Fast Forward

When it comes to voting, Minnesota makes it easy.  That was the headline in a November 2016 New York Times article about Minnesota's tradition of high voter participation. Some of the reasons cited in the story for high turnout were rooted in Minnesota values for effective government, community education and civic engagement.  Also noted is "Minnesota’s voting laws have long focused on removing barriers. In 1974 it became just the second state to embrace same-day registration, which remains essential: In 2012, close to one in five voters registered on the day they cast their ballots."  Joan Growe, Minnesota's former Secretary of State (1975 to 1999) as a state legislator supported the Minnesota same-day voter registration law (the first in the country) and later, as Secretary of State, worked to implement it. At her side expanding voter participation in Minnesota was Joe Mansky, now Ramsey County Elections Manager. In this conversation with Joan Growe and Joe Mansky we learn from the people who were there and