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Erlandson V. Kiffmeyer: Minnesota’S Absentee Voting Laws Following The Sudden Death Of Incumbent Candidate Paul Wellstone, Elizabeth M. Brama

William Mitchell Law Review

This article addresses the legal and practical effects of Senator Wellstone's death and the court's absentee ballot decision in Erlandson v. Kiffmeyer. Part II discusses other, surprisingly common, instances when a candidate has died or withdrawn close to an election, and examines Minnesota's approach to pre-election vacancies. Part III explores the Erlandson decision and the facts giving rise to it. Part IV then analyzes the court's decision and the legislature's reaction to it. Finally, Part V concludes that if the state has an acknowledged goal of enfranchising absentee voters even after an unexpected, catastrophic event, then state law must be …