What will happen to information about voters’ political party choices in the March 3rd presidential primary — an issue immediately on state lawmakers’ plate as they begin the 2020 legislative session today. Governor Tim Walz said he’s still looking at the issue, but is concerned about data privacy. “I am nervous, ’cause I’m already hearing this and fielding some talk,” the governor says. “What are judges supposed to do — clergy, others who have called us about what this does?”
There are proposals to prohibit collection of voters’ party choice in the presidential primary, or only allow that data to go the national parties for narrowly-defined purposes. But Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka argues, don’t change the rules in the middle of the game. Gazelka says lawmakers “moved forward when… both major parties came to an agreement. We passed the legislation, and then for me now mid-stream in this election cycle to change it I think is a mistake.”