♪♪ ♪♪ >> MARY: ELECTION LAWS COULD BE CHANGING.

WITH US NOW, DFL ELECTIONS CHAIR MIKE FREIBERG AND REPUBLICAN LEAD, REPRESENTATIVE PAUL TORKELSON.

Mr.

CHAIR, ELECTIONS TOMORROW, THERE'S GOING TO BE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A RECALL EFFORT FOR IS SENATOR MITCHELL.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL LAW?

SHOULD IT BE CHANGED?

IS IT GOING TO BE LOOKED AT NOW THAT IT'S RELEVANT?

>> WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THE RECALL LAW AT ALL.

I MEAN, THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE SO I HAVEN'T HEARD WHAT'S GOING ON IN WOODBURY, EXACTLY, WITH THE RECALL EFFORT SO -- YEAH -- SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I MEAN, I KNOW THEY HAVE TO GET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SIGNATURES, I KNOW THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ALLEGATION OF MALFEASANCE OR SOMETHING THAT'S VERIFIED BY A COURT O WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY -- I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY BILLS TO CHANGE THE RECALL PROVISIONS OUT BUT I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING IN THEM IF THERE ARE ANY SO SEE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THE -- IS THAT WAS NEWS TO ME.

I DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD ACTUALLY STARTED DOING THAT.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS EFFORT?

>> WHAT AN INTERESTING SITUATION NOW.

IF SOMEONE HAD ASKED ME TO MAKE UP THE MOST BIZARRE STORY I COULD THINK OF A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN QUITE AS BIZARRE AS THIS ONE.

>> Mary: BUT VOTES ARE IMPORTANT.

>> O OF COURSE THEY WERE.

>> Mary: AND THERE IS AN ELECTION NOW, MAYBE BEING RECALLED.

>> BUT IT WILL HAVE TO PLAY OUT.

THE VOTERS IN HER DISTRICT CERTAINLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO MOVE FORWARDS WITH THIS PROCESS.

THE PROCESS WILL TAKE TIME SO IT WON'T DIRECTLY AFFECT THIS SESSION AS THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THE RECALL BEFORE THE SESSION'S OVER.

BUT THERE IS AN ELECTION COMING, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, AND WITH ONE OTENTIALLY TWO SENATE SEATS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, THERE WILL E A LOT OF HOT CAMPAIGNING BECAUSE OF THE ONE-VOTE DIFFERENCE IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

YOUR WHOLE CHAMBER IS UP, YOUR MEMBERS ARE EAGER TO GET OUT OF HERE AND START RUNNING AND THERE COULD BE AS MANY AS TWO SENATE RACES UP SO THAT KIND OF PUTS THE LEGISLATURE UP, DOESN'T IT?

>> I SUPPOSE.

I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT RECORD TO RUN ON.

I MIND, AS THE ELECTIONS CHAIR, LAST YEAR WE PASSED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION, WE RESTORED THE VOTE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE CREATED AUTOMATIC -- PRE-REGISTRATION FOR 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS, NATIONAL VOTE COMPACT AND THOSE ARE JUST THE AREAS IN THE ELECTIONS FIELD.

I MEAN, NOT TO MENTION THINGS LIKE FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES FOR KIDS AND STUFF SO I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT RECORD TO RUN ON AND, I DON'T KNOW, I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE -- >> Mary: WE'LL TRUCK ABOUT THE CURRENTS BILL IN A SECOND.

WHAT ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS PASSED AST YEAR, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> A LOT WAS PASSED, A LOT OF TOOLS WERE PUT IN HE TOOLBOX OF ELECTIONS.

>> Mary: HOW DID YOU VOTE ON IT?

>> WE VOTED GANGS ALMOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE IN THE ACTION IN THE COMMITTEE.

THERE WERE NO REPUBLICAN BILLS PASSED OUT OF THE COMMITTEE, ONLY ONE BILL WAS HEARD AND IT WAS LAID OVER.

THAT WAS ISAPPOINTING.

ELECTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BIPARTISAN, EFFORTS SUPPOSED TO BE BIPARTISAN AND IT WASN'T.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THAT OLD TRADITION, I'M OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN ARRANGED HERE WHEN ALL BILLS WERE A HE LESS, ATTENTION BILLS WERE A PARTISAN OR THE GOVERNOR WOULDN'T SIGN THEM.

>> THAT WAS DIFFER.

REPRESENTATIVE TORKELSON HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH ON THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE BUT IF YOU COMPARE THE GOP FROM TEN YEARS AGO WITH THE GOP OF TODAY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS WHO DON'T BELIEVE THE 20120 ELECTION WAS VALIDLY DECIDED.

THEY'VE SUPPORTED POLICIES REJECTED BY MINNESOTA-INS LIKE VOTER I.D., I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

I THINK A LOT OF PROVISIONS WHICH HAVE DO IN FACT, IF YOU INTERVIEW PEOPLE ON THE STREET BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT AN ART TERRIBLE BARRIER IN PLACE THAT IT HAS TO BE SUPPORTED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS OF ANY PARTY.

I THINK THESE ARE THINGS MINNESOTANS WANT AND HAVE ASKED FOR.

>> Mary: THAT WAS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TIM PAWLENTY WHO WAS KIND OF SEEN AS TWO MODERATE, DOESN'T BELONG IN YOUR PARTY ANYMORE.

IS THAT A VALID ARGUMENT?

>> WELL, NOT REALLY.

EVEN THE GOVERNOR BEFORE THIS BIENNIUM STARTED SAID THAT INTERESTED A BIPARTISAN ELECTIONS BILL.

HE APPARENTLY CHANGED HIS MIND, OF COURSE >> ON THE OTHER HAND, WE WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE.

I DON'T WANT TO BE SO CRITICAL OF THIS THAT IT SCARES PEOPLE AWAY FROM VOTING, AND WE WANT TO USE ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX OURSELVES, TOO, FOR REPUBLICAN VOTERS, SO EARLY VOTING, YOU KNOW, ABSENTEE VOTING, DO IT ALL, VOTE EARLY -- >> Mary: THAT'S A REPUBLICAN SAYING YOU LIKE EARLY VOTING AND ABSENTEE VOTING.

>> NO, I'M SAYING AYBE WE SHOULD USE IT.

I'M NOT SAYING I LIKE IT OR THAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT THAT WAY BUT ONCE THE TOOL IS IN THE TOOLBOX, IT WOULD BE FOOLISH FOR OUR PARTY NOT TO USE THE TOOLS.

>> Mary: MAKES SENSE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW TOOLS.

WONG OF THE REALLY INTERESTING PARTS THAT'S BEEN DEBATED IS RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

EXPLAIN WHAT'S IN THE BILL AND WHAT YOU WANT O GET THROUGH.

>> SURE.

I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF RANGED CHOICE VOTING.

I THINK IT MAKES ELECTIONS MORE POSITIVE AND ISSUE FOCUSED.

I'VE BEEN A CO-AUTHOR OF THE BILL SO IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A BUMPY RIDE SO NOT CURRENTLY IN THE BILL.

I KNOW THERE IS AN AMENDMENT TO PUT IT BACK IN TOMORROW WHICH I'M CERTAINLY HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADOPT BECAUSE AS I SAID I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF SIGHT WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS PART OF THE PROCESS.

>> Mary: I THINK REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT ENJOYED RANGED CHOICE.

>> GENERALLY NOT ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME INTERESTS IN SOME OF THE CITIES AROUND THE STATE, SURPRISING INTEREST.

>> Mary: AND LOCAL CONTROL, REPUBLICANS LIKE LOCAL CONTROL.

>> WE O LIKE LOCAL CONTROL.

>> Mary: SHOULD LOCAL JURISDICTIONS BE ABLE TO DO IT?

>> WELL, IT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN.

I PERSONALLY ON'T SUPPORT RANKED CHOICE VOTING, I THINK IT'S CONFUSING AND EXPENSIVE AND TEDIOUS BUT IT'S ALSO PAY POPULAR IDEA.

Ph.D.

DEFENDS THE FIELD USE AND CONFUSING ARGUMENTS.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S CONFUSING.

YOU RANK YOUR FIRST CHOICE, SECOND CHOICE TANNED YOUR THIRD CHOICE.

CERTAINLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME EDUCATION AS IT COMES OUT AS IT'S ROLLED FORWARD IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE IT BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN IN PLACE IN FIVE CITIES IN MINNESOTA AND I THINK IT'S WORKED WELL AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT AND PEOPLE LIKE IT.

>> Mary: OKAY, LAST BIT, HOW DOES THE SIGNIFICANCE ENDS?

HOW DOES THIS PLANE LAND?

>> HOPEFULLY IT HANDS SMOOTHLY BUT RIGHT NOW, THE AIR IS A LITTLE BUMPY AND THE DAYS ARE LONG.

>> Mary: QUICKLY?

>> YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT BUDGET BILLS ONLY FLOOR.

I THINK WE'LL GET THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND I THINK WE'LL PASS SOME LAWS THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.