While Minneapolis voters gathered to organize and participate in grassroots democracy, lawmakers in Washington, D.C. moved forward with efforts that could strip voting rights from millions. At FairVote Minnesota, we’ve been working on both fronts—defending our democracy from attack and empowering Minnesotans to fully participate in their local elections. Legislative Update: A Mixed Session
Spring break begins tomorrow at the Minnesota Legislature, and committees are hustling to finalize their omnibus budget bills ahead of the third legislative deadline. Unfortunately, the Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Local Option bill was not included in the Elections Omnibus bill. The bill stalled after an early hearing in the Senate Elections Committee when it became clear it lacked the votes to advance in the evenly split House Elections Committee.
While we’re disappointed, this outcome wasn’t unexpected. The path was always going to be tough given the House tie and strong opposition from the Republican caucus. But there’s good news: our strong advocacy helped stop a bill that would have banned RCV statewide. The bill, carried by Senator Koran and Rep. Quam, didn’t even receive a hearing—a significant win. Still, we must remain vigilant to ensure it doesn’t gain traction next year in the second half of the biennium. Watch for opportunities to connect with your legislators over the legislative break to let them know how important RCV is to you, thank supporters for their efforts to advance it this year, and invite those who are not yet on board to have a conversation and learn more. |
|
|
Democracy Defense
Republican-led efforts to ban RCV are escalating—not just here, but nationwide. RCV is now banned in multiple states, with our neighbor Iowa potentially next. And just last week, a bill was introduced in Congress to ban RCV across the entire country.
We are mobilizing against it and will soon share action steps you can take to help stop this national ban in its tracks.
This attack on RCV is part of a broader assault on our democratic institutions. The House of Representatives has passed the SAVE Act, which would require in-person documentary proof of citizenship every time someone updates their voter registration. This would create significant barriers for voters who don’t have easy access to documentation—particularly women who have changed their names, trans voters, young voters without passports, newly naturalized citizens, rural voters, and more. The bill now goes to the Senate, where we have to do everything we can to stop it.
|
And in March, former President Trump signed an Executive Order seeking to impose new federal control over elections, further intensifying the threat.
The attack on democracy is real—and overwhelming. But that’s why staying informed, united, and active is more important than ever. Together, we can not only defend democracy—we can strengthen it. |
Action Spotlight: Hands Off Democracy Petition On April 5, during the national Hands Off Democracy Day of Action, we launched a petition calling on Minnesota to pass Ranked Choice Voting and build a stronger, more resilient, and inclusive democracy.
Our current system is too rigid and fragile for the future. RCV is a key reform to make our elections fairer, more resilient, and more representative. More than 1,000 rally-goers at the Capitol signed the petition—and that number would’ve been even higher if we’d had more volunteers to circulate it! |
RCV Season Begins in Minneapolis
This Tuesday marked the official start of the Minneapolis election season, with voters packing schools and churches across the city for precinct caucuses. More than 5,000 people showed up—the most since the 2016 presidential election. Rooms across the city were packed and full of democracy in action. In contrast to the anti-democratic scene playing out in the federal government, Minneapolis voters showed up ready to participate in the democratic process and work as a community to solve the issues in front of them.
High turnout was driven by voters wanting to get engaged right now and the many competitive races on the ballot, including the mayor’s race. While delegate counts are still being tallied, it is clear that there will be a massive number of uncommitted delegates at the city convention in July: underscoring the importance of RCV in a highly crowded mayoral field.
FairVote MN volunteers were there in full force at every caucus site, reminding voters that RCV is the method they’ll use this fall—and encouraging everyone to rank their choices!
Elections in the other four Minnesota RCV cities will ramp up later this spring and summer. Just like in Minneapolis, we’ll be out in full force educating and engaging voters to ensure they understand the power of ranking their ballots. Sign up to become an RCV education volunteer! |
Thank You
To everyone who showed up at the Capitol, contacted your legislators, attended town halls, and rallied for democracy—thank you. Your voice matters, and your actions make a difference. Let’s keep the momentum going! Team FairVote MN |
|
|
FairVote Minnesota
550 Vandalia Street, Suite 210
Saint Paul, MN 55114
United States unsubscribe
|
|
| |
