Happy Mother’s Day—wishing all moms a wonderful weekend!
The final weeks of the 2021 Legislative Session are here—we are working hard in St. Paul to pass a balanced budget after a difficult year. The legislature will spend the remaining time debating budgets & legislation in conference committees that establishes sound laws, and important programs—and passing final bills on the Senate Floor. The legislature will adjourn on Monday, May 17th.
Minnesota Senate Approves Voter ID Requirement
The Minnesota Senate on Monday approved a broadly popular bill that would require Minnesotans to present a valid photo identification for in-person, absentee, and mail-in voting. The bill also establishes a new voter identification card that would be available free of charge to individuals who lack proper identification and cannot afford it. The bill would make Minnesota the 37th state to require some form of identification to vote.
“This is common sense legislation that allows us to restore credibility, integrity, and security to our election process—voting is such an important right, and we need to do what we can to support and enhance the integrity of every election by upholding the rights of every legal voter. Minnesotans lack trust in our system, and with this bill, we can aim to restore faith in our voting system.”
Voter ID is widely popular throughout the United States. A recent Rasmussen survey found the issue garners 75% support. In Minnesota, the nonpartisan think tank Center of the American Experiment recently found voter ID enjoys 69% support.
The bill guarantees that not a single legal voter would be disenfranchised by the new requirement. Individuals unable to provide valid proof of identity or residence would be able to cast a provisional ballot, allowing a period-of-time to prove their identity. If a voter exhausts all options and is still unable to provide documentation, that voter would be allowed to sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury affirming they are a legal voter—and would then have their ballot counted. Same-day voter registration would also remain intact.
In the 2008 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County, the Court held that an Indiana law requiring a photo ID to vote did not violate the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, the Court held there are “legitimate state interests” in voting laws requiring photo ID, including deterring, detecting, and preventing voter fraud—improving and modernizing election procedures, and safeguarding voter confidence in elections. Finally, the Court also held that federal law authorizes states to use a photo identification requirement to determine an individual’s eligibility to vote.
Governor’s Reopening Minnesota Announcement
The Governor’s announcement this week is a step in the right direction—but it is not enough. The pandemic emergency has ended—the mandates and executive orders need to end, and we need to get on with life. The Governor is still working on his own, continuing to shut out the Legislature. We still have a long way to go.
Vaccines have been made widely available, our businesses have complied with stringent mandates, and our families and businesses have suffered through an entire year. In the face of so many hardships, Minnesotans did what they needed to stop the spread because they were told things would return to “normalcy” with their cooperation. We cannot truly begin recovering until ALL mandates are lifted and the executive orders expire. Minnesotans are ready for the state to fully reopen.
The Senate has worked diligently to pass legislation that safely reopens businesses and venues—and provided an off-ramp for the eviction moratorium. We have also passed legislation that ensures this unilateral control never hinders our State and businesses again.
Staying in Touch
Thank you for taking the time to read my legislative update. If you’re looking to hear more from the Capitol, please like me on Facebook.
As always please feel free to contact my office with any questions you might have. My office can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4913 or at sen.carrie.ruud@senate.mn.
Talk to you soon!
Carrie Ruud