ST. PAUL, MN – Members of the House Elections Committee gathered in St. Paul today for the first-ever legislative hearing on a bill (HF 2096) to make online voter registration and absentee ballot requests permanent options for all eligible Minnesota voters.
The bill’s chief author and Committee Chair, Steve Simon (DFL – Hopkins), kicked off the hearing by praising his colleagues’ commitment to “opening doors for all eligible Minnesota voters,” referencing bipartisan accomplishments from last year’s Legislative Session such as establishing no-excuses absentee voting and expanding mail balloting.
“Now it’s time to make voting and registering to vote more accessible,” said Simon of the committee’s work in the year ahead.
With just under one month left until the start of the 2014 Legislative Session, lawmakers used today’s informational-only hearing as an opportunity to become more familiar with the bill’s details and ask questions. A diverse group of individuals from all backgrounds and expertise testified before the committee, including Minnesota’s deputy Secretary of State, county-level government officials, representatives from the League of Women Voters – Minnesota, college students, and legal advocates for people with disabilities.
“This is something counties have been asking for for a number of years,” said Stearns County Auditor and Treasurer Randy Schreifels. “Online voter registration is more convenient for the citizen and it saves the county a lot of time and money.”
Crow Wing County Taxpayer Services Manager Deborah Erickson echoed those sentiments, explaining that “with an online process, counties will be able to serve the voter in a more efficient way without incurring additional costs.”
Deputy Secretary of State Beth Fraser pointed out that online voter registration is not a new concept, noting how Arizona became the first state to offer it to voters in 2002. Fraser also highlighted “incredible cost savings” achieved through online registration. “In Arizona, it costs the state $0.83 to process a paper application as opposed to $0.03 online.”
Although those amounts look small on an individual basis, it could add up to huge taxpayer savings for Minnesota, a state that consistently leads the nation in voter turnout.
Steve Schmidt, an attorney with the Minnesota Disability Law Center, underscored how online voter registration makes a positive difference not only in terms of savings for taxpayers, but also in Minnesotans’ ability to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
“Historically, people with disabilities have faced significant barriers to registering and voting. We believe that HF 2096 will make it easier for individuals with disabilities to vote, and will encourage people with disabilities to more fully engage in the political process.”
Sherri Knuth, Policy and Outreach Manager for the League of Women Voters – Minnesota, said the League will be marking their 95th anniversary this year and plans to continue their tradition of ensuring that every citizen’s right to vote is protected by backing the online registration bill.
“Online registration is recommended in two very recent national reports: a bipartisan report by the Presidential Commission on Election Administration and a nonpartisan report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. In addition, the National Conference of State Legislatures calls online registration a bipartisan trend in elections,” said Knuth.
“Online voter registration has proven successful in other parts of the country in saving taxpayer dollars, protecting the integrity of the system, and improving voters’ experiences. It eliminates costly steps involved with paper-based systems, among them transcribing handwritten forms.”
The House Elections Committee cannot take any official action or votes to advance HF 2096 to a floor vote until lawmakers kick off the 2014 Legislative Session on February 25. Until then, Rep. Simon says he will continue to highlight the bill’s benefits.
“My bill was shaped using ideas from both Democrats and Republicans, so I’m hopeful that people from both sides of aisle can find common ground on this issue,” said Simon. “This is an opportunity to increase participation in the democratic process, save taxpayer dollars, and make Minnesota’s best-in-the-nation elections system even better.”