The Minnesota Legislature passed a law that greatly restricts media access to polling sites on election days. The law passed with bipartisan support just hours before the close of the 2004 legislative session. The law has been widely regarded as a "housekeeping" elections bill for Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, who requested the restrictions. The law requires that the media obtain letters of prior approval from city election clerks or from county auditors before entering a polling site, where they can stay for no longer than 15 minutes. Journalists argue that the new law is dangerous and restricts public access to the election process. State law still allows political parties to closely monitor elections and raise objections to voter qualifications. Journalists claim that partisan officials pose greater threats to the election process, especially when the media is barred from reporting such problems. "It's an example of a law that's both mystifying and counterproductive if what we want is a system that is open and aboveboard," Star-Tribune editor Anders Gyllenhaal stated. Critics of the new law assert that Minnesota's polling site restrictions are among the strictest in the nation. In contrast, neighboring Wisconsin permits any individual access to all polling places during the election process for observation. The law created problems on Nov. 2 as cities and counties struggled to properly interpret the new restrictions. For instance, the city of Minneapolis allowed blanket media access in every precinct. Hennepin County officials, on the other hand, granted local election judges control over the process. Cass County officials requested the advice of the Minnesota Attorney General's office in how to implement the new law.