A voting operations, technology, and election resources account that assists local governments with certain election-related expenses would be the largest beneficiary of a supplemental funding bill.
Via HF4411, the account would receive an additional $3 million in fiscal year 2024 and $3.3 million in fiscal year 2025.
Passed, as amended, 83-44 by the House late Friday, the elections and campaign finance supplemental appropriations bill next heads to the Senate.
The supplemental spending target for elections is $500,000 in fiscal year 2025; however, more funds would be available due to some internal transfers and modifying 2021 and 2023 laws.
“The bill supports local elections officials through the VOTER account and ensures open and transparent information on who is influencing our local elections,” Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley), the bill sponsor, told the House Ways and Means Committee April 29.
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Other financial provisions would transfer $144,000 from the General Fund to the Voting Rights Act cost sharing account in the special revenue fund — money that could be used by local governments if the “Minnesota Voting Rights Act” becomes law — and $20,000 from the General Fund would go to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to notify local governments and update their systems to accept disclosures in local spending by political committees and funds.
This helps provide resources local election officials say they need, said Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL-Mpls).
Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) said one of the best things about the bill is that ranked choice voting is not included. Instead, HF3276, sponsored by Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), was amended Friday by the House Ways and Means Committee and is expected to reach the floor as a standalone bill.
A quintet of Republican-offered amendments were adopted, including those that would:
Amendments offered by Republicans that were rejected or ruled not germane, include ones that would: