1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; making it easier to vote by
1.3 	absentee ballot; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004,
1.4 	sections 203B.02, subdivision 1; 203B.04, subdivision
1.5 	1; 203B.06, subdivision 3; 203B.11, subdivision 4.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 203B.02,
1.8 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subdivision 1.unable to go to polling place eligibility
1.10 	for absentee voting.  Any eligible voter who reasonably expects
1.11 	to be unable to go to the polling place on election day in the
1.12 	precinct where the individual maintains residence because of
1.13 	absence from the precinct, illness, disability, religious
1.14 	discipline, observance of a religious holiday, or service as an
1.15 	election judge in another precinct may vote by absentee ballot
1.16 	as provided in sections 203B.04 to 203B.15.

1.17 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 203B.04,
1.18 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.19 		Subdivision 1.Application procedures.  Except as
1.20 	otherwise allowed by subdivision 2, an application for absentee
1.21 	ballots for any election may be submitted at any time not less
1.22 	than one day before the day of that election.  The county
1.23 	auditor shall prepare absentee ballot application forms in the
1.24 	format provided in the rules of the secretary of state and shall
1.25 	furnish them to any person on request.  An application submitted
2.1 	pursuant to this subdivision shall be in writing and shall be
2.2 	submitted to:
2.3 	(a) (1) the county auditor of the county where the
2.4 	applicant maintains residence; or
2.5 	(b) (2) the municipal clerk of the municipality, or school
2.6 	district if applicable, where the applicant maintains residence.
2.7 	An application shall be approved if it is timely received,
2.8 	signed and dated by the applicant, contains the applicant's name
2.9 	and residence and mailing addresses, and states that the
2.10 	applicant is eligible to vote by absentee ballot for one of the
2.11 	reasons specified in section 203B.02.  The application may
2.12 	contain a request for the voter's date of birth, which must not
2.13 	be made available for public inspection.  An application may be
2.14 	submitted to the county auditor or municipal clerk by an
2.15 	electronic facsimile device.  An application mailed or returned
2.16 	in person to the county auditor or municipal clerk on behalf of
2.17 	a voter by a person other than the voter must be deposited in
2.18 	the mail or returned in person to the county auditor or
2.19 	municipal clerk within ten days after it has been dated by the
2.20 	voter and no later than six days before the election.  The
2.21 	absentee ballot applications or a list of persons applying for
2.22 	an absentee ballot may not be made available for public
2.23 	inspection until the close of voting on election day.
2.24 	An application under this subdivision may contain an
2.25 	application under subdivision 5 to automatically receive an
2.26 	absentee ballot application.

2.27 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 203B.06,
2.28 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.29 		Subd. 3.Delivery of ballots.  If an application for
2.30 	absentee ballots is accepted at a time when absentee ballots are
2.31 	not yet available for distribution, the county auditor, or
2.32 	municipal clerk accepting the application shall file it and as
2.33 	soon as absentee ballots are available for distribution shall
2.34 	mail them to the address specified in the application.  If an
2.35 	application for absentee ballots is accepted when absentee
2.36 	ballots are available for distribution, the county auditor or
3.1 	municipal clerk accepting the application shall promptly:
3.2 	(a) (1) mail the ballots to the voter whose signature
3.3 	appears on the application if the application is submitted by
3.4 	mail and does not request commercial shipping under clause (2);
3.5 	(2) ship the ballots to the voter using a commercial
3.6 	shipper requested by the voter at the voter's expense;
3.7 	(b) (3) deliver the absentee ballots directly to the voter
3.8 	if the application is submitted in person; or
3.9 	(c) (4) deliver the absentee ballots in a sealed
3.10 	transmittal envelope to an agent who has been designated to
3.11 	bring the ballots to a voter who is disabled or who is a patient
3.12 	in a health care facility or a participant in a residential
3.13 	program for adults, as provided in section 203B.11, subdivision
3.14 	4.
3.15 	If an application does not indicate the election for which
3.16 	absentee ballots are sought, the county auditor or municipal
3.17 	clerk shall mail or deliver only the ballots for the next
3.18 	election occurring after receipt of the application.  Only one
3.19 	set of ballots may be mailed or , shipped, or delivered to an
3.20 	applicant for any election, except as provided in section
3.21 	203B.13, subdivision 2, or when a replacement ballot has been
3.22 	requested by the voter for a ballot that has been spoiled or
3.23 	lost in transit.

3.24 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 203B.11,
3.25 	subdivision 4, is amended to read:
3.26 		Subd. 4.Agent delivery of ballots.  During the four days
3.27 	preceding an election and until 2:00 p.m. on election day, an
3.28 	eligible voter who is disabled or who is a patient of a health
3.29 	care facility or is a participant in a residential program for
3.30 	adults licensed under section 245A.02, subdivision 14,may
3.31 	designate an agent to deliver the ballots to the voter from the
3.32 	county auditor or municipal clerk.  A candidate at the election
3.33 	may not be designated as an agent.  The voted ballots must be
3.34 	returned to the county auditor or municipal clerk no later than
3.35 	3:00 p.m. on election day.  The voter must complete an affidavit
3.36 	requesting the auditor or clerk to provide the agent with the
4.1 	ballots in a sealed transmittal envelope.  The affidavit must
4.2 	include a statement from the voter stating that the ballots were
4.3 	delivered to the voter by the agent in the sealed transmittal
4.4 	envelope.  An agent may deliver ballots to no more than three
4.5 	persons in any election.  The secretary of state shall provide
4.6 	samples of the affidavit and transmission envelope for use by
4.7 	the county auditors.