Minnesota lawmakers Voting On Proposal To Clean Up Absentee Voting System

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Problems exposed during Minnesota's

drawn-out Senate race in 2008 are the motivation behind an

elections bill drawing closer to a state House vote.

Lawmakers were planning to vote as early as Monday on a proposal

designed to clean up the state's absentee voting system, or at

least start to.

The bill headed for a House vote requires local elections

administrators to use ballot boards to deal with absentee ballots.

It also would streamline the process for tracking the status of

absentee ballots and making sure voters using them are properly

registered.

Rejected absentee ballots played a central role in the recount

and court case leading up to Sen. Al Franken's win over Republican

Norm Coleman.

A Senate plan is also awaiting a vote.

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