1998 Minnesota Statutes

     205A.13 Requirements for petitions. 

    Any petition to a school board authorized in this chapter 
 or sections 126C.17, 126C.40, 126C.41 to 126C.48, and 124D.22, 
 or any other law which requires the board to submit an issue to 
 referendum or election, shall meet the following requirements to 
 be valid.  

    (1) Each page of the petition shall contain a heading at 
 its top which specifies the particular action the board is being 
 petitioned to take.  The signatures on any page which does not 
 contain such a heading shall all be invalidated.  All pages of 
 the petition shall be assembled and filed with the board as a 
 single instrument.  

    (2) Each page of the petition shall contain an 
 authentication signed by the circulator of the petition 
 specifying as follows:  

    "I personally have circulated this page of the petition.  
 All signatures were made in my presence.  I believe that the 
 signers signed their own names and that each person who has 
 signed is eligible to vote in a school district election 
 according to Minnesota Election Law.  

    Signed:  ................................ Signature of 
 Petition Circulator 

    Date:  ................................." 

    The signatures on any page which does not contain such an 
 authentication shall all be invalidated.  

    (3) Signers of the petition shall personally sign their own 
 names in ink or indelible pencil and shall indicate after the 
 name the place of residence by street and number, or other 
 description sufficient to identify the place.  Except as 
 provided in clause (4), any signature which does not meet these 
 requirements shall be invalidated.  

    (4) Individuals who are unable to write their names shall 
 be required to make their marks on the petition.  The circulator 
 of the petition shall certify the mark by signing the 
 individual's name and address and shall thereafter print the 
 phrase "mark certified by petition circulator."  

    (5) A petition, to be valid, must contain the minimum 
 number of valid signatures of eligible voters specified in the 
 law authorizing the petition and election.  

    HIST: 1987 c 266 art 1 s 60; 1991 c 130 s 37; 1992 c 499 art 
 12 s 29; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 55; 1998 c 397 art 11 s 3