Rep. Hansen's No Vote Explanation:
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
While making it easier for people to vote and participate in our elections is undoubtedly a good thing, allowing early voting will make holding elections more expensive, a cost many local governments cannot afford. Most rural townships do not have full time clerks, making it impossible to implement early voting.
This bill fails to include funding from the state, shifting the burden onto local governments who are already stretched thin.
Furthermore, absentee ballots are already available for seniors, people who are ill or incapacitated, military members on active duty and people who will not be in town on Election Day. “