Elections chair sounds cautious note on expanded early voting

Former House member and now Secretary of State Steve Simon presents an office overview to the House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee Jan. 15. Photo by Andrew VonBank

Secretary of State Steve Simon told the House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee the high cost of absentee balloting warranted a look at allowing qualified voters to cast ballots in person prior to Election Day. Early voting can be one-quarter the cost to local election administrators, he said, and is in place in every neighboring state.

No legislation has been introduced.

“It just gives people another option, an overlay on what we already have,” said Simon, a former House member.

Rep. Tim Sanders (R-Blaine), the committee chair, said a measure opening the state up to more early voting measures just a year after state officials introduced no-excuse absentee balloting was unlikely.

“Our caucus, we feel like we just waded into early voting (with no-excuse absentee balloting) and we don’t have all the data yet,” Sanders said in an interview after the meeting.

Simon told lawmakers his office would likely also propose additional election reforms related to pre-registration of eligible high school students, shifting the state’s election primary and ballot redesign.