Pop-Up Polling Locations: Voter Enfranchisement or Partisan Tactic?
November 13, 2024
By: Katy Bortz
Young people in America historically vote at lower rates than other age groups. While there are several possible explanations for this low turnout, one of the most notable is the added challenge of moving away from home to attend college outside of the county in which young people first registered to vote. Several organizations are trying to combat this low turnout by advocating for changes like additional polling locations actually located on college campuses around the country.
In Minnesota, a new state law took effect on June 1, 2023 that authorizes the creation of temporary polling locations. The law amends Minnesota Statute Section 203B.081 to allow the county auditor or municipal clerk to create additional polling locations that do not necessarily have to operate on the same days and hours as the existing statutorily required early voting locations. Thus, these temporary voting centers have been nicknamed “pop-up” voting locations. The law specifies that these temporary locations must be decided upon at least 47 days prior to election day.
This change in Minnesota has attracted national attention for the resulting “pop-up” early voting location at the University of Minnesota. The campus polling center was utilized not only by students, but also local community members to cast their ballots early for the 2024 general election.
Additionally, the Minnesota legislature has debated other measures to encourage young voter turnout prior to the upcoming election. In February, Minnesota State Representative Kristi Pursell introduced House File 3447 that would add an additional provision to Minnesota Statute Section 203B.081 that gives postsecondary institutions and their student governments the ability to actively request a temporary polling location on their campus. If requested at least 53 days prior to the election, the county auditor or municipal clerk would be required to provide that requested pop-up voting location. This proposed language that the polling location must be provided if requested is similar to the portion of the already enacted legislation that relates to polling locations on Tribal reservations. Section 203B.081, as amended, requires that the county must provide a temporary polling location on Tribal lands if requested by “a federally recognized Indian Tribe with a reservation in the county.”
On the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives, HF 3447 received criticism. One area of concern was its limited applicability only to schools that have student body populations of over 1,500. Republican Pam Altendorf criticized the bill for this exact reason, expressing concern that “smaller schools might tend to lean more conservative,” and they would be left out of getting temporary polling locations. Additionally, she stated that the bill seems to be “picking and choosing who we are driving to the polls to vote.” HF 3447 was not enacted in the 2023-2024 Minnesota legislative session.
As the Minnesota law currently reads, the decision about when and where to provide these “pop-up” early voting locations is left to county auditors and municipal clerks. The statute itself is unclear as to how exactly those officers are supposed to decide where and when to open these temporary locations, but they are required to notify the Secretary of State of their ultimate decision.