Minnesota Democrats use new majorities to enact major voting rights expansion

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has signed a new law on Friday that enacts a major expansion of voting access policies and campaign finance reforms intended to strengthen democracy in Minnesota. Democrats passed the legislation along party lines after unexpectedly winning back the state Senate last year, a victory that gave them control over state government for the first time in nearly a decade.

The legislation, titled the "Democracy for the People Act," contains a number of provisions to improve state elections, including measures to:

• Establish automatic voter registration at several state agencies such as those covering driver’s licenses, the state’s low-income health care program, and more.

• Allow 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote so that they'll automatically be added to the rolls once they turn 18.

• Allow voters to opt into permanently receiving a mail ballot in every future election.

• Expand multilingual ballots and election materials.

• Create a public campaign finance system by giving voters two $25 "Democracy Dollar" vouchers that they can donate to candidates or parties of their choice.

• Require "dark money" independent campaign groups to disclose the identities of their donors and prohibit "foreign-influenced corporations" from spending money on elections.

• Impose stronger penalties on voter intimidation.