Upcoming changes to Minnesota election law may change how and where voting occurs after 2024
Dec. 11—EAST GRAND FORKS — Changes to Minnesota election law could mean that after 2024, the city may no longer be able to offer absentee voting at City Hall.
The city has offered absentee voting at City Hall since 2018, and according to East Grand Forks City Clerk Megan Nelson, it's become increasingly popular with residents. However, changes to Minnesota election law and procedure that were passed by the Legislature in 2023 session could mean that future elections will cost more money and more manpower to conduct.
"The requirement for direct balloting would require us to pull election judges in sooner, and would greatly increase our costs," Nelson said. Currently, the personnel cost for election judges is $4,000. With the changes to absentee voting and direct balloting, it would increase to $12,000. Because of the increases in time and money, Nelson said finding enough election judges to administer an election would become increasingly difficult.
"I recently attended a meeting with Steve Simon, the secretary of state, and they asked for ideas. One that they pushed was getting younger people to come in," Nelson said. "In Minnesota, you can train 16- and 17-year-olds (as election judges). One suggestion we did give, since we are a border city, was using Grand Forks residents (to help with elections)."
Currently in Minnesota, an election judge has to be an eligible voter in the state. But by allowing North Dakota residents to help administer elections, it could help with the issue of not having enough people. According to Nelson, about half the election judges used in East Grand Forks elections have full-time jobs. To help with the election, they take time off.
"It'd be hard for them to take multiple days off prior to the election to work. It's a huge time commitment," Nelson said. "When (election judges) are putting in nine-hour days working up to a 16-hour day, I don't want to burn out my election judges."
According to the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, many of the changes to early voting won't be fully in place until after the 2024 election. Direct balloting, or filling a ballot and putting it into the tabulation machine, would start 18 days before the election if it's an absentee and early voting location. The state has also increased the weekend hours required for the general election.
Some of the changes that have gone into effect include the restoration of felon voting rights. Previously, people convicted of a felony were unable to vote until after the completion of supervised release. 16- and 17-year-olds are now also able to preregister to vote.
Changes in Minnesota law have also increased protections for election workers to prevent the intimidation, interference and obstruction of administering an election.
East Grand Forks residents won't see many changes for the three elections in 2024. The most notable changes are increased weekend voting hours before the general election, the deadline to turn in absentee ballots — now 8 p.m. on election day — and the requirement to print the ballot in the newspaper. Now, instead of requiring the whole ballot to be published, only a notice is required.
"(Sample ballots) can also be found online at the Secretary of State's website, if anyone needs assistance or would like a copy we can always print one off here at City Hall for them," Nelson said.
In 2024, The first election in Minnesota is the presidential primary on March 5, followed by the state primary election on Aug. 13 and the general election on Nov. 5. More information on election dates, rules, as well as voter registration information can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website,
www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting
.
