FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ​May 13, 2020

News from ​Minnesota Voice

Contact:​ Kevin Whelan, ​kevin@minnesotavoice.org​, (612) 414-9731 or

Wintana Melekin, Executive Director, ​wintana@minnesotavoice.org​, (651)808-5589

Minnesota Legislature Must Take Further Steps to Make Voting Safe, Secure
Expanding vote by mail is a public health need

St. Paul, MN - On Tuesday, May 12, Governor Tim Walz signed legislation to improve voting
accessibility and modernize election security. The legislation allocates Help America Vote Act
(HAVA) funds to ensure the health and safety of election officials and voters, and includes
preparation for increased absentee voting, new polling locations, and public outreach for
implementing social distancing guidelines related to voting during the COVID pandemic.

“We are glad that Governor Walz and legislators from both parties worked together on these
critical steps towards carrying out safe elections this year; t​ he Minnesota Legislature should
also establish a plan now to ​mail every registered Minnesota voter a ballot so they have the
chance vote from home​,”​ said Wintana Melekin, Executive Director of Minnesota Voice​.
“Minnesotans from all walks of life need to be able to make our voices heard now more than
ever, without risking the health and safety of our families. ​Helping as many citizens across the
state as we can vote by mail is critical to public health and democracy.”

A wide variety of civic groups have spoken out about the need to implement broader access to
mail-in ballots, as well as making onsite voting as safe and accessible as possible this year.
Last Friday ​leaders and members of the League of Women Voters Minnesota, the Minneapolis
NAACP, the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Youth Collective and the
SEIU-Healthcare Minnesota and Minnesota Voice held an audio press conference to discuss
the need for safe voting procedures including statewide access to voting by mail during
COVID-19.

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Minnesota Voice is a member-based coalition of non-profit organizations working toward

permanent change in racial, social, and economic justice by increasing civic engagement and
voter participation across the state, especially focused in underrepresented communities;
making sure that every Minnesotans’ voice is heard, and the state reflects the values of its
people.