Steve Simon accepts DFL endorsement for Minnesota Secretary of State

ROCHESTER — In a really emotional and private speech, Steve Simon accepted the DFL’s endorsement for Secretary of State on the Mayo Civic Heart on Saturday, Might 21, 2022.

Simon is thought to say that he’s “within the democracy enterprise,” and he defined to the delegates why defending the liberty to vote is so private to him.
When his grandfather was 19 and dwelling in Lithuania, he fled to the U.S., away from discrimination and persecution. The yr earlier than he fled, Jews within the Russian empire misplaced the fitting to vote. Simon choked up and continued, “Issues acquired a lot worse.”

“Over 90% of Jews there have been finally murdered within the Holocaust,” he stated.

Because of this Simon stated he has performed and can do “every part in my energy to all the time defend the liberty to vote.”

Simon’s spouse, Leia, gave a speech of her personal earlier than introducing her husband. She stated that preserving democracy is essential to each her and Simon for quite a few causes, however the prime one is their youngsters.

The couple’s son, Noah, is on the autism spectrum and is nonverbal. Leia stated the household could by no means see him vote if not for “empathetic officers” there to advocate for him.

She mentioned the “truthful, secure and safe” election system and added that “it’s administered by people who find themselves trustworthy,” referring to assaults geared toward election judges and polling staff following the 2020 election.

In his speech, Simon added that those that have been the targets of the election assaults are “your folks, your neighbors, your coworkers.”

He addressed what he calls disinformation unfold by the Republican social gathering round election integrity, saying that if delegates consider that disinformation, or what he referred to as “a well mannered manner of claiming lies,” is definitely to enhance election integrity, “I’ve acquired a pillow manufacturing facility to promote to you.”

Simon praised the 30,000 Minnesotans who “put their well being on the road” to work at election polling stations in 2020, which marked the third yr in a row that Minnesota ranked first within the nation in voter turnout.

He additionally highlighted the legislation he launched and handed as a state consultant to permit any eligible voter to vote from dwelling, the legislation that “gave freedom to so many individuals,” together with his father, and “saved the 2020 election.”

Simon stated “we have to do higher” associated to breaking limitations going through voters from indigenous and low-income communities.

To that finish, Simon described actions that the state ought to take to make elections extra accessible to voters, like upgrading to automated voter registration, giving 16- and 17-year-olds the choice to pre-register to vote, and restoring voting rights to “those that have left jail behind.”

“We will enhance and defend the democracy that drew my grandfather to the U.S.,” he stated.