting deadline but it also caused officials in some places to hold off on counting and reporting absentee figures, which critics say slowed the overall results.

The bill also includes a variety of other changes to ballot collection and security requirements as well as candidate filing timelines during special elections.

“I am very proud of the work that we did and we had some tough discussions in the committees,” Rep. Pam Altendorf, R-Red Wing, said. “I’m excited to say we have a bipartisan elections bill and for that I’m excited to see our elections have the support this year.”

Rep. Mike Freiberg, DFL-Golden Valley, agreed the proposal included a lot of compromise, “commonsense provisions.”

Lawmakers considered but ultimately left out a proposal to make it a felony to offer someone money or a chance to win in exchange for voting in a certain way, registering to vote or signing a petition related to an election. DFL lawmakers wanted a restriction to head off occurrences like Elon Musk’s campaign earlier this year to send money to Wisconsin voters for signing a petition opposing certain judges.

Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, argued it would have prevented the influence of wealthy individuals or groups in Minnesota elections.

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“This really is to get to the idea that millions of dollars were spent in 2024 and in this last election in Wisconsin to try to induce people to vote and from my standpoint, Madame chair and members, it seems to me that this is something we should all be able to vote in favor of,” Westlin said during a conference committee meeting on Monday. “Certainly we should not be inducing people to vote by offering money.”

In the end, it was on the cutting-room floor.

 is headed to Walz. He is expected to sign it into law.

Dana Ferguson

Author

A broader state and local government bill also makes changes barring polling places to be in a place where cannabis products are served or sold.

Earlier absentee deadline, added election safeguards part of bill approved by Minnesota lawmakers

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