Minnesota begins election security improvements

by MinnPost staff 06/18/201902/06/2024

Credit: MinnPost photo by Corey Anderson

We’re No. 50! Tim Pugmire at MPR News has a piece on the state finally moving forward with election security improvements: “‘We were the very last state to get that money,’ said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. Minnesota received its share of the federal election security money from the Help America Vote Act over a year ago. But political maneuvering at the State Capitol delayed the authorization Simon needed to put the money to use. He didn’t get it until last month’s special session. ‘It still puts us behind other states,’ Simon said. ‘Every other state not only had it but had it some time ago in time for the last election. So, we are behind, but we can now use that money.'”

The Flanagan memo. Dana Thiede at KARE-11 reports Gov. Tim Walz will hand over the reins to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan during his upcoming knee surgery: “Walz made the announcement in a letter sent Monday to House Speaker Melissa Hortman and President of the Senate Jeremy Miller, as required by state statute. The transfer of power will start at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, when the Governor goes into surgery, and will be in effect until he sends legislative leaders a written declaration that he is again able to carry out his duties.“

Upgrade to First Class. Kristen Leigh Painter at the Star Tribune reports on Sun Country Airlines’ much-needed tech overhaul: “The airline’s new leadership has bemoaned its current website and reservations systems for several years, saying the antiquated system has handicapped it from becoming a modern carrier able to meet the demands of today’s flying public. Its new technology infrastructure, called Navitaire, will allow the carrier to implement changes, like self-service kiosks, pre-trip seat assignments and other customer controls that can be done online rather than by calling an agent.“

Not protecting, not serving. Riham Feshir at MPRNews is following the case of a Minnesota woman who was forced to remove her hijab in jail: “Aida Al-Kadi, who is Muslim, alleges that in 2013, she was forced to remove the headscarf for a booking photo at the Ramsey County jail. She had missed a court hearing related to traffic tickets and had turned herself in after a judge put out a warrant for her arrest. In the lawsuit, Al-Kadi said jail staff singled her out during a pat-down search and forced her to remove the hijab in front of male officers, which is against her beliefs.”

Free salad forks for everyone. Patrick Condon at the Star Tribune shares Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s goals for her first 100 days in office if she were elected president: “Klobuchar’s campaign for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday released a hefty list of plans she’d undertake in the opening months of her potential presidency. From rejoining the Paris Agreement to fight climate change, to immediately suspending all legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, to ending family separations at the U.S. border and the travel ban on certain Muslim countries, to allowing transgender people to serve in the U.S. military, Klobuchar’s 18-page plan reads in many parts like a direct repudiation of the current Republican president. Though the list includes the introduction of some major legislative proposals, most of its contents could be undertaken without congressional approval.”