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.”
Among the changes:
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Election judge party balance requirements were changed to make clear that “each major political party must be represented by at least one election judge in each precinct.” Election judge oaths were amended to include a pledge to avoid sharing information about voting “that I know to be materially false and will not intentionally hinder, interfere with or prevent a person from voting, registering to vote, or aiding another person in casting a ballot or registering to vote, except as specifically required by law.”
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It prohibits a Minnesota polling place from being located in a place or next to one where cannabis products are served or sold. Similar restrictions exist in law already prohibiting voting in close proximity to places where alcoholic beverages are served.
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Following a tight race in Shakopee where Rep. Brad Tabke won by 14 votes with 20 ballots determined to be missing, lawmakers also set new requirements for election officials. They must confirm that the number of ballots cast during early voting matches the number of signed voter certificates. Then all ballots at the early voting location — sealed or unsealed — must be secured there and stored.
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Another change comes after an issue emerged earlier this year when Gov. Tim Walz called a special election with little notice for prospective candidates. The election was rescheduled after the Supreme Court ruled it was called too hastily. In cases where the Legislature is in session, candidates must be given at least three days to file, not including holidays. When the Legislature isn’t in session, there must be at least five but up to 10 days to file outside of holidays.
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Starting next year, political or advocacy groups that mail out sample ballots or ballot applications will have to disclose that they’re not affiliated with a local unit of government. They must also make clear that sample ballots are not the real thing. This comes after some voters reported confusing or misleading sample ballots or applications were mailed to them.
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.
“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.
The broader bill is headed to Walz. He is expected to sign it into law.
