Planned Parenthood Advocate

Minnesota Same-Day Voter Registration Information - It’s Not Too Late!

All the discussion about voter registration and voter ID laws can be confusing. The Minnesota deadline to pre-register to vote was October 16. It’s not too late to register to vote. Minnesota allows voters to use same-day registration to vote. According to the MN Secretary of State, over 500,000 people used same-day registration in 2008. In fact, around 61% of voters in Minnesota have used same-day registration at some point.

Minnesota allows voters to register on Election Day at their polling place. Same-day registration isn’t just for new voters. If you were previously registered to vote but have moved, changed your name or have not voted for four consecutive years you will need to use same day registration. Also, if you received a notice of late registration from your county auditor or city clerk you will need to use same day registration. Minnesota provides a helpful voter registration lookup to check your registration.

Find out if you're registered here. 

If you need to use same day registration, you will need to provide proof of residence. There are a variety of ways through which you can do so.

Here's what to bring.

In addition, if you live in a nursing home, veterans home, group housing, homeless shelter, battered women’s shelter, or transitional housing you can still register to vote! An employee of the facility you live in can vouch for your residency through a written form.

Are you worried about getting to the polls? For some facilities (like nursing homes) the law allows you to designate someone to bring you a ballot. You will need to fill out a request form and the links are provided below.

Residential Facility Registration

Residential Facility Voting

So what’s all this about voter ID? The ballot for the 2012 election will include a proposed amendment to change the Minnesota Constitution. Voters will decide whether to change the constitution or to leave the constitution the way it currently is. Voting registration and procedures will remain the same for the 2012 election. However, if passed, these changes would severely impact future elections, including ending same-day voter registration. It would change how you vote, who can vote, and increase the financial cost of elections.

Voter Restriction Amendment Impact On Future Elections

Marriage Amendment: Not In the Hands of Voters

Supporters of the Marriage Amendment, including the group Minnesota for Marriage, predict catastrophic dangers for Minnesota if the Marriage Amendment fails to pass. The Amendment would define marriage only between one man and one woman. It would also make it a constitutional requirement to only recognize marriage between one man and one woman.

Supporters of the proposal argue that unless the measure passes marriage will be redefined for everyone, education will change, religious organizations will face legal trouble, individuals who oppose same-sex marriage will face legal trouble, poverty will increase, and marriage rates will decrease.

Is this future of Minnesota? Just next door, Iowa has allowed same-sex marriages since 2009. According to the CDC marriage rates and divorce rates have pretty much remained the same. In fact, the only measurable change has been economic. Same-sex unions have added millions of dollars to the Iowa economy. Between wedding arrangements and tourism it is estimated that same-sex marriage has contributed between $12-$20 million dollars to the state’s economy.

Several months after the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, the Des Moines Register polled Iowans on the issue. About 40 percent said they supported banning same-sex marriage. Another 40 percent were not in favor of a ban. Most importantly, 92% of Iowans stated that same-sex marriage had no impact on their lives.

This amendment doesn’t ban same-sex marriage. The state of Minnesota already prohibits same-sex marriage. The state also does not recognize same-sex marriages- including couples that were legally married in other states. This amendment doesn’t protect school curriculum from changing. This amendment doesn’t protect individual opinion regarding same-sex marriage or the LGBT community. Individuals can still publicly support or publicly oppose same-sex marriage.

Supporters of this amendment argue that it allows voters to decide the future of same-sex marriage in Minnesota. This amendment would not allow citizens to challenge current same-sex marriage laws through the court system. It would also not allow the issue to be decided through the legislative process. Most importantly, it would not allow voters to decide.

If this amendment passes, the only way to change it would be through another amendment repealing the first one. This can only occur every two years. Minnesota doesn’t allow citizens to petition to place an amendment on the ballot.  In order to repeal this amendment a majority of the state house and senate would have to vote to put it on the ballot. This process only leaves the decision to voters if the legislature decides to give it to voters.

To read the amendments as they will appear on the ballot please check out the Minnesota Secretary of State's website: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=1719

Planned Parenthood Votes “No” on Both Proposed Amendments

   
 This November, Minnesotans will be asked to vote on two proposed amendments to our constitution.  One, a marriage amendment, would limit the freedom to marry, specifically excluding same sex couples from marrying.  The other amendment, a Voter Restriction measure, would ask that each voter provide a valid, government-issued, photo identification before they can vote.  Planned Parenthood stands in opposition to both of these amendments, and hopes that you will vote “no” this Novemeber. Here’s why: 

    On the surface, voter identification seeks to ensure that each ballot cast is a valid one, by attempting to prevent people from voting twice or ineligible voters voting. In reality, Minnesota has one of the cleanest election systems and there is little to no evidence of voter fraud.  What’s more, the effects of a measure like this would do just the opposite, disenfranchising large groups of voters. Students, the elderly, the poor, members of our military and women would all be disproportionately affected by a measure like this, limiting their ability to participate in the democratic process. Additionally, the measure would make it more difficult to vote absentee or register on election day, letting people cast only “provisional ballots,” meaning their vote isn’t counted until after the initial ballot count.

Planned Parenthood at the Big Gay Race

This past Saturday, over 6,000 walkers and runners participated in the Big Gay Race—a fundraiser to defeat the constitutional amendment that would restrict Minnesotans’ rights to marry. And, for the 2^nd year in a row (!!!), Planned Parenthood was a proud official sponsor of the race, with over 100 people joining Planned Parenthood’s Big Gay Race Team! It was an incredible event and encouraging to see so many passionate people ready to stand up and fight for the rights of all Minnesotans!

Last year, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota officially declared it’s opposition to the amendment and is working hard to make sure that this fall Minnesotans vote NO. Planned Parenthood has always stood up for people’s right to make life’s most profound and intimate choices and understands that the health and well-being of all Minnesotan families is fundamental to strong communities.

A big thanks goes out to Senator Scott Dibble who was the Planned Parenthood Team Captain. Thanks for firing up the team and leading us to the finish! 

A very special thanks to all Planned Parenthood runners, walkers, and volunteers, who joined the team to send a strong message that Planned Parenthood Stands with ALL Families.

Finally, thanks to everyone who stopped by our table, said hello, and signed Planned Parenthood’s Pledge to Vote No Cards!

Thank you ALL for standing up and helping make sure that Minnesota votes no!

 Check out some of the race day photos below! (Or view the whole album on facebook!)

 

Planned Parenthood's Team at the Big Gay Race.