HF 391

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/19/2015 04:35pm

A bill for an act
relating to elections; permitting individuals who are at least 16 years of age
to register to vote; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 201.054,
subdivisions 1, 2; 201.061, subdivision 1; 201.071, subdivision 1; 201.091,
subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.054, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Registration.

new text begin (a) new text end An individual may register to vote:

(1) at any time before the 20th day preceding any election as provided in section
201.061, subdivision 1;

(2) on the day of an election as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 3; or

(3) when submitting an absentee ballot, by enclosing a completed registration
application as provided in section 203B.04, subdivision 4.

new text begin (b) An individual who is under the age of 18, but who is at least 16 years of age and
otherwise eligible, may register to vote as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 1.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.054, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Prohibitions; penalty.

No individual shall intentionally:

(a) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered in any precinct if
the individual is not eligible to vote new text begin , except as permitted by section 201.061, subdivision 1 new text end ;

(b) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered for the purpose of
voting in more than one precinct;

(c) misrepresent the individual's identity when attempting to register to vote; or

(d) aid, abet, counsel, or procure any other individual to violate this subdivision.

A violation of this subdivision is a felony.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.061, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prior to election day.

(a) At any time except during the 20
days immediately preceding any regularly scheduled election, an eligible voter deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin , new text end any
individual who will be an eligible voter at the time of the next election new text begin , or any individual
who is under the age of 18, but who is at least 16 years of age and meets all requirements for
eligibility contained in section 201.014 except for age, new text end may register to vote in the precinct
in which the voter maintains residence by completing a voter registration application as
described in section 201.071, subdivision 1. A completed application may be submitted:

(1) in person or by mail to the county auditor of that county or to the Secretary
of State's Office; or

(2) electronically through a secure Web site that shall be maintained by the secretary
of state for this purpose, if the applicant has an e-mail address and provides the applicant's
verifiable Minnesota driver's license number, Minnesota state identification card number,
or the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number.

A registration that is received in person or by mail no later than 5:00 p.m. on the
21st day preceding any election, or a registration received electronically through the
secretary of state's secure Web site no later than 11:59 p.m. on the 21st day preceding any
election, shall be accepted. An improperly addressed or delivered registration application
shall be forwarded within two working days after receipt to the county auditor of the
county where the voter maintains residence. A state or local agency or an individual that
accepts completed voter registration applications from a voter must submit the completed
applications to the secretary of state or the appropriate county auditor within ten calendar
days after the applications are dated by the voter.

(b) An application submitted electronically under paragraph (a), clause (2), may only
be transmitted to the county auditor for processing if the secretary of state has verified the
application information matches the information in a government database associated with
the applicant's driver's license number, state identification card number, or Social Security
number. The secretary of state must review all unverifiable voter registration applications
submitted electronically for evidence of suspicious activity and must forward any such
application to an appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation.

An individual may not electronically submit a voter registration application on
behalf of any other individual.

(c) For purposes of this section, mail registration is defined as a voter registration
application delivered to the secretary of state, county auditor, or municipal clerk by the
United States Postal Service or a commercial carrier.

new text begin Nothing in this section shall be construed to entitle an individual to cast a ballot at an
election if the individual does not meet all eligibility requirements for voting, including age.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Form.

Both paper and electronic voter registration applications must
contain the same information unless otherwise provided by law. A voter registration
application must contain spaces for the following required information: voter's first name,
middle name, and last name; voter's previous name, if any; voter's current address; voter's
previous address, if any; voter's date of birth; voter's municipality and county of residence;
voter's telephone number, if provided by the voter; date of registration; current and valid
Minnesota driver's license number or Minnesota state identification number, or if the voter
has no current and valid Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota state identification, the
last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; and voter's signature. The paper
registration application may include the voter's e-mail address, if provided by the voter.
The electronic voter registration application must include the voter's e-mail address. The
registration application may include the voter's interest in serving as an election judge,
if indicated by the voter. The application must also contain the following certification
of voter eligibility:

"I certify that I:

(1) will be at least 18 years old on deleted text begin election day deleted text end new text begin the day of any election at which I
intend to vote new text end ;

(2) am a citizen of the United States;

(3) will have resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding election day;

(4) maintain residence at the address given on the registration form;

(5) am not under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes my
right to vote;

(6) have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote;

(7) have the right to vote because, if I have been convicted of a felony, my felony
sentence has expired (been completed) or I have been discharged from my sentence; and

(8) have read and understand the following statement: that giving false information
is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more
than $10,000, or both."

The certification must include boxes for the voter to respond to the following
questions:

"(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?" and

deleted text begin "(2) Will you be 18 years old on or before election day?"
deleted text end

new text begin "(2) Are you at least 16 years of age and will you be at least 18 years of age on or
before the day of the election in which you intend to vote?"
new text end

And the instruction:

"If you checked 'no' to either of these questions, do not complete this form."

A paper voter registration application must be of suitable size and weight for
mailing. The form of the voter registration application and the certification of voter
eligibility must be as provided in this subdivision and approved by the secretary of state.
Voter registration forms authorized by the National Voter Registration Act must also be
accepted as valid. The federal postcard application form must also be accepted as valid if
it is not deficient and the voter is eligible to register in Minnesota.

An individual may use a voter registration application to apply to register to vote in
Minnesota or to change information on an existing registration.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.091, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Public information lists.

The county auditor shall make available for
inspection a public information list which must contain the name, address, year of birth,
and voting history of each registered voter in the county new text begin who is at least 18 years of age new text end .
The telephone number must be included on the list if provided by the voter. The public
information list may also include information on voting districts. The county auditor
may adopt reasonable rules governing access to the list. No individual inspecting the
public information list shall tamper with or alter it in any manner. No individual who
inspects the public information list or who acquires a list of registered voters prepared
from the public information list may use any information contained in the list for purposes
unrelated to elections, political activities, or law enforcement. The secretary of state may
provide copies of the public information lists and other information from the statewide
registration system for uses related to elections, political activities, or in response to a
law enforcement inquiry from a public official concerning a failure to comply with any
criminal statute or any state or local tax statute.

Before inspecting the public information list or obtaining a list of voters or other
information from the list, the individual shall provide identification to the public official
having custody of the public information list and shall state in writing that any information
obtained from the list will not be used for purposes unrelated to elections, political
activities, or law enforcement. Requests to examine or obtain information from the public
information lists or the statewide registration system must be made and processed in the
manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state.

Upon receipt of a statement signed by the voter that withholding the voter's name
from the public information list is required for the safety of the voter or the voter's family,
the secretary of state and county auditor must withhold from the public information list the
name of a registered voter.