PAUL, MN — Last Friday, Common Cause Minnesota stood alongside Governor Tim Walz as he signed a bill that will restore voting rights for Minnesotans with felony convictions who are not currently incarcerated. The signing comes after the Minnesota Legislature passed SF26 and the companion bill HF28.

A huge step forward for voting rights in Minnesota, this success has been the culmination of two decades of advocacy by Common Cause Minnesota and our democracy partners on the Restore the Vote Coalition. Throughout this time, Common Cause Minnesota and our growing base of almost 18,000 multipartisan members statewide have worked on voting restoration, from mobilizing statewide advocacy and legislative action to filing an amicus brief in Schroeder v. Minnesota Secretary of State.

Statement of Annastacia Belladonna-Carerra, Common Cause Minnesota Executive Director

“This is an exciting time for democracy in Minnesota. We took action to bring greater parity around voting rights in Minnesota.

The signing of the Restore the Vote legislation is an important step in dismantling the racially tainted legacy that is disenfranchisement laws. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and this bill means that thousands of Minnesotans will now be able to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Regardless of their record, Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to swiftly participate in our democratic process after the incarceration process has ended.

We know that today’s celebration is the beginning, not the end of the work. Common Cause Minnesota and our allies across the state will now turn our attention to making sure that people who are affected by this have the information and resources they need to fully participate in our democracy.”

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