Minnesotans mark Jan. 6 anniversary: 'Vote, not violence'

Bundled up with only their eyes peering out behind face masks and winter gear, activists called Thursday for bipartisan support for voting rights legislation and denounced the actions of those behind the deadly U.S. Capitol siege a year earlier.

With temperatures well below zero, around 150 people gathered at the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol. One group held a lit "Defend Democracy" sign and the crowd sang out, "This voting right of mine, I'm going to let it shine."

Speakers, part of the Spotlight on Democracy Rally, argued that the voting rights legislation is critical to upholding America's democracy at the Capitol where, one year ago, hundreds of Trump supporters cheered the insurrection in Washington, D.C.

"We saw the deadly and violent insurrection [that] a president incited. Over the last year the Jan. 6 insurrection has metastasized into an ongoing crisis of representative democracy," said Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis the primary author of voting rights legislation in the Minnesota House. "Political violence is increasing."

Extremism and misinformation are why people are targeting local election administrators, and some lawmakers are using that to push for sham audits and anti-voter legislation, Greenman said.

"We can and should do more together to show that we are going to stand up for voters and we are going to stand up for democracy," she said.

Another rally in Duluth drew about 100 people on the steps of Duluth City Hall for the League of Women Voters' We the People Day of Remembrance and Action vigil.

The Duluth and State Capitol events were among more than 200 nationwide where advocates called for swift passage of stalled federal voting rights bills. Twin Cities chapters of the Indivisible advocacy group helped organize the St. Paul event.

In Duluth, the Rev. Jim Mitulski, a pastor at Peace United Church of Christ, led the crowd in a chant of "vote — not violence," while Carl Crawford, Duluth's human rights officer, suggested action.

"What a difference a year makes," Crawford said. "Or does it? What are you doing to change what happened?"

Learning to vote, he said, begins at home.

"I think it's critically important to remember the sacrifice of the people in our country who have allowed us to vote," said Duluth resident Louise Guggisberg.

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips is leading an effort to designate Jan. 6 "Democracy Day," he said, "so that American people can never ever forget how fragile our democracy is and, equally importantly, the vigilance required to maintain it." The Minnesota Democrat called for easing Senate filibuster rules to advance voting rights legislation.

"If there has ever been a time and if there has ever been a cause worthy of doing away with that requirement for a supermajority vote, it is the preservation of the foundation of our democracy," he said in pre-recorded remarks from Washington, D.C. "As Americans we should be unified in this truth. Unfortunately, too many have sought to gain power, influence and even money by propagating lies and spreading disinformation.

"And there can be no compromising with those who would preside over the demise of democracy rather than confront the most extreme among them."

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is behind one such package that would set federal standards on voting and elections. The legislation includes automatic voter registration for those eligible, guaranteed early voting for federal elections, setting a public Election Day holiday and ensured access to voting by mail.

A representative from Klobuchar's office was scheduled to address the Spotlight on Democracy rally. Klobuchar, as the Democratic lead on the Rules Committee, helped lead certification efforts on Jan. 6. On Thursday, she recalled the violent mob as "not just an attack on the building, it was an attack on our Republic itself."

"Yet thanks to the heroism of the Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, we were able to resume our work and every state's certified electoral votes were counted," she noted in a statement. "Under unimaginable circumstances, democracy prevailed."

Minnesota's Republican congressional delegation has been mostly silent on the Jan. 6 anniversary. In a statement on his congressional website Thursday, Rep. Tom Emmer said, "One year ago, we saw an unacceptable display of violence that runs counter to everything we stand for as a country. Those responsible for the violence must continue to be held accountable, and Congress must focus on providing our men and women in law enforcement around the Capitol — and across the nation — with the resources, training, and support they need to ensure something like this never happens again."

In a statement Thursday, Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann called DFL criticisms a "fantastical hyperventilation" and accused Democratic officials of using "false and disingenuous language" to blame Republicans for encouraging violence.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon was also among the scheduled speakers at the State Capitol on Thursday.

Simon noted that there was "cause for hope."

"The 2020 election was a stress test for democracy, and we passed the test," he added. "In Minnesota, despite a once-in-a-century pandemic, we were No. 1 in voter participation for the third time in a row — with nearly 80% of eligible Minnesotans demonstrating their trust in our election system by showing up to vote. Post-election audits and reviews confirmed the integrity of our process."

Staff writers Christa Lawler and Hunter Woodall contributed to this report.