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HF 1167

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/22/2021 04:17pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to elections; permitting individuals who are at least 16 years of age to
preregister to vote; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 201.054,
subdivisions 1, 2; 201.061, by adding a subdivision; 201.071, subdivision 1;
201.091, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, 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 submit a voter registration application as provided in section 201.061,
subdivisions 1 and 1b.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 201.054, subdivision 2, is amended to read:


Subd. 2.

Prohibitions; penalty.

No individual shall intentionally:

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

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

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

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

A violation of this subdivision is a felony.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 201.061, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:


new text begin Subd. 1b. new text end

new text begin Preregistration. new text end

new text begin An individual who is under the age of 18, but who is at least
16 years of age and meets all requirements for eligibility in section 201.014, except for age,
may submit a voter registration application at the address in which the voter maintains
residence pursuant to subdivision 1. Nothing in this section shall be construed to entitle an
individual to appear on a polling place roster or 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 2020, 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) deleted text begin will be at least 18 years old on election daydeleted text end new text begin am at least 16 years old and understand
that I must be at least 18 years old to be eligible 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

"(2) deleted text begin Will you be 18 years old on or before election daydeleted text end new text begin Are you at least 16 years old and
will you be at least 18 years old 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."

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 2020, 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 Data on applicants submitted pursuant to
section 201.061, subdivision 1b, are not part of the public information list until the voter is
registered or has voting history.
new text end The list must not include the party choice of any voter who
voted in a presidential nomination primary. 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.

Sec. 6. new text begin TRANSITION TO NEW APPLICATION FORMS.
new text end

new text begin After the effective date of this act, an election official may use existing voter registration
forms that do not comply with the requirements in section 4 for applicants who are 18 years
of age or older at the time of registration. Applicants who are 16 years of age at the time of
registration must use an application form that meets the requirements in section 4. Beginning
on the effective date of this act, an election official must not print or copy voter registration
applications that do not meet the requirements of section 4.
new text end