Court of Appeals blocks Mille Lacs County judge from undermining law restoring felon voting rights
A Minnesota appeals court on Thursday stepped in to protect voting rights recently granted to felons under a new law, undoing a judge's effort to strip two convicts of their right to vote.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals found Mille Lacs County District Judge Matthew Quinn had no authority to find the new law unconstitutional.
The law, which took effect in July, says people with felony convictions regain the right to vote after they have completed any prison term.
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Quinn had said the law was unconstitutional in a pair of October orders in which he sentenced two offenders to probation, but warned them they are not eligible to vote or register to vote — even though the law says they are. It was an unusual step because nobody involved in those cases ever asked him to rule on the constitutionality of the law.
In his orders, Quinn concluded the Legislature's passage of the law did not constitute the kind of "affirmative act" he said was needed to properly restore a felon's civil rights. So he said he now has a duty going forward to "independently evaluate the voting capacity" of felons when they complete probation.
Quinn was reprimanded by the Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards two years ago for his public support of former President Donald Trump and his critical comments about President Joe Biden.
Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a statement in the wake of the ruling:
"As your Attorney General, it's my job to help Minnesotans live with dignity, safety, and respect, and voting is an exercise of dignity. I am pleased the Court of Appeals ruled against one judge's unjustified and unprompted attack on the right to vote and the dignity of Minnesotans. Today's decision is a victory for our democracy and our entire judicial system. This incident serves as a reminder that the right to vote is precious and often hard-won. I encourage all eligible Minnesotans, particularly those who were formerly incarcerated, to register to vote and vote in our upcoming elections."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Steve Simon said he was "thankful that the Court of Appeals quickly resolved this important issue. Minnesotans cherish the right to vote, and it's unacceptable for any person to throw that right into question through an abuse of authority. With voting in local elections going on now, and with a major presidential election contest just around the corner, I will continue to stand up for the rights of all eligible voters to make their voices heard."