Voting rights clash brewing at Minnesota Capitol

[TexasTowelie]

Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature want to dramatically limit the number of people who can vote by mail and require a photo ID at the polls, as they join conservative lawmakers across the nation in a tidal wave of proposals to tighten access to the democratic process.

In Minnesota, and in states like Georgia and Arizona that were key to delivering the White House and Congress to Democrats last year, Republicans argue the new policies would instill confidence in the U.S. voting system following the 2020 election, which saw former President Donald Trump promote baseless allegations of widespread fraud.

With a Democratic governor and state House majority, all major election law changes are unlikely in Minnesota this year. But Republicans who lead the state Senate have sprung off concern among conservatives over Trump's claims to renew their own long-standing push for stricter voting rules.

"It's been quite visible in terms of some of those concerns. The answer to that is transparency," said Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, a former secretary of state who is planning a public hearing on questions related to the 2020 election. "When folks ask these questions we should try to get them answered."

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/voting-rights-clash-brewing-at-minnesota-capitol/600031193/

[SergeStorms]

1. Republicans know...

that in free, fair, and honest elections they don't stand a chance. The demographics of the United States don't look like they did in their so-called halcyon days of Nixon and Reagan. The U. S.is truly a melting pot, and that pisses them off. If they had their way, only white, land owning males would be able to vote. It seems absurd that we have to fight them tooth and claw for voting rights that truly belong to everyone in our country. But fight we must, or there will be no future for our beloved nation.

[dflprincess]

2. Minnesota voters rejected voter ID in 2012

Last edited Sun Mar 7, 2021, 08:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Once again Republicans demonstrate they don't care what the voters want. Fortunately, as long as the DFL controls the House these suppression efforts will go no where.

[Ocelot II]

3. Back in 2004 Kiffmeyer did her damnedest as Secretary of State to make it harder

for Native people to vote by trying to limit the use of tribal IDs, and got shot down in federal court. Typical GOPer, trying to keep non-White people from voting. For decades MN has had one of the cleanest, most efficient election processes and the highest voting rate in the US, but we can't have that, can we? If the wrong people are voting.