Minnesota News

New rules open doors for new voters
Column: As I See It

Cook County News-Herald

Josh Winters,Guest columnist

Our democracy just got a little bit wider. New rules adopted this week by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office will expand access to our electoral process. The rules provide new opportunities to engage underrepresented communities in the political process by expanding access for students, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness and more.

Minneapolis voters approved Charter Amendment No. 161 adopting Instant Runoff Voting as the method to be used by the City of Minneapolis in conducting its Municipal Elections. This report is first a series of updates that will be created as the Elections Department moves forward with implementation.

For additional information regarding Instant Runoff Voting, please visit the Election Department website at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/elections/ or call us at (612) 673-2070.

State-mandated audit a success, officials and advocates say

electionline Weekly - December 14, 2006, electionline.org

I. In Focus This Week, By Sean Greene

Minnesota's first-ever post-election review - a manual count of votes from randomly-selected precincts in the state - drew raves from two sides that do not always see eye-to-eye, election officials and advocacy groups.

The Minnesota Daily Opinion

After two consecutive presidential elections ended in contention - most dramatically the 2000 election, because of ballot irregularities - many states and cities have switched to new voting technology to help ensure "hanging chads" never again enter American political discourse. But, in doing so, many have rushed ill-prepared into a system without fail-safes to guarantee that every vote is counted properly.

This year all Minnesotans will vote electronically. While computer hacking is a concern, Minnesota's system is the best available, outside experts say.

John Reinan, Star Tribune

In the coming weeks, nearly 3 million Minnesotans will vote in primary and general elections. And for the first time, every one of their votes will be entrusted to a computer.

There would be no primary. Voters would rank candidates on the city election ballot in one-two-three order; totals would decide the race.
Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune

Voting may become as easy as one, two, three for Minneapolis residents.

The city's voters will likely have a chance to decide this fall if they want to replace conventional elections with instant-runoff balloting.