House Dems push change to state election law

Democrats in the Minnesota House are advancing changes to state election law that have some bipartisan support, but also differ sharply from a Senate plan.

The House Elections Committee on Thursday approved an omnibus election bill. Unlike the Senate plan, the House legislation includes a provision to link the state's electoral votes for president to the national popular vote. The bill does not include the early voting or June primary provisions that Senate Democrats favor.

Republican Rep. Tim Sanders of Blaine said the House bill could get broad bipartisan support with a few more changes.

"There's a couple issues in there that will cause members' concern, especially national popular vote, on both sides of the aisle," Sanders said. "So, it's moving in the right direction. It has a couple more stops. But I think this bill, it's almost there."

Some provisions are the same in both the House and Senate bills, including no-excuse absentee voting, a higher threshold for triggering automatic taxpayer-funded recounts, and tighter controls over felon voting rights.

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