HR7320-119

What This Bill Does

The Minnesota Voter Integrity Act of 2026 is a targeted election-funding condition. It bars any funds authorized under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 from being made available to the State of Minnesota until the Minnesota Secretary of State submits records to the Attorney General. The required material includes all records supporting or documenting same-day voter registrations under Minnesota Statutes section 201.061, subdivision 3; all records for votes cast by voters registered through that same-day process; records kept under Minnesota Statutes section 201.01, subdivisions 7 and 8; and any other records the Attorney General determines are relevant to Minnesota's compliance with HAVA. The bill does not create a nationwide election rule; it uses federal election-assistance funding as leverage to obtain Minnesota-specific registration and voting records.

Who Benefits and How

The Attorney General and federal election oversight officials benefit because the bill gives them direct access to Minnesota same-day registration documentation and related voting records before HAVA funds can flow. Election-integrity advocates benefit from a federal enforcement tool focused on Minnesota's same-day registration process. Congress benefits from a clear statutory condition if it wants DOJ to review Minnesota records before further election-assistance funding. Minnesota voters who want stronger federal scrutiny of same-day registration may view the records requirement as a transparency benefit.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Minnesota Secretary of State and Minnesota election officials must collect and submit same-day registration records, same-day registrant vote records, specified registration records, and any additional HAVA-compliance material requested by the Attorney General. Minnesota risks losing or delaying HAVA election-administration funds until it complies. Same-day voter registrants could have their registration and voting records swept into the federal submission, subject to applicable privacy protections. State and local election administrators may need to devote staff time to records retrieval, legal review, and transmittal.

Key Provisions

• Blocks HAVA funds for Minnesota until the Minnesota Secretary of State submits specified records to the Attorney General.
• Requires records supporting or documenting same-day voter registrations under Minnesota law.
• Requires records for votes cast by voters registered through same-day registration.
• Requires specified Minnesota voter-registration records and any other records the Attorney General deems relevant to HAVA compliance.