On a party line vote of 34-32, Minnesota Senate Republicans advanced a proposal imposing unnecessary burdens on Minnesotans and their right to vote, despite already being rejected by Minnesota voters when it was proposed as a constitutional amendment in 2012.
In response, Assistant Minority Leader Nick Frentz (DFL- North Mankato), Senator Mary Kunesh (DFL-New Brighton), and Senator Lindsey Port (DFL-Burnsville) released the following statements:
“This bill makes it harder for Minnesotans to vote, particularly for our seniors, for those who live in rural areas, and for those who have a disability, Greater Minnesota has a higher percentage of people in these populations and, therefore, would be disproportionately affected. said Assistant Minority Leader Nick Frentz. “Minnesota has an incredible history of high voter turnout and election integrity. We need to work together to create a path forward to expand voting access and make more voices heard in Minnesota, not create more barriers for Minnesotans to vote.”
“Minnesota has a long history of welcoming new Americans from all over the world and we should ensure everyone – our Indigenous community, a 6th generation Minnesotan, or someone who newly calls Minnesota home — has a say in who represents them,” said Senator Mary Kunesh. “We are hearing from the community that voting can be an intimidating and complicated process for anyone, and adding new, complicated, and restrictive barriers will not only confuse, but intimidate first-time voters — especially if someone is new to our system of government or has limited knowledge of the English language. We must make the process more accessible so everyone can be represented in our democracy.”
“Minnesotans want us to expand access to voting, not restrict it. The only thing this bill will do is make it more difficult for people to make their voices heard,” said Senator Lindsey Port. “Voter ID would put restrictions in place that would make it more difficult for seniors, those with disabilities, people living in rural communities, and communities of color to vote. Minnesotans rejected this proposal before, and we join them in rejecting these efforts again today.”
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