Are you familiar with current Minnesota voting laws or some of the proposed changes to voting laws in the future? The best way to protect your rights as a voter is to be informed, which is why we encourage you to visit our voting page for additional information on voting basics.

Some of the rights Minnesota voters have include:

After the 2020 election cycle, many states are grappling with partisan forces on both sides of the aisle attempting to modify voting laws. Minnesota has its own set of competing omnibus bills that include modifications to voting laws going through the State House and Senate.

Minnesota led the nation in voter turnout in the past three election cycles – 2016, 2018 and 2020 – with nearly 80 percent of all eligible voters in the state casting a ballot.

Under current laws, voters who register on Election Day in Minnesota can have their votes counted like normal. In 2020, almost 260,000 people registered to vote on Election Day. In 2016 it was even higher at 350,000 Election-Day voter registrations, which accounted for over 10 percent of all the votes cast that year.

A new bill floated by the state’s Republican-controlled Senate would have Election Day-registered votes be set aside and only counted after their address and eligibility requirements were verified by election officials. Under the Senate’s proposal, if a voter who registered or re-registered on Election Day had their ballot challenged, they would potentially need to show up in person with proof that they are eligible to vote.

Republicans aren’t necessarily saying the votes of Minnesotans who registered on Election Day shouldn’t be counted, but that they should be set aside for a week while their eligibility is determined.

On the other end of the political spectrum is the Democrat’s proposed modification that would automatically register eligible Minnesota adults to vote when they apply for either a state ID or a drivers’ license. Their proposal would include an “opt-out” not an “opt-in” feature for these automatic voter registrations.

Both of these election bills are attached to omnibus state government financing bills rather than their own separate laws. As of this writing, it’s the Senate Omnibus bill that includes the Election Day registration modifications, while the  House’s bill contains the automatic voter registration. What will end up happening in Minnesota on voter registration is unsettled, as this is still early days in the process.

If you feel as if  your civil rights, including the ability to vote, have been violated and you believe you would benefit from legal representation, the Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service (MNLRIS) may be able to assist in your search.

Our non-profit organization, sponsored by the Hennepin and Ramsey county bar associations, helps people find the right lawyers for their legal needs. You can schedule an initial consultation by visiting our website or you can speak with a lawyer referral counselor by calling (612) 752-6699.

The post Minnesota Voting Laws to Keep in Mind in 2022 first appeared on Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service.