Ensuring accessible, secure and fair elections

In 2020, Minnesota broke a record when 79.9 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the general election and has led the nation in voter turnout three of the last four years.  

In 2022, Maine, Oregon and Wisconsin beat us for the top spot — they were all above 60 percent voter turnout, while Minnesota was at 59 percent.

So, what can we expect to happen this year? What’s in the works to try to help Minnesota reclaim the top spot as the number one state for voter turnout? 

And what are election officials doing to ensure the election system is fair?  

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests explore what we know about who votes, who is less likely to vote — and why — and what you can do to boost voter turnout this election year. 

Guests:

• Steve Simon is Minnesota’s Secretary of State. His department partners with township, city and county officials to organize elections on behalf of Minnesota’s nearly four million eligible voters, and to ensure that the election system is fair. In July, he was named President of the National Association of Secretaries of State. 

• Brian Fullman is a lead organizer with ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota, where he directs the work for the Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative. He is a leader with the organization, We Choose Us — a coalition of over 40 community organizations working to build a multiracial democracy that represents every community in the state of Minnesota.

For more information on elections and voting, check out: mnvotes.gov

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.