Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

In 2024, the Minnesota Legislature stepped up once again and continued to remove barriers to voting and improve voter accessibility. Because of careful planning and coordination by the secretary of state’s office, the state was able to successfully implement a host of pro-voter initiatives passed in 2023 all while continuing efforts to increase access to the ballot box. Once again, Minnesota received an A+, our highest grade possible, on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Minnesota Started at the Beginning of 2024

• Automatic Voter Registration: Secure AVR
• Online Voter Registration: Open to all Eligible
• Same-Day Registration: Yes
• Restoration of Rights: Prison Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: In-Person Absentee
• ID Requirements: No Document Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Minnesota as of 2024, we considered the state a top tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other top tier states. Last year, Minnesota was considered a middle tier state.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2024): 13th
• EPI Score (2022): 8th
• CLC State Scorecard: 6/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2024): MEDIUM

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

The Minnesota Legislature continued to come up with new ways to expand voter protections in the state by passing the Minnesota Voting Rights Act (MNVRA), becoming the seventh state to enact a statewide voting rights act.

• HF 4772, establishes the MNVRA, which enshrines protections against racial discrimination in voting in state law and gives voters a legal path to fight back against discriminatory voting practices. The bill also allows counties and cities to site an additional polling place on a college or university campus in their jurisdiction, provides additional funds for election administration and makes it easier for unhoused individuals to register to vote, among other things.

Implementation Action

Implementation of the pro-voter policies passed in 2023 played a critical role this year, as Minnesota carefully and thoughtfully put numerous policies into place ahead of the 2024 elections. A few highlights of the state’s excellent work on implementation include:

• Minnesota completed its implementation of an automatic voter registration system ahead of schedule, launching the program in April 2024. Their successful implementation of AVR registered more than 63,000 new voters.
• The state also successfully implemented voter pre-registration. During the first four months it was coupled with AVR, the system pre-registered more than 25,000 16- and 17-year-olds.
• The secretary of state and Motor Vehicle Division teams closely monitored the AVR system’s launch and made valuable improvements to ensure its accuracy and effectiveness.