HF 174

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/14/2015 10:02am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; increasing the number of voters an individual may assist
in marking a ballot; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.15,
subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Physical assistance in marking ballots.

A voter who claims a need
for assistance because of inability to read English or physical inability to mark a ballot
may obtain the aid of two election judges who are members of different major political
parties. The election judges shall mark the ballots as directed by the voter and in as secret
a manner as circumstances permit. A voter in need of assistance may alternatively obtain
the assistance of any individual the voter chooses. Only the following persons may not
provide assistance to a voter: the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, an
officer or agent of the voter's union, or a candidate for election. The person who assists the
voter shall, unaccompanied by an election judge, retire with that voter to a booth and mark
the ballot as directed by the voter. No person who assists another voter as provided in the
preceding sentence shall mark the ballots of more than deleted text begin three deleted text end new text begin 15 new text end voters at one election.
Before the ballots are deposited, the voter may show them privately to an election judge to
ascertain that they are marked as the voter directed. An election judge or other individual
assisting a voter shall not in any manner request, persuade, induce, or attempt to persuade
or induce the voter to vote for any particular political party or candidate. The election
judges or other individuals who assist the voter shall not reveal to anyone the name of any
candidate for whom the voter has voted or anything that took place while assisting the voter.