REGIONAL — Minnesota could soon join a majority of states in sending voters a detailed guide ahead of general elections, under a proposal moving through the Legislature.
The House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee on Wednesday, March 25, laid over a bill that would require the state to produce and distribute a statewide voter guide before each general election. Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley) is sponsoring the measure.
If approved, the Office of the Secretary of State would be responsible for publishing the guide and mailing it to every household with at least one registered voter at least 53 days before Election Day. Copies would also be distributed to public locations such as libraries and college campuses.
Minnesota would become the 33rd state to offer some version of a voter guide, according to testimony on the bill.
The proposed guide would include basic voting information and election details, including:
• Voter eligibility requirements.
• Maps of House and Senate districts.
• Voter registration and absentee ballot application forms.
• Instructions on how to vote.
• Contact information for major political parties.
• Candidate statements and contact information.
• Information on proposed constitutional amendments.
The materials would be available in English and the three most commonly spoken non-English languages in the state, as determined by the state demographer.
Supporters say the guide would make it easier for voters to access reliable, centralized information. Halla Henderson, director of public policy and research for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, said the effort would help ensure voters are informed before heading to the polls.
“This legislation helps ensure that every Minnesotan has the information they need to show up at the polls as an informed voter,” Henderson wrote. The main sticking point, as usual, comes down to cost and format.
The proposal carries an estimated price tag of $1.9 million in fiscal year 2027, prompting pushback from some Republican lawmakers who question whether a printed guide is necessary.
Rep. Drew Roach (R-Farmington) said he would prefer an online version, calling it easier to access and significantly less expensive.
Supporters of the printed version countered that digital-only guides often fail to reach large portions of the electorate.
Nicole Freeman, government relations director for the Office of the Secretary of State, said other states that shifted to online-only guides saw limited engagement, citing one example where a guide drew about 20,000 views in a state with millions of voters.
State officials also noted that while election information is already available online, it is spread across multiple sources.
Jonah Rothstein, a special assistant to Secretary of State Steve Simon, said Minnesota currently lacks a single, comprehensive resource that is distributed directly to voters.
The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a larger elections or state government finance package.