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State Representative Paul Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4317
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
GUEST COLUMN
BILL WOULD OPEN POLLS PRIOR TO GENERAL ELECTIONS
By State Rep. Paul Anderson
An item discussed recently in this column having to do with expanded elections came up in the Government Operations Committee March 10. The bill, which was approved, would allow voters to cast their ballots up to 15 days before the regularly scheduled general election. It would be up to the auditors in each county to determine how many polling places would be in their respective counties.
Absentee voting would remain unchanged. What this bill would do is allow anyone to vote between 15 and four days before the election, without having to give a reason. A question I raised had to do with out-state counties and how they would handle this possible new legislation. It’s expected that personnel in the auditor’s office would act as election judges and supervise the voting procedure with residents. And it was assumed that smaller precincts would not be forced to offer early voting, although that decision would be up to the county auditor.
Those who testified in favor of the bill mentioned its convenience for those who didn’t like standing in line to vote. The elderly could also have an easier time of voting, as they could do it when they were able to get rides to the court house, for example.
Slight opposition was raised by one legislator who said that the current system is working fine. We have a high voter turnout now, he said, and this new system may give rise to more chances for error.
It was also mentioned that this could change a long time-honored tradition of voting on Election Day.
The best thing this bill would affect, in my opinion, is absentee voting. Our long Senate recount, which basically hinges on whether or not certain absentee ballots are counted, has shown there are flaws in that system. Many of those who previously voted by absentee ballot could now vote this new way. They would go into the auditor’s office and vote with the machine, and if a mistake was made, the voter would know right away and could do it again.
On a related note, the Voter I.D. bill, which was defeated several weeks ago in this same committee, was brought up again. An amendment to attach it to the early-voting bill was voted down.
I had never been caught in a snow storm in the Twin Cities until the evening of March 10. Although visibility and wind-chill conditions, I’m sure, were much worse out-state, the highways in the metro area were extremely slippery. I made the mistake of trying to make it to a grocery store and had to drive up a fairly steep hill after crossing the Mississippi River. The car in front of me came to a stop, and only after his spinning tires had melted the ice underneath, could he jump ahead a few feet. That process continued until the car finally made it to the top.
Another car turned side-ways as it came up to a stop light. I inched along and made it to the store, but I thought this was way too dangerous, all in the effort of picking up milk and a loaf of bread. And going down that same hill still had to be managed. Talked to a fellow legislator, and he related putting one side of his car up over the curb of the street so he could control his speed while going down a hill.
Thanks to all those who attended our town hall meetings. They were well-attended and many good suggestions came out of the meetings.
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Rep. Anderson encourages constituents to contact his new office with input regarding any state legislative issue. He can be reached on the web at www.house.mn/13A and via email at rep.paul.anderson@house.mn. To contact Anderson by phone, call (651) 296-4317. Mail can be sent to Rep. Paul Anderson, 239 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.
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