ST. CLOUD (WJON News) - The 2022 Cost Of Voting Index gives Minnesota low marks for voter access.

The index places Minnesota 24th in the nation in ease of voting, South Dakota ranks 37th, and North Dakota ranks 10th.

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While the score puts the state in the middle of the pack, the index is quick to point out Minnesota has long been a leader in voting legislation, and other states are just now catching up.

Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer Diane Arnold. Submitted by Sherburne County
Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer Diane Arnold. Submitted by Sherburne County
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Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer Diane Arnold agrees, saying it’s still very easy to vote in Minnesota. In fact, registered voters don’t have to worry about forgetting an ID.

If you are a registered voter and nothing has changed, your address hasn't changed, your name hasn't changed, you don't need to bring any ID. It's not a requirement in Minnesota as of yet.

Arnold also says registering to vote is easy. Voter registration is available at the polls on Election Day.

You can register on the day of the elections to vote. You would need to bring in your photo ID and a current utility bill or another qualifying document that the election judges will take a look at, you'd fill out that voter registration application and they would review that and make sure that you're in the correct voting precinct. And they would then get a voter receipt to take to the ballot judge to get a ballot.

While it may be easy to vote in Minnesota, Arnold stresses there are a number of safeguards to make sure every vote is legal, including procedures to make sure everyone only votes once. However, it all starts with an oath the voter takes.

That's on the application that they're filling out and the oath that they are taking at the polling location on Election day. There is an oath that they should be reading indicating that they are of legal voting age and they don't have any felonies. They're making a claim to that.

Early voting is available at the Sherburne County Government Center:

  • 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Friday,
  • Saturday, November 5th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
  • Monday, November 7th from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

 

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