Steve's Blog

What if Minnesota could lay its hands on $6.6 million to update its voting system, making it impervious to hacks by Russian troublemakers or anyone else? What if instead of putting that money to work immediately, it just let the money sit there, untouchable, as the midterms and next presidential election drew ever nearer?

There’s encouraging word about the strength of business conditions in the Twin Cities — and the expectation that they’ll remain strong — in a report last week on state economic indicators. But the data — for the fourth quarter of 2017 — suggest two key warnings for state lawmakers, who returned to St. Paul this week and have just six weeks to finish their work

"Simon has created a cyber security team, hired an outside consultant to test office vulnerabilities and worked with partners in other agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to minimize the chance of any intrusion."

Don't forget: Precinct Caucuses begin tonight at 7 p.m.!

Precinct Caucuses mark the beginning of the 2018 election in Minnesota. They are meetings run by the state’s political parties where the candidate endorsement process begins, delegates are selected, and goals and values (called party platforms) may be set. Precinct Caucuses are entirely run by the state’s political parties, including the selection of caucus locations and meeting procedures. This year, one part of Precinct Caucuses will be a preference ballot where Minnesotans will be able to vote for the person they want their political party to support for Governor.

More information about the process—and our caucus finder—are online: http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy in American life is an inspiration to everyone who works for equality and justice. Today, we are reminded of his work to ensure the rights guaranteed to us in law are available to all citizens, work that continues to this very day. As we celebrate Dr. King, we also honor his memory when we exercise our right to vote and when we remain vigilant to protect and strengthen that right.” - Secretary of State Steve Simon

“We agree with Simon who said the “commission was a distraction, and it collapsed under the weight of the president’s false and irresponsible claim that millions of ineligible votes were cast in the last election.””

International Falls Journal | OUR VIEW: Focus on real threat
By Editorial Board, 1/6/18

With Pres. Donald Trump’s abrupt shut down Wednesday of his Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, it’s time to focus on more serious issues involving this nation’s election system.

We agree with Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon who has said all along that a more serious threat is cyber attacks on the nation’s elections.

Trump established the commission just after his election, which he continues to claim was fraught with widespread fraud that resulted in Hillary Clinton receiving about 2.9 million more votes of the people than he did, while he won the majority of the Electoral College.

The commission demanded state voter registration information that Simon refused to turn over, saying it was illegal to provide some of the information, and voicing concern about how it might be used.

Now, it’s obvious he was correct in that decision. “I had serious doubts about the commission’s credibility and trustworthiness,” he said Wednesday.

We agree with Simon who said the “commission was a distraction, and it collapsed under the weight of the president’s false and irresponsible claim that millions of ineligible votes were cast in the last election.”

Instead, Simon has for the last year called for a refocus of the real threat to U.S. election integrity: cyber-intrusion from outside forces that want to disrupt our elections.

Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season and a happy new year!

It is our favorite time of year: Election Day! Go Vote! Be Vocal, Vote Local!

Have any last minute questions before heading to the polls? Visit mnvotes.org!

Secretary Simon talks to Students United in their latest podcast episode about the importance of getting young people engaged in voting and elections.

Click here to listen to the latest Student United podcast episode. Your vote is your voice!

Cities, towns, and school districts across Minnesota will hold elections November 7. Make sure your voter registration is up-to-date by October 17 to save time at the polls on Election Day! 

"But even better, Simon also was here to listen to the concerns and challenges that Borderland businesses face.”

International Falls Journal | OUR VIEW: Good exchange with Simon
By Editorial Board, 7/26/17

Getting the clear picture of the challenges Minnesota businesses face is best done face-to-face.

That’s just what Secretary of State Steve Simon has done for the third consecutive year as he tours all of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

With his staffer behind the wheel, Simon hit the road last week making stops in International Falls, as well as in Kittson, Roseau, Lake of the Woods, and Itasca counties.

Locally, he met with area chamber of commerce members and officials, and city and county representatives as he discussed two new products launched to assist businesses and consumers to get a better picture of the commerce in the state.

We like that he recognizes that sitting in an office in St. Paul may not provide the best view of what’s happening in the rest of the state.

We also like that he encourages people to contact he and his staff with ideas of how the Minnesota Business Snapshot, a new initiative, can be improved to provide more and better information about the state’s businesses. He also wants feedback on a rationalized quarterly report that people may have emailed to them to assist them in understanding the economic health of where they live and do business.

“Simon pointed to his recent launch of the Minnesota Business Snapshot, a new initiative designed to better serve Minnesotans — consumers, small business owners, and learning institutions — with data and information on the economic and demographic make-up of Minnesota’s businesses.”

International Falls Journal: Simon launches products to assist business
By Laurel Beager, 7/25/17

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon spent a part of last week doing what he calls the best and most necessary part of his job: Visiting with local business communities and elected officials to hear about and discuss ways his office and staff can address the needs of Minnesotans.

“You can’t do that well sitting in a bubble in your office,” he said, explaining this marks the third year he’s visited with people in each of the state’s 87 counties.

On his swing through the northwest and north central part of the state, he made stops in Koochiching, Kittson, Roseau, Lake of the Woods and Itasca counties.

And while he acknowledged the most visible part of his job is heading up the state’s elections, he told a gathering in International Falls Thursday there are more people on his staff working on the business aspects of his office.

“We’re the welcome mat for business in Minnesota,” he told a dozen or so area chamber of commerce, and city and county officials gathered at Voyageurs National Park Headquarters. He discussed with the group work being done to streamline business services to allow Minnesotans to spend more time running their businesses and less time shuffling paperwork, he said.

The office’s mission, he said, is to make it as easy as possible to start and maintain a business in the state. To that end, he said part of the job entails not goofing up what the law says a business must do, but also to add value to the business community.

Simon pointed to his recent launch of the Minnesota Business Snapshot, a new initiative designed to better serve Minnesotans — consumers, small business owners, and learning institutions — with data and information on the economic and demographic make-up of Minnesota’s businesses.

The Minnesota Business Snapshot, or MBS, is a voluntary, five-question survey offered to nearly 550,000 new and existing businesses in Minnesota as they file their annual renewal each calendar year with the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.

The survey asks Minnesota business owners a variety of questions, including how many full-time employees they have; whether they self-identify as a member of a specific community, such as a veteran, woman, or community of color; the industry or field in which the business operates; whether it’s a full-time or part-time endeavor; and gross revenues for the past year.

Simon asked for feedback from those attending about the value of the questions, and how the MBS could be made more useful. He urged people to check out the MBS, and noted for $100 anyone can get the entire spreadsheet from the state.

To date, more than 141,000 businesses have taken part in the MBS, which recently began offering custom economic and demographic data, he said.

“Simon and election officials in the vast majority of states are correct to stand their ground and decline a seat on this fishing expedition.”

Rochester Post Bulletin | Our View: Simon correct to reject voter fraud invitation
By Editorial Board, 7/6/17

What do you do when offered a seat on a fishing boat and you suspect your host already knows there are no fish in the lake?

"I am declining that invitation," said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. Along with election officials in 43 other states, Simon has declined to go along with the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity Commission's request for voter registration information on Minnesota voters. Some states have said they will provide a portion of the information requested.

The commission, which President Trump calls a "voter fraud" commission, is seeking to back up the president's claim that anywhere from three million to five million people voted fraudulently or illegally in the 2016 election. Everyone on that commission, including the vice chair, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, must know that's far-fetched.

After all, when Kobach boasted that he knew of at least 100 cases of voter fraud in his state, Kansas lawmakers gave him special powers to prosecute the offenders. In the end, Kobach actually found six cases to prosecute, only four of them successfully.

But Kobach, a longtime advocate of measures that many say suppress voter turnout, is ready to do the president's bidding anyway. Thus, the commission, which is chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, has requested extensive information about every voter in every state in the union, including party affiliation and Social Security information.

The response to the request, which some officials have called overly broad and invasive, has been swift and bipartisan. Election officials, both Republicans and Democrats, have said they won't turn over all the requested information, either because their state law doesn't allow it or because they don't trust the intent of Trump's commission.

“I have traveled throughout Minnesota and met with local elections officials and the number one issue that always comes up is replacing aging election equipment before it is too late."

Faribault Daily News: Secretary’s push to replace Minnesota’s aging election equipment signed into law
By Suzy Rook, 6/3/17

Secretary of State Steve Simon is praising a new law that will help replace Minnesota’s aging election equipment, calling it a “critical and necessary investment” to ensure voting equipment works properly and consistently in precincts all around the state. Replacing aging equipment has been a major priority of Secretary Simon’s since taking office and was signed into law May 30.

The bill creates a $7 million grant fund to replace Minnesota’s aging election equipment by 2018. It provides up to a 50 percent match between the state and counties for mandatory equipment and up to a 75 percent match for electronic poll books. The bill was authored by Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) and Sen. Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) and included in the State Government Finance Bill.

“I have traveled throughout Minnesota and met with local elections officials and the number one issue that always comes up is replacing aging election equipment before it is too late,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “This is a critical and necessary investment in Minnesota’s election system, and I applaud the Governor and the legislature for recognizing the importance of this issue. Unlike some responsibilities undertaken by counties and municipalities, administering a statewide election in over 4,000 precincts is not optional. It is required by law and an important part of our democracy, and that is why it has been one of my top priorities. I look forward to working with the legislature in the future as we continue to address this pressing need and ensure voting equipment works properly and consistently in precincts all around the state, and is up to the standards Minnesotans expect.”

“It’s a real need. It’s a very important to have smooth operation of elections."

Marshall Independent: Editorial | Make voting easier and more secure
By Editorial Board, 5/23/17

A campaign to making voting easier and more secure is gaining momentum in Minnesota.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon was in Marshall Friday visiting with Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer E.J. Moberg to get feedback and talk about election-related issues. Simon met with Independent reporter Deb Gau afterward and stressed the importance of updating voting equipment in Minnesota.

Apparently, Minnesota counties were able to update voting equipment after the Help America Vote Act passed in 2002 after the Florida presidential recount. But Simon claims that equipment is nearing the end of its lifespan and federal funds have dried up. Replacing the equipment bought with the federal funding would cost $28 million.

“It’s a real need. It’s a very important to have smooth operation of elections,” Simon said. But the big question is how to pay for needed equipment, like ballot-counting machines and voting assistance technology.

Lyon County was just one of many stops for Simon during a statewide tour. He also visited with Lincoln County Auditor Deb Vieruf on Friday and Yellow Medicine County Property and Public Services Director Janel Timm.

On Monday, Simon touted the Legislative passage of a reform to special elections in Minnesota. The Elections Omnibus Bill creates five uniform dates throughout the calendar year when a special election in Minnesota is now allowed to be held to fill a vacancy in local elections or for ballot question special elections.

“Getting out ahead of this before Minnesota becomes the next “Florida in 2000,” simply put, would be responsible.”

Duluth News Tribune | Our View: Election equipment a coming expense
By Editorial Board, 4/11/17

After the embarrassment and exasperation of the 2000 presidential election — recall the dragged-out recounting in Florida, the infamous “hanging chads” and “pregnant chads,” the never-ending debates over voter intent, and more — Congress came up with the Help America Vote Act to make sure it never happened again.

Among other reforms, the act led to $3.3 billion in spending to replace outmoded voting equipment.

But that federal funding source has since dried up. And a lot of the new voting equipment it bought isn’t so new anymore. In fact, in Minnesota and in 42 other states, according to one analysis, it’s reaching the end of what was expected to be 10- to 15-year lifespans.

In Minnesota, $28 million is needed right now — or very soon — to update equipment and assure future elections, as Secretary of State Steve Simon has been saying to anyone who’ll listen. Recently that included members of the News Tribune editorial board.

“Are we in a crisis? No. But if we wait until the 2018 election or, certainly, the 2020 election, (we could be),” Simon said. “It’s the old saying: You’ve got to dig your well before you’re thirsty. We want to get out ahead of this.”

The quickly coming need for big bucks for voting equipment is an almost-exclusively a rural-Minnesota problem, according to Simon. That’s because metro-area counties — including Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, and Anoka counties — all recently took it upon themselves to find funding and update equipment. They’re good to go.

“But an upgrade to vote counting machines that are near the end of their life seems like a modest investment in securing the integrity of our most important right."

Mankato Free Press | Our View: Voting: Investment in election equipment needed
By Editorial Board, 3/1/17

While the contested presidential election of 2000 may seem like a distant memory, the vote counting mishaps of that time need to be revisited, mostly by upgrading vote-counting equipment.

The Help America Vote Act passed in 2002 was Congress' attempt to make sure our national voting system was sound mechanically and of solid integrity. Congress allocated $3 billion to the states to upgrade all voting equipment. Most of the equipment was purchased by 2005 to 2007 with a 10 to 15 year maximum life, according to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon.

When it came time to replace and upgrade the equipment, there was no new federal money. So states had to pick up the slack. Simon’s office is backing a bipartisan bill that would allocate about $14 million statewide to upgrade voting equipment. That would go toward a 50-50 match program with counties to share the full $28 million cost of the upgrades.

Much of the money would be spent in outstate counties, as Ramsey, Anoka and much of Hennepin counties have already upgraded their equipment, according to Simon.

It’s a reasonable proposal and one that we urge the Legislature and governor to approve.

Minnesota regained its title of having the highest voter turnout in the country and "you did your part to get Minnesota back where we belong," Simon told [students at Gustavus Adolphus College].

Mankato Free Press: Gusties give secretary of state tips on voter turnout
By Kristine Goodrich, 2/13/17

ST. PETER — Minnesota's secretary of state paid a visit to Gustavus Adolphus College Monday to award accolades as well as to accept advice.

After bestowing a trophy to the college for having the highest voter registration rate, Steve Simon asked students what keeps more young people from going to the polls.

Gustavus won the inaugural Minnesota College Ballot Bowl. The Secretary of State Office's contest challenged the state's public and private universities to register the most student voters for the 2016 General Election.

Sixty-three percent of Gustavus students were registered by the end of the challenge. That was the highest percentage of any college. The over 1,300 registered Gusties was the highest number of all private colleges. The highest percentage of students registered at a public institution was 24 percent at Winona State University.

“Not only did you win. You blew the door off. No one else was even close,” Simon told students and faculty gathered in the recently re-opened A.H. Anderson Hall.

Minnesota regained its title of having the highest voter turnout in the country and “you did your part to get Minnesota back where we belong,” Simon told the Gusties.

A voter education committee with student volunteers from campus political and leadership groups led the registration campaign. Senior committee member Sean Hinnenkamp said they used a mix of electronic notices and on-campus events to help students get registered and either vote absentee in their hometown or get to the polls in St. Peter.

Many of those committee members plus a few other politically active students talked with the secretary of state about college students' attitudes toward voting.

While we already celebrated Minnesota getting back to number in voter turnout, it's finally official! The United States Elections Project finished their turnout rate analysis of all 50 states and Minnesota is at the top! 

“We don’t want a repeat of Florida in 2000,” Simon said. “This is expensive stuff … we have to make sure the system is in good shape.”

Mesabi Daily News: Simon Says State Needs To Help Upgrade Machines
By Jerry Burnes, 2/6/17

VIRGINIA — Minnesota’s voting equipment is aging out, and without legislative help, the burden of about $28 million in replacement costs will fall squarely on cities and counties.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon met Monday with the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools to drum up support for a state-funded solution to voting infrastructure now more than a decade old. He’s not asking for the Legislature to foot the bill for the entire cost, rather follow Gov. Mark Dayton’s budget proposal calling for a 50-50 split between the state and local governments.

Covering half the cost — about $14 million — would keep the state on pace with efforts in Maryland and Michigan.

“We think local government should have some skin in the game,” Simon said during an interview at the Mesabi Daily News.

After a disastrous election in 2000, marred by hanging chads in Florida and a presidential recount in the state between George W. Bush and Al Gore, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002.

HAVA provided one-time federal funds to purchase election equipment for all 50 states. More than a decade later, that equipment is nearing the end of its lifespan, and Congress isn’t backing another round of spending.

Cities and counties are now on the hook to buy new voting equipment, which at about $10,000 per polling place, puts a squeeze on greater Minnesota. Simon said larger counties like Hennepin and Ramsey already started replacing machines, but rural counties are going to struggle.

He isn’t describing the need as a crisis — yet — “but wait until 2018 or 2020, and you’re flirting with real bad outcomes.”