Minn. Legislature Backs Excuse-Free Absentee Votes

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Legislature has sent Gov. Mark Dayton a bill that lets anyone vote by absentee ballot without being forced to provide an excuse.

The change is included in a larger election policy bill the House and Senate passed on Monday with wide bipartisan support.

Current state law requires voters to attest one of a handful of justifications in order to obtain an absentee ballot, although enforcement has been lax. The bill lifts those limits entirely and opens up the absentee option to anyone.

Democrats had pushed a wider expansion of early voting at the polls, but Republicans opposed those changes. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton made it clear he would only support election-law changes that have support from members in both parties.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)