SF 923

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; requiring proof of citizenship
as part of registration; requiring voters to provide
picture identification; amending Minnesota Statutes
2004, sections 201.061, subdivisions 1, 3; 204C.10.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 201.061,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prior to election day.

At any time except
during the 20 days immediately preceding any election, an
eligible voter or any individual who will be an eligible voter
at the time of the next election 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, and submitting it in person or by mail to the
county auditor of that county or to the Secretary of State's
Office. new text begin The voter registration application must be accompanied
by proof of United States citizenship in the form of a passport,
birth certificate, or naturalization document, if registering in
person, or a state-certified copy of one of those documents, if
registering by mail. new text end A registration that is received no later
than 5:00 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 days after
the applications are dated by the voter.

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.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 201.061,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Election day registration.

An individual who is
eligible to vote may register on election day by appearing in
person at the polling place for the precinct in which the
individual maintains residence, by completing a registration
application, new text begin providing proof of United States citizenship in the
form of a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization
document, new text end making an oath in the form prescribed by the secretary
of state and providing proof of residence. An individual may
prove residence for purposes of registering by:

(1) presenting a driver's license or Minnesota
identification card issued pursuant to section 171.07;

(2) presenting any document approved by the secretary of
state as proper identification;

(3) presenting one of the following:

(i) a current valid student identification card from a
postsecondary educational institution in Minnesota, if a list of
students from that institution has been prepared under section
135A.17 and certified to the county auditor in the manner
provided in rules of the secretary of state; or

(ii) a current student fee statement that contains the
student's valid address in the precinct together with a picture
identification card; or

(4) having a voter who is registered to vote in the
precinct sign an oath in the presence of the election judge
vouching that the voter personally knows that the individual is
a resident of the precinct. A voter who has been vouched for on
election day may not sign a proof of residence oath vouching for
any other individual on that election day.

For tribal band members living on an Indian reservation, an
individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by
presenting an identification card issued by the tribal
government of a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, that contains
the name, street address, signature, and picture of the
individual. The county auditor of each county having territory
within the reservation shall maintain a record of the number of
election day registrations accepted under this section.

A county, school district, or municipality may require that
an election judge responsible for election day registration
initial each completed registration application.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204C.10, is
amended to read:

204C.10 PERMANENT REGISTRATION; VERIFICATION OF
REGISTRATION.

(a) An individual seeking to vote shall sign a polling
place roster which states that the individual is at least 18
years of age, a citizen of the United States, has resided in
Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election,
maintains residence at the address shown, is not under a
guardianship in which the individual has not retained the right
to vote, has not been found by a court of law to be legally
incompetent to vote or convicted of a felony without having
civil rights restored, is registered and has not already voted
in the election. The roster must also state: "I understand
that deliberately providing false information is a felony
punishable by not more than five years imprisonment and a fine
of not more than $10,000, or both."

(b) deleted text begin A judge may, deleted text end Before the applicant signs the roster, new text begin a
judge:
new text end

new text begin (1) may new text end confirm the applicant's name, address, and date of
birth new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (2) shall require the voter to provide a picture
identification card or document new text end .

(c) After the applicant signs the roster, the judge shall
give the applicant a voter's receipt. The voter shall deliver
the voter's receipt to the judge in charge of ballots as proof
of the voter's right to vote, and thereupon the judge shall hand
to the voter the ballot. The voters' receipts must be
maintained during the time for notice of filing an election
contest.