New Voting Bill Triggers Controversy Over Data Demands

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- Minnesota's Republican delegation in Congress has introduced a bill called "The Minnesota Voter Integrity Act of 2026".

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They say the legislation would require the state of Minnesota to provide information on voting records, including same-day voter registration and election administration data, in order to continue to receive funding through the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says the proposed legislation is an irresponsible stunt.  He says it comes just days after Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote a similar letter, which he called a ransom note, suggesting disclosure of the same personal information and private data to the DOJ as a condition of drawing down ICE and Border Patrol personnel in Minnesota.

Last year, the Department of Justice made the initial request for access to the most sensitive data in Minnesota's voter registration database.  More than 40 states have received a similar demand.  Simon says 32 states have declined to share the data with the DOJ, and Minnesota's Congressional members are the first to introduce legislation threatening to cut off election security funding to their own state.

On Monday, President Donald Trump posted on social media that he would like the federal government to take over elections from the state governments.