MINNEAPOLIS – Early voting in Republican-leaning areas has increased in Minnesota.
Republicans have historically avoided voting early, instead waiting to cast their ballots on Election Day.
Donald Trump won Sherburne County by more than 30% in 2020. There were long lines at the Sherburn County Government Center in Elk River on Monday morning, with wait times of up to 45 minutes.
People there, who have waited their entire lives for Election Day to vote, are trying to vote early.
“I feel like it’s more controlled and there haven’t been any questions because everyone is on their toes and watching it very, very closely,” said early voter Barb Lammers.
Lammers believes her vote is safe.
While Democrats supported early voting for years, that was not the case for Republicans. Many, including former President Donald Trump, have discouraged it. That is not the case this year.
“This election cycle that the Republican Party in Minnesota through President Trump has focused on and encouraged early voting for the Republican Party, and it seems to be having an effect,” said Amy Koch, Republican analyst.
Koch says it’s a measure of the enthusiasm of Republican voters.
“The numbers I’m seeing from Minnesota across the country are showing strong turnout in early Republican elections, which I think will have an impact,” Koch said.
Republican voters in Sherburne County had a number of reasons for voting early, including getting sick, childcare issues and concerns about a major weather event.
And it doesn’t just apply to presidential elections. The Minnesota GOP hopes to gain control of the Minnesota House and end the DFL trifecta. House Republican Minority Leader Lisa Demuth has been pushing for early voting by the Republican Party for months.
“Republican voters are doing everything they can to get to the polls early and get their votes. They don’t want anything to get in the way of them making their voices heard,” Demuth said.
Esme Murphy
