1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; making policy, technical, and clarifying changes to various 
1.3 	provisions related to election law, including provisions related to redistricting, 
1.4 	voting, absentee voting, vacancies in nomination, recounts, challengers, 
1.5 	and election administration; providing early voting; modifying eligibility 
1.6 	requirements for voting by absentee ballot; establishing the Uniform Faithful 
1.7 	Presidential Electors Act; changing the date of the state primary from August to 
1.8 	June; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 13.851, 
1.9 	subdivision 10; 103C.225, subdivision 3; 103C.305, subdivision 3; 103C.311, 
1.10 	subdivision 2; 201.022, subdivision 1; 201.054, subdivision 2, by adding a 
1.11 	subdivision; 201.071, subdivision 2; 201.091, subdivision 8; 201.12, subdivision 
1.12 	3; 201.13, subdivision 1a; 201.14; 201.157; 201.275; 202A.14, subdivision 1; 
1.13 	203B.001; 203B.01, by adding a subdivision; 203B.02, subdivision 1; 203B.03, 
1.14 	subdivision 1; 203B.04, subdivisions 1, 5; 203B.05, subdivision 1; 203B.06, 
1.15 	subdivisions 1, 3; 203B.065; 203B.08, subdivision 3; 203B.081; 203B.085; 
1.16 	203B.121, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, by adding a subdivision; 203B.227; 203B.28; 
1.17 	204B.04, by adding a subdivision; 204B.07, subdivision 2; 204B.13, subdivisions 
1.18 	1, 2, 5, by adding subdivisions; 204B.14, subdivisions 2, 4; 204B.18, subdivision 
1.19 	2; 204B.21, subdivision 1; 204B.22, subdivisions 1, 2; 204B.28, subdivisions 1, 2; 
1.20 	204B.32, subdivision 1; 204B.33; 204B.35, subdivision 4; 204B.36, subdivision 
1.21 	1; 204B.45, subdivisions 1, 2; 204B.46; 204C.07, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, by adding a 
1.22 	subdivision; 204C.14; 204C.15, subdivision 1; 204C.19, subdivision 2; 204C.25; 
1.23 	204C.27; 204C.35, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 204C.36, subdivision 
1.24 	1; 204D.03, subdivision 1; 204D.08, subdivision 6; 204D.09, subdivisions 1, 2; 
1.25 	204D.11, subdivisions 1, 4, 5, 6; 204D.13, subdivision 3; 204D.14, subdivisions 
1.26 	1, 3; 204D.15, subdivision 3; 204D.16; 204D.165; 204D.19, subdivision 2, by 
1.27 	adding a subdivision; 204D.28, subdivision 5; 205.02, subdivision 2; 205.065, 
1.28 	subdivisions 1, 2; 205.10, subdivision 3; 205.13, subdivision 1a, by adding a 
1.29 	subdivision; 205.16, subdivisions 4, 5; 205.17, subdivisions 1, 3; 205A.03, 
1.30 	subdivisions 1, 2; 205A.04, by adding a subdivision; 205A.05, subdivisions 1, 
1.31 	2; 205A.06, subdivision 1a, by adding a subdivision; 205A.07, subdivisions 3, 
1.32 	3a, 3b; 205A.08, subdivision 1; 205A.11, subdivision 2a; 206.61, subdivisions 
1.33 	4, 5; 206.82, subdivisions 1, 2; 206.83; 206.89, subdivisions 2, 3; 206.895; 
1.34 	206.90, subdivision 6; 208.02; 208.03; 208.04, subdivisions 1, 2; 208.06; 
1.35 	209.01, subdivision 2; 211B.045; 211B.37; 241.065, subdivision 2; 340A.416, 
1.36 	subdivisions 2, 3; 340A.602; 375.20; 447.32, subdivisions 2, 3, 4; Laws 1963, 
1.37 	chapter 276, section 2, subdivision 2, as amended; proposing coding for new law 
1.38 	in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 2; 203B; 204B; 208; 244; repealing Minnesota 
1.39 	Statutes 2012, sections 2.444; 2.484; 203B.04, subdivision 6; 204B.12, 
2.1 	subdivision 2a; 204B.13, subdivisions 4, 6; 204B.42; 204D.11, subdivisions 2, 3; 
2.2 	205.17, subdivisions 2, 4; 205A.08, subdivision 4; 208.07; 208.08.
2.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

2.4 	ARTICLE 1
2.5 	REDISTRICTING

2.6 	Section 1. [2.395] THIRTY-NINTH DISTRICT.
2.7 		Subdivision 1.Senate district. Senate District 39 consists of that district as 
2.8 	described in the order of the Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel in Hippert v. Ritchie, 
2.9 	No. A11-152 (February 21, 2012).
2.10 		Subd. 2.House of representatives districts. Notwithstanding the order of the 
2.11 	Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel in Hippert v. Ritchie, No. A11-152 (February 
2.12 	21, 2012), Senate District 39, as described in that order, is divided into two house of 
2.13 	representatives districts as follows:
2.14 	(a) House of Representatives District 39A consists of that district as described in 
2.15 	file L39A-1, on file with the Geographic Information Systems Office of the Legislative 
2.16 	Coordinating Commission and published on its Web site on March 9, 2012.
2.17 	(b) House of Representatives District 39B consists of that district as described in 
2.18 	file L39B-1, on file with the Geographic Information Systems Office of the Legislative 
2.19 	Coordinating Commission and published on its Web site on March 9, 2012.

2.20 	Sec. 2. [2.495] FORTY-NINTH DISTRICT.
2.21 		Subdivision 1.Senate district. Senate District 49 consists of that district as 
2.22 	described in the order of the Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel in Hippert v. Ritchie, 
2.23 	No. A11-152 (February 21, 2012).
2.24 		Subd. 2.House of representatives districts. Notwithstanding the order of the 
2.25 	Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel in Hippert v. Ritchie, No. A11-152 (February 21, 
2.26 	2012), Senate District 49 is divided into two house of representatives districts as follows:
2.27 	(a) House of Representatives District 49A consists of the district as described in 
2.28 	that order, with the modification contained in file L49A-2, on file with the Geographic 
2.29 	Information Systems Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission and published on 
2.30 	its Web site on March 28, 2012.
2.31 	(b) House of Representatives District 49B consists of the district as described in 
2.32 	that order, with the modification contained in file L49B-2, on file with the Geographic 
2.33 	Information Systems Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission and published on 
2.34 	its Web site on March 28, 2012.

3.1 	Sec. 3.  REPEALER.
 3.2 	Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 2.444; and 2.484, are repealed.

3.3 	Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 3.4 	This article is effective for the state primary and state general elections conducted 
3.5 	in 2014 for terms of office beginning on the first Monday in January of 2015, and for all 
3.6 	elections held thereafter.

3.7 	ARTICLE 2
3.8 	EARLY VOTING

3.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.022, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.10 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The secretary of state shall maintain a statewide 
3.11 	voter registration system to facilitate voter registration and to provide a central database 
3.12 	containing voter registration information from around the state. The system must be 
3.13 	accessible to the county auditor of each county in the state. The system must also:
3.14 	(1) provide for voters to submit their voter registration applications to any county 
3.15 	auditor, the secretary of state, or the Department of Public Safety;
3.16 	(2) provide for the definition, establishment, and maintenance of a central database 
3.17 	for all voter registration information;
3.18 	(3) provide for entering data into the statewide registration system;
3.19 	(4) provide for electronic transfer of completed voter registration applications from 
3.20 	the Department of Public Safety to the secretary of state or the county auditor;
3.21 	(5) assign a unique identifier to each legally registered voter in the state;
3.22 	(6) provide for the acceptance of the Minnesota driver's license number, Minnesota 
3.23 	state identification number, and last four digits of the Social Security number for each 
3.24 	voter record;
3.25 	(7) coordinate with other agency databases within the state;
3.26 	(8) allow county auditors and the secretary of state to add or modify information in 
3.27 	the system to provide for accurate and up-to-date records;
3.28 	(9) allow county auditors, municipal and school district clerks, and the secretary 
3.29 	of state to have electronic access to the statewide registration system for review and 
3.30 	search capabilities;
3.31 	(10) provide security and protection of all information in the statewide registration 
3.32 	system and ensure that unauthorized access is not allowed;
3.33 	(11) provide access to municipal clerks to use the system;
4.1 	(12) provide a system for each county to identify the precinct to which a voter 
4.2 	should be assigned for voting purposes;
4.3 	(13) provide daily reports accessible by county auditors on the driver's license 
4.4 	numbers, state identification numbers, or last four digits of the Social Security numbers 
4.5 	submitted on voter registration applications that have been verified as accurate by the 
4.6 	secretary of state; and
4.7 	(14) provide reports on the number of absentee ballots transmitted to and returned 
4.8 	and cast by voters under section 203B.16.; and
4.9 	(15) provide reports necessary for early voting.
4.10 	The appropriate state or local official shall provide security measures to prevent 
4.11 	unauthorized access to the computerized list established under section 201.021.

4.12 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.001, is amended to read:
4.13 	203B.001 ELECTION LAW APPLICABILITY.
4.14 	The Minnesota Election Law is applicable to voting by absentee ballot and early 
4.15 	voting unless otherwise provided in this chapter.

4.16 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.01, is amended by adding a subdivision 
4.17 	to read:
4.18 		Subd. 5.Early voting. "Early voting" means voting in person before election day 
4.19 	at the office of the county auditor or designated municipal clerk within the time period 
4.20 	provided in section 203B.31.

4.21 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.085, is amended to read:
4.22 	203B.085 COUNTY AUDITOR'S AND MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICES TO 
4.23 	REMAIN OPEN DURING CERTAIN HOURS PRECEDING ELECTION.
4.24 	The county auditor's office in each county and the clerk's office in each city or 
4.25 	town authorized under section 203B.05 to administer absentee balloting must be open 
4.26 	for acceptance of absentee ballot applications and casting of absentee ballots from 8:00 
4.27 	a.m. to 12:00 noon on the day immediately preceding a federal, state, or county election, 
4.28 	unless that day falls on a Sunday. When performing the duties of the county auditor in 
4.29 	an election not held in conjunction with a federal, state, or county election, the clerk's 
4.30 	office must be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on the 
4.31 	day immediately preceding a primary, special, or general election unless that day falls 
4.32 	on a Saturday or Sunday. Town clerks' offices must be open for absentee voting from 
4.33 	10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on the Saturday before a town general election held in March. 
5.1 	The school district clerk, when performing the county auditor's election duties, need not 
5.2 	comply with this section.

5.3 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.121, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
5.4 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; applicable laws. (a) The governing body of each 
5.5 	county, municipality, and school district with responsibility to accept and reject absentee 
5.6 	ballots or to administer early voting must, by ordinance or resolution, establish a ballot 
5.7 	board. The board must consist of a sufficient number of election judges trained in the 
5.8 	handling of absentee ballots and appointed as provided in sections 204B.19 to 204B.22. 
5.9 	The board may include staff trained as election judges.
5.10 	(b) Each jurisdiction must pay a reasonable compensation to each member of that 
5.11 	jurisdiction's ballot board for services rendered during an election.
5.12 	(c) Except as otherwise provided by this section, all provisions of the Minnesota 
5.13 	Election Law apply to a ballot board.

5.14 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.121, is amended by adding a 
5.15 	subdivision to read:
5.16 		Subd. 2a.Duties of ballot board; early voting. The members of the ballot board 
5.17 	shall administer the process of early voting as prescribed in section 203B.35, and shall 
5.18 	make a record of voters who cast ballots early and count those ballots as provided in 
5.19 	subdivisions 4 and 5.

5.20 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.121, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
5.21 		Subd. 3.Record of voting. (a) When applicable, the county auditor or municipal 
5.22 	clerk must immediately record that a voter's absentee ballot has been accepted or that the 
5.23 	voter has cast a ballot pursuant to the early voting procedures provided in this chapter. A 
5.24 	voter whose record indicates that the voter has cast an early ballot must not be permitted 
5.25 	to cast another ballot in that election. After the close of business on the fourth day before 
5.26 	the election day prior to the beginning of the early voting period as provided in section 
5.27 	203B.31, a voter whose record indicates that an absentee ballot has been accepted or cast 
5.28 	must not be permitted to cast another ballot at that election. In a state primary, general, or 
5.29 	state special election for federal or, state, or county office, the auditor or clerk must also 
5.30 	record this information in the statewide voter registration system.
5.31 	(b) The roster must be marked, and a supplemental report of absentee and early
5.32 	 voters who submitted a voter registration application with their ballot must be created, no 
6.1 	later than the start of voting on election day to indicate the voters that have already cast a 
6.2 	ballot at the election. The roster may be marked either:
6.3 	(1) by the county auditor or municipal clerk before election day;
6.4 	(2) by the ballot board before election day; or
6.5 	(3) by the election judges at the polling place on election day.
6.6 	The record of a voter whose absentee ballot was received after the close of business 
6.7 	on the fourth day before the election is not required to be marked on the roster or contained 
6.8 	in a supplemental report as required by this paragraph.

6.9 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.121, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
6.10 		Subd. 4.Opening of envelopes. After the close of business on the fourth day 
6.11 	before the election day prior to the beginning of the early voting period as provided in 
6.12 	section 203B.31, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" may be opened, 
6.13 	duplicated as needed in the manner provided in section 206.86, subdivision 5, initialed by 
6.14 	the members of the ballot board, and deposited in the appropriate ballot box. If more than 
6.15 	one ballot is enclosed in the ballot envelope, the ballots must be returned in the manner 
6.16 	provided by section 204C.25 for return of spoiled ballots, and may not be counted.

6.17 	Sec. 9. [203B.30] EARLY VOTING.
6.18 	Any eligible voter may vote in person before election day in the manner provided 
6.19 	in sections 203B.31 to 203B.35.

6.20 	Sec. 10. [203B.31] TIME PERIOD FOR EARLY VOTING.
6.21 	Early voting must be available to any eligible voter as provided in section 203B.32 
6.22 	for every primary, general, and special election for federal, state, or county office from 15 
6.23 	days before the election through 5:00 p.m. on the third day before the election. All voters 
6.24 	in line at 5:00 p.m. on the third day before the election must be allowed to vote in the 
6.25 	same manner as provided in section 204C.05, subdivision 2.

6.26 	Sec. 11. [203B.32] HOURS FOR EARLY VOTING.
6.27 	Early voting must be available between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on 
6.28 	each weekday during the time period provided in section 203B.31, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 
6.29 	p.m. on at least one weekday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the two Saturdays 
6.30 	before the election.

6.31 	Sec. 12. [203B.33] LOCATIONS FOR EARLY VOTING.
7.1 	(a) Early voting must be made available at polling places designated in the county 
7.2 	auditor's offices in county-owned or operated buildings and at the municipal clerk's office 
7.3 	in every municipality that has been delegated the responsibility to administer absentee 
7.4 	voting as provided in section 203B.05. At least one voting station and one ballot marking 
7.5 	device for disabled voters must be made available in each polling place.
7.6 	(b) The county auditor must make an electronic ballot counter available in each 
7.7 	polling place.

7.8 	Sec. 13. [203B.34] NOTICE TO VOTERS.
7.9 	The county auditor must prepare a notice to the voters of the days, times, and 
7.10 	locations for early voting. This notice must be posted on the county's Web site and the 
7.11 	Web site for each municipality in the county where an early voting location is designated 
7.12 	for the election at least 14 days before the first day for early voting. If a county or 
7.13 	municipality does not have a Web site, the county auditor or municipal clerk must publish 
7.14 	the notice at least once in the jurisdiction's official newspaper at least seven days and not 
7.15 	more than 14 days before the first day for early voting.

7.16 	Sec. 14. [203B.35] PROCEDURES FOR EARLY VOTING.
7.17 		Subdivision 1.Voting procedure. Each voter shall sign the certification provided in 
7.18 	section 204C.10. An individual who is not registered to vote must register in the manner 
7.19 	provided in section 201.061, subdivision 3.
7.20 	After the voter has signed the certification, a member of the ballot board must 
7.21 	provide a ballot to the voter. Ballots must be prepared and distributed by members of the 
7.22 	ballot board in the manner provided in section 204C.09. The voter must mark the ballot 
7.23 	and deposit it in a precinct voting system. A voter may not leave the polling place with 
7.24 	the ballot.
7.25 		Subd. 2.Processing of ballots. Ballots cast pursuant to sections 203B.30 to 
7.26 	203B.35 must be processed and counted by a ballot board.

7.27 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.28, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
7.28 		Subd. 2.Election supplies; duties of county auditors and clerks. (a) Except as 
7.29 	otherwise provided for absentee ballots in this section and in section 204B.35, subdivision 
7.30 	4, the county auditor shall complete the preparation of the election materials for which 
7.31 	the auditor is responsible at least four days before every state primary and state general 
7.32 	election. At any time after all election materials are available from the county auditor 
8.1 	but not later than four days before the election each municipal clerk shall secure from 
8.2 	the county auditor:
8.3 	(a) (1) the forms that are required for the conduct of the election;
8.4 	(b) (2) any printed voter instruction materials furnished by the secretary of state;
8.5 	(c) (3) any other instructions for election officers; and
8.6 	(d) (4) a sufficient quantity of the official ballots, registration files, envelopes for 
8.7 	ballot returns, and other supplies and materials required for each precinct in order to 
8.8 	comply with the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law. The county auditor may 
8.9 	furnish the election supplies to the municipal clerks in the same manner as the supplies are 
8.10 	furnished to precincts in unorganized territory pursuant to section 204B.29, subdivision 1.
8.11 	(b) The county auditor must prepare and make available election materials for early 
8.12 	voting to city clerks designed to administer early voting under section 203B.05 at least 
8.13 	one day prior to the beginning of the early voting period as provided in section 203B.31.

8.14 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.82, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
8.15 		Subdivision 1.Program. A program or programs for use in an election conducted 
8.16 	by means of an electronic voting system or using an electronic ballot marker shall be 
8.17 	prepared at the direction of the county auditor or municipal clerk who is responsible for 
8.18 	the conduct of the election and shall be independently verified by a competent person 
8.19 	designated by that official. The term "competent person" as used in this section means a 
8.20 	person who can demonstrate knowledge as a computer programmer and who is other than 
8.21 	and wholly independent of any person operating or employed by the counting center or the 
8.22 	corporation or other preparer of the program. A test deck prepared by a competent person 
8.23 	shall be used for independent verification of the program; it shall test the maximum digits 
8.24 	used in totaling the returns and shall be usable by insertion during the tabulation process 
8.25 	as well as prior to tabulation. A test deck must also be prepared using the electronic ballot 
8.26 	marker program and must also be used to verify that all valid votes counted by the vote 
8.27 	tabulator may be selected using the electronic ballot marker. The computer program for 
8.28 	any election and an exact duplicate of the program for use as backup must be completed 
8.29 	and delivered to the election jurisdiction or the county auditor in charge of a common 
8.30 	central counting center at least 27 days prior to the election. The secretary of state shall 
8.31 	adopt rules further specifying test procedures.

8.32 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.83, is amended to read:
8.33 	206.83 TESTING OF VOTING SYSTEMS.
9.1 	Within 14 22 days before election day, the official in charge of elections shall have 
9.2 	the voting system tested to ascertain that the system will correctly mark ballots using all 
9.3 	methods supported by the system, including through assistive technology, and count the 
9.4 	votes cast for all candidates and on all questions. Public notice of the time and place of the 
9.5 	test must be given at least two days in advance by publication once in official newspapers. 
9.6 	The test must be observed by at least two election judges, who are not of the same major 
9.7 	political party, and must be open to representatives of the political parties, candidates, the 
9.8 	press, and the public. The test must be conducted by (1) processing a preaudited group 
9.9 	of ballots punched or marked to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each 
9.10 	candidate and on each question, and must include for each office one or more ballot cards 
9.11 	which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of 
9.12 	the voting system tabulator and electronic ballot marker to reject those votes; and (2) 
9.13 	processing an additional test deck of ballots marked using the electronic ballot marker 
9.14 	for the precinct, including ballots marked using the electronic ballot display, audio ballot 
9.15 	reader, and any assistive voting technology used with the electronic ballot marker. If any 
9.16 	error is detected, the cause must be ascertained and corrected and an errorless count must 
9.17 	be made before the voting system may be used in the election. After the completion of 
9.18 	the test, the programs used and ballot cards must be sealed, retained, and disposed of as 
9.19 	provided for paper ballots.

9.20 	Sec. 18. APPROPRIATION.
 9.21 	$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2014 from the general fund to the secretary 
9.22 	of state to implement this article.

9.23 	Sec. 19. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICABILITY.
 9.24 	The provisions of this article related to early voting are effective when the secretary 
9.25 	of state has certified that:
9.26 	(1) the statewide voter registration system has been tested and shown to properly 
9.27 	allow for the tracking of the information required to conduct early voting, and can handle 
9.28 	the expected volume of use; and
9.29 	(2) precinct voting equipment that can tabulate at least 30 different ballot styles 
9.30 	has been certified for use in this state. Upon certification pursuant to this section, the 
9.31 	provisions of this article related to early voting apply to all federal, state, and county 
9.32 	elections held on August 1, 2014, and thereafter. A jurisdiction may implement the 
9.33 	requirements of this article prior to the date provided in this section, if the secretary of 
10.1 	state has made the required certifications at least 90 days prior to the date of the election at 
10.2 	which early voting will be used.

10.3 	ARTICLE 3
10.4 	ABSENTEE VOTING

10.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.02, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.6 		Subdivision 1.Unable to go to polling place Absentee voting; eligibility. (a) Any 
10.7 	eligible voter who reasonably expects to be unable to go to the polling place on election 
10.8 	day in the precinct where the individual maintains residence because of absence from the 
10.9 	precinct; illness, including isolation or quarantine under sections 144.419 to 144.4196
10.10 	 or United States Code, title 42, sections 264 to 272; disability; religious discipline; 
10.11 	observance of a religious holiday; or service as an election judge in another precinct may 
10.12 	vote by absentee ballot as provided in sections 203B.04 to 203B.15.
10.13 	(b) If the governor has declared an emergency and filed the declaration with the 
10.14 	secretary of state under section 12.31, and the declaration states that the emergency has 
10.15 	made it difficult for voters to go to the polling place on election day, any voter in a 
10.16 	precinct covered by the declaration may vote by absentee ballot as provided in sections 
10.17 	203B.04 to 203B.15.

10.18 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.19 		Subdivision 1.Violation. No individual shall intentionally:
10.20 	(a) (1) make or sign any false certificate or oath required by this chapter;
10.21 	(b) (2) make any false or untrue statement in any application or request for absentee 
10.22 	ballots;
10.23 	(c) (3) apply for absentee ballots more than once in any election with the intent 
10.24 	to cast an illegal ballot;
10.25 	(d) (4) exhibit a ballot marked by that individual to any other individual;
10.26 	(e) (5) do any act in violation of the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of 
10.27 	casting an illegal vote in any precinct or for the purpose of aiding another to cast an 
10.28 	illegal vote;
10.29 	(f) (6) use information from absentee ballot or early voting materials or records for 
10.30 	purposes unrelated to elections, political activities, or law enforcement;
10.31 	(g) (7) provide assistance to an absentee or early voter except in the manner provided 
10.32 	by section 204C.15, subdivision 1;
10.33 	(h) (8) solicit the vote of an absentee or early voter while in the immediate presence 
10.34 	of the voter during the time the individual knows the absentee or early voter is voting; or
11.1 	(i) (9) alter an absentee ballot application after it has been signed by the voter, 
11.2 	except by an election official for administrative purposes.
11.3 	Before inspecting information from absentee ballot or early voting materials or 
11.4 	records, an individual shall provide identification to the public official having custody of 
11.5 	the material or information.

11.6 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
11.7 		Subdivision 1.Application procedures. (a) Except as otherwise allowed by 
11.8 	subdivision 2 or by section 203B.11, subdivision 4, an application for absentee ballots for 
11.9 	any election may be submitted at any time not less than one day before the day of that 
11.10 	election. The county auditor shall prepare absentee ballot application forms in the format 
11.11 	provided by the secretary of state and shall furnish them to any person on request. By 
11.12 	January 1 of each even-numbered year, the secretary of state shall make the forms to be 
11.13 	used available to auditors through electronic means. An application submitted pursuant to 
11.14 	this subdivision shall be in writing and shall be submitted to:
11.15 	(1) the county auditor of the county where the applicant maintains residence; or
11.16 	(2) the municipal clerk of the municipality, or school district if applicable, where 
11.17 	the applicant maintains residence.
11.18 	(b) An application shall be approved if it is timely received, signed and dated by 
11.19 	the applicant, contains the applicant's name and residence and mailing addresses, date 
11.20 	of birth, and at least one of the following:
11.21 	(1) the applicant's Minnesota driver's license number;
11.22 	(2) Minnesota state identification card number;
11.23 	(3) the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number; or
11.24 	(4) a statement that the applicant does not have any of these numbers.
11.25 	(c) To be approved, the application must state that the applicant is eligible to vote by 
11.26 	absentee ballot for one of the reasons specified in section 203B.02, and must contain an oath 
11.27 	that the information contained on the form is accurate, that the applicant is applying on the 
11.28 	applicant's own behalf, and that the applicant is signing the form under penalty of perjury.
11.29 	(d) An applicant's full date of birth, Minnesota driver's license or state identification 
11.30 	number, and the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number must not be 
11.31 	made available for public inspection. An application may be submitted to the county 
11.32 	auditor or municipal clerk by an electronic facsimile device. An application mailed or 
11.33 	returned in person to the county auditor or municipal clerk on behalf of a voter by a 
11.34 	person other than the voter must be deposited in the mail or returned in person to the 
11.35 	county auditor or municipal clerk within ten days after it has been dated by the voter and 
12.1 	no later than six days before the election. The absentee ballot applications or a list of 
12.2 	persons applying for an absentee ballot may not be made available for public inspection 
12.3 	until the close of voting on election day.
12.4 	(e) An application under this subdivision may contain an application under 
12.5 	subdivision 5 to automatically receive an absentee ballot application.

12.6 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.04, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
12.7 		Subd. 5.Permanent illness or disability absentee voter status. (a) An eligible 
12.8 	voter who reasonably expects to be permanently unable to go to the polling place on 
12.9 	election day because of illness or disability may apply to a county auditor or municipal 
12.10 	clerk under this section to automatically receive an absentee ballot application before each 
12.11 	election, other than an election by mail conducted under section 204B.45, and to have the 
12.12 	status as a permanent absentee voter indicated on the voter's registration record.
12.13 	(b) A voter who applies under paragraph (a), must automatically be provided an 
12.14 	absentee ballot for each eligible election. Ballots sent in accordance with this section must 
12.15 	be sent by nonforwardable mail. A voter's permanent absentee status ends and automatic 
12.16 	ballot delivery must be terminated on:
12.17 	(1) the voter's written request;
12.18 	(2) the voter's death;
12.19 	(3) return of a permanent absentee ballot as undeliverable; or
12.20 	(4) a change in the voter's status to "challenged" or "inactive" in the statewide voter 
12.21 	registration system.
12.22 	(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules governing procedures under this 
12.23 	subdivision.

12.24 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
12.25 		Subdivision 1.Printing and delivery of forms. Each county auditor and municipal 
12.26 	clerk shall prepare and print a sufficient number of blank application forms for absentee 
12.27 	ballots. The county auditor or municipal clerk shall deliver a blank application form to 
12.28 	any voter who requests one pursuant to section 203B.04. Blank application forms must be 
12.29 	mailed to eligible voters who have requested an application pursuant to section 203B.04, 
12.30 	subdivision 5 or 6, at least 60 days before:
12.31 	(1) each regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or school board 
12.32 	office;
12.33 	(2) each regularly scheduled general election for city or school board office for 
12.34 	which a primary is not held; and
13.1 	(3) a special primary to fill a federal or county office vacancy or special election to 
13.2 	fill a federal or county office vacancy, if a primary is not required to be held pursuant to 
13.3 	section 204D.03, subdivision 3, or 204D.07, subdivision 3; and
13.4 	(4) any election held in conjunction with an election described in clauses (1) to (3);
13.5 	or at least 45 days before any other primary or other election for which a primary is not held.

13.6 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.065, is amended to read:
13.7 	203B.065 USING THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
13.8 	(a) Upon accepting an application for a state primary or state general election, the 
13.9 	county auditor or municipal clerk shall record in the statewide voter registration system the 
13.10 	voter's name, date of birth, address of residence in Minnesota, mailing address, Minnesota 
13.11 	driver's license or state identification number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social 
13.12 	Security number, if provided by the voter. Upon acceptance of an absentee ballot 
13.13 	application of a voter who is registered to vote at an address different from the residential 
13.14 	address certified on the absentee ballot application, the voter registration record with the 
13.15 	previous address shall be challenged. Once the absentee ballot has been transmitted to the 
13.16 	voter, the method of transmission and the date of transmission must be recorded.
13.17 	(b) Upon receipt of a returned absentee ballot for a state primary or state general 
13.18 	election, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall record in the statewide voter 
13.19 	registration system that the voter has returned the ballot.
13.20 	(c) Upon receipt of notice that the ballot board has accepted or rejected the absentee 
13.21 	ballot for a state primary or state general election, the county auditor or municipal clerk 
13.22 	shall record in the statewide voter registration system whether the ballot was accepted or 
13.23 	rejected, and if rejected, the reason for rejection. If a replacement ballot is transmitted to 
13.24 	the voter, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall record this in the statewide voter 
13.25 	registration system.
13.26 	(d) The labels provided for envelopes used for transmitting an absentee ballot to 
13.27 	and from an applicant for an absentee ballot for a state primary or state general election 
13.28 	must contain bar codes generated by the statewide voter registration system to facilitate 
13.29 	the recording required under this section. A county auditor or municipal clerk entering 
13.30 	information into the statewide voter registration system under this section must include the 
13.31 	information provided on the bar code label whenever information is entered into the system.

13.32 	Sec. 7. EXPLANATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOT CHANGES; COUNTY 
13.33 	AUDITOR DUTIES.
 14.1 	No later than 60 days prior to the date of the state primary in 2014, each county 
14.2 	auditor shall mail an explanation of the changes to the permanent absentee balloting 
14.3 	process and an updated permanent absentee voter application to every voter with permanent 
14.4 	absentee ballot status in the county auditor's county. Each county auditor shall also mail 
14.5 	this explanation to every voter in the county auditor's county with ongoing absentee ballot 
14.6 	status on the voter's voter record as of the effective date of this article. A voter must return 
14.7 	the application to maintain the voter's status as a permanent absentee voter.
14.8 	Upon receipt of a completed application, the county auditor shall scan and retain an 
14.9 	image of the application until the permanent absentee voter's status ends.

14.10 	Sec. 8.  REPEALER.
 14.11 	Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.04, subdivision 6, is repealed.

14.12 	Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 14.13 	This article is effective January 1, 2014, and applies to voting at elections conducted 
14.14 	on the date of the state primary in 2014 and thereafter.

14.15 	ARTICLE 4
14.16 	VACANCIES IN NOMINATION

14.17 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
14.18 		Subdivision 1.Death or withdrawal Partisan office. (a) A vacancy in nomination 
14.19 	may for a partisan office must be filled in the manner provided by this section. A vacancy 
14.20 	in nomination exists for a partisan office when: (1) a major political party candidate 
14.21 	or nonpartisan candidate who was nominated at a primary dies or files an affidavit of 
14.22 	withdrawal as provided in section 204B.12, subdivision 2a; or(2) a candidate for a 
14.23 	nonpartisan office, for which one or two candidates filed, who has been nominated in 
14.24 	accordance with section 204D.03, subdivision 3, or 204D.10, subdivision 1:
14.25 	(1) dies;
14.26 	(2) withdraws as provided in section 204B.12, subdivision 1.; or
14.27 	(3) withdraws by filing an affidavit of withdrawal, as provided in paragraph (b), at 
14.28 	least one day prior to the general election with the same official who received the affidavit 
14.29 	of candidacy.
14.30 	(b) An affidavit of withdrawal filed under paragraph (a), clause (3), must state that 
14.31 	the candidate has been diagnosed with a catastrophic illness that will permanently and 
14.32 	continuously incapacitate the candidate and prevent the candidate from performing the 
14.33 	duties of the office sought, if elected. The affidavit must be accompanied by a certificate 
15.1 	verifying the candidate's illness meets the requirements of this paragraph, signed by at 
15.2 	least two licensed physicians. The affidavit and certificate may be filed by the candidate 
15.3 	or the candidate's legal guardian.

15.4 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
15.5 		Subd. 2.Partisan office; nomination by party; special election. (a) A vacancy in 
15.6 	nomination for partisan office shall be filled as provided in this subdivision. Except as 
15.7 	provided in subdivision 5, a major political party has the authority to may fill a vacancy 
15.8 	in nomination of that party's candidate as defined in subdivision 1, clause (1) or (3) by 
15.9 	filing a one nomination certificate with the same official who received the affidavits of 
15.10 	candidacy for that office.
15.11 	(b) A major political party may provide in its governing rules a procedure, including 
15.12 	designation of an appropriate committee, to fill vacancies a vacancy in nomination for all 
15.13 	offices elected statewide any federal or state partisan office. The nomination certificate 
15.14 	shall be prepared under the direction of and executed by the chair and secretary of the 
15.15 	political party and filed within seven days after the vacancy in nomination occurs or 
15.16 	before the 14th day before the general election, whichever is sooner. If the vacancy in 
15.17 	nomination occurs through the candidate's death or catastrophic illness, the nomination 
15.18 	certificate must be filed within seven days after the vacancy in nomination occurs but no 
15.19 	later than four days before the general election the timelines established in this section.
15.20 	 When filing the certificate the chair and secretary when filing the certificate shall attach an 
15.21 	affidavit stating that the newly nominated candidate has been selected under the rules of 
15.22 	the party and that the individuals signing the certificate and making the affidavit are the 
15.23 	chair and secretary of the party.
15.24 	(b) In the case of a vacancy in nomination for partisan office that occurs on or before 
15.25 	the 79th day before the general election, the major political party must file the nomination 
15.26 	certificate no later than 71 days before the general election. The name of the candidate 
15.27 	nominated by the party must appear on the general election ballot.
15.28 	(c) Except as provided in subdivision 5, in the case of a vacancy in nomination for 
15.29 	a partisan office that occurs after the 79th day before the general election, the general 
15.30 	election ballot shall remain unchanged, but the county and state canvassing boards must 
15.31 	not certify the vote totals for that office from the general election, and the office must be 
15.32 	filled at a special election held in accordance with this section. Except for the vacancy 
15.33 	in nomination, all other candidates whose names appeared on the general election ballot 
15.34 	for the office must appear on the special election ballot for the office. New affidavits of 
15.35 	candidacy or nominating petitions may not be accepted, and there must not be a primary to 
16.1 	fill the vacancy in nomination. The major political party may file a nomination certificate 
16.2 	as provided in paragraph (a), no later than seven days after the general election. On the 
16.3 	date of the general election, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall post a notice 
16.4 	in each precinct affected by a vacancy in nomination under this paragraph, informing 
16.5 	voters of the statutory reason for the vacancy in nomination as provided in subdivision 1, 
16.6 	paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (3), and the procedures for filling the vacancy in nomination 
16.7 	and conducting a special election as required by this section. The secretary of state shall 
16.8 	prepare and electronically distribute the notice to county auditors in each county affected 
16.9 	by a vacancy in nomination.

16.10 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, is amended by adding a subdivision 
16.11 	to read:
16.12 		Subd. 2a.Partisan office; filing period. A vacancy in nomination for a partisan 
16.13 	office due to a withdrawal of a candidate under section 204B.12, subdivision 1, may 
16.14 	be filled in the manner provided in sections 204B.06, 204B.09, and 204B.11, except 
16.15 	that all documents and fees required by those sections must be filed within five days 
16.16 	after the vacancy in nomination occurs. There must be a two-day period for withdrawal 
16.17 	of candidates after the last day for filing.
16.18 	If there is more than one candidate at the end of the withdrawal period to fill 
16.19 	the vacancy in nomination, the candidates' names must appear on the primary ballot. 
16.20 	Otherwise, the candidate's name must appear on the general election ballot.

16.21 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
16.22 		Subd. 5.Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. (a) If a vacancy in 
16.23 	nomination for a major political party occurs in the race for governor, the political party 
16.24 	must nominate the candidates for both governor and lieutenant governor. If a vacancy 
16.25 	in nomination for a major political party occurs in the race for lieutenant governor,
16.26 	 the candidate for governor determined under this section shall select the candidate for 
16.27 	lieutenant governor. If a vacancy in nomination occurs in the race for lieutenant governor, 
16.28 	due to a vacancy in nomination for governor or due to the withdrawal or death of the 
16.29 	candidate for lieutenant governor, the candidate for governor shall select the candidate for 
16.30 	lieutenant governor as provided in this subdivision.
16.31 	(b) For a vacancy in nomination for lieutenant governor that occurs on or before the 
16.32 	16th 79th day before the general election, the name of the lieutenant governor candidate 
16.33 	must be submitted by the governor candidate to the filing officer within seven days after 
16.34 	the vacancy occurs, or before the 14th day before the general election, whichever is sooner
17.1 	 no later than 71 days before the general election. If the vacancy in nomination occurs 
17.2 	through the death or catastrophic illness of the candidate for lieutenant governor occurs 
17.3 	after the 79th day before the general election, the candidate for governor shall submit the 
17.4 	name of the new lieutenant governor candidate to the secretary of state within seven days 
17.5 	after the vacancy in nomination occurs but no later than four days before the general 
17.6 	election. If the vacancy in nomination occurs through the death or catastrophic illness 
17.7 	of the candidate for governor, the new candidate for governor shall submit the name of 
17.8 	the lieutenant governor candidate within seven days after the vacancy in nomination for 
17.9 	governor is filled under section 204B.13, subdivision 2, but no later than four days before 
17.10 	the general election. occurs, but no changes may be made to the general election ballots.
17.11 	(c) When a vacancy in nomination for lieutenant governor occurs after the 79th day 
17.12 	before the general election, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall post a notice in 
17.13 	each precinct affected by the vacancy in nomination. The secretary of state shall prepare 
17.14 	and electronically distribute the notice to county auditors. The county auditor must ensure 
17.15 	that each precinct in the county receives the notice prior to the opening of the polls on 
17.16 	election day. The notice must include:
17.17 	(1) a statement that there is a vacancy in nomination for lieutenant governor and the 
17.18 	statutory reason for the vacancy in nomination as provided in subdivision 1, paragraph 
17.19 	(a), clauses (1) and (3);
17.20 	(2) a statement that the results for the governor and lieutenant governor will be 
17.21 	counted and that no special election will be held for that race; and 
17.22 	(3) a list of all candidates in the governor and lieutenant governor's race, listed in order 
17.23 	of the base rotation. The listing of candidates shall include the name of the candidate to 
17.24 	fill the vacancy in nomination for lieutenant governor. If the name of the candidate has not 
17.25 	yet been named, then the list must include the date by which the candidate will be named.

17.26 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, is amended by adding a subdivision 
17.27 	to read:
17.28 		Subd. 7.Date of special election. If a special election is required under this section, 
17.29 	the governor shall issue a writ calling for a special election to be conducted on the second 
17.30 	Tuesday in February of the year following the year the vacancy in nomination occurred. 
17.31 	Except where otherwise provided in this section, the writ shall be issued and the special 
17.32 	election conducted according to the requirements of sections 204D.22 to 204D.27.

17.33 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, is amended by adding a subdivision 
17.34 	to read:
18.1 		Subd. 8.Absentee voters. At least 46 days, but no more than 50 days, before a 
18.2 	special election conducted under this section, the county auditor shall transmit an absentee 
18.3 	ballot for the special election to each applicant for an absentee ballot whose application 
18.4 	for an absentee ballot for the preceding general election was recorded under section 
18.5 	203B.04 or 203B.17. New applicants for an absentee ballot may be provided a ballot 
18.6 	in the manner specified in chapter 203B.

18.7 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.13, is amended by adding a subdivision 
18.8 	to read:
18.9 		Subd. 9.Appropriation. In the case of a statewide special election under this 
18.10 	section, the amount necessary is appropriated from the general fund to the secretary of 
18.11 	state to cover costs incurred by the state, county, and municipal governments to conduct 
18.12 	the special election.

18.13 	Sec. 8. [204B.131] VACANCY IN NOMINATION; NONPARTISAN OFFICE.
18.14 		Subdivision 1.Applicability. A vacancy in nomination for a nonpartisan office 
18.15 	must be filled in the manner provided by this section. A vacancy in nomination for a 
18.16 	nonpartisan office exists when:
18.17 	(1) a candidate for any nonpartisan office, for which one or two candidates filed, 
18.18 	withdraws as provided in section 204B.12, subdivision 1; or
18.19 	(2) a candidate for any nonjudicial nonpartisan office, for which only one or two 
18.20 	candidates filed or who was nominated at a primary, dies more than 79 days before the 
18.21 	date of the general election.
18.22 		Subd. 2.Procedure for filling vacancy. A vacancy in nomination for a nonpartisan 
18.23 	office may be filled by filing an affidavit of candidacy and paying a filing fee, or by filing 
18.24 	an affidavit of candidacy and filing a petition in place of a filing fee, in the manner 
18.25 	provided in sections 204B.06, 204B.09, and 204B.11. All documents and fees required by 
18.26 	this subdivision must be filed within five days after the vacancy in nomination occurs. 
18.27 	There must be a two-day period for withdrawal of candidates after the last day for filing.   
18.28 	If the vacancy in nomination resulted from a withdrawal during the withdrawal 
18.29 	period held on the 68th to 69th day before the primary, and if, at the end of the withdrawal 
18.30 	period to fill the vacancy in nomination, there are more than two candidates, the 
18.31 	candidates' names must appear on the primary ballot.  In all other cases, the candidates' 
18.32 	names must appear on the general election ballot.

19.1 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.19, is amended by adding a subdivision 
19.2 	to read:
19.3 		Subd. 6.Writ when vacancy results from vacancy in nomination. If a vacancy in 
19.4 	office is due to a vacancy in nomination under section 204B.13, the governor shall issue a 
19.5 	writ in the manner provided in that section.

19.6 	Sec. 10.  REPEALER.
 19.7 	Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 204B.12, subdivision 2a; and 204B.13, 
19.8 	subdivisions 4 and 6, are repealed.

19.9 	Sec. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 19.10 	This article is effective the day following final enactment and applies to vacancies in 
19.11 	nomination occurring on or after that date.

19.12 	ARTICLE 5
19.13 	ELECTION ADMINISTRATION

19.14 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 103C.225, subdivision 3, is amended to 
19.15 	read:
19.16 		Subd. 3.Referendum. (a) Within 60 days after the petition is received by the state 
19.17 	board, it shall give due notice of the holding of a referendum, schedule the referendum at 
19.18 	the next general election, and cooperate with county election officials to accomplish the 
19.19 	election in the most expedient manner.Upon receipt of a petition, the state board shall 
19.20 	provide written notice to the secretary of state and the county auditor of each county in 
19.21 	which the district is located no later than 74 days before the state general election. The 
19.22 	notice must include the date of the election and the title and text of the question to be 
19.23 	placed on the ballot. Prior to the referendum, the state board shall facilitate the preparation 
19.24 	of a plan to continue the administration of the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the 
19.25 	district, including the functions of the district board.
19.26 	(b) The question shall be submitted by ballots, upon which the words "For terminating 
19.27 	the existence ofappear on the ballot in the following form: "Shall the .................. (name 
19.28 	of the soil and water conservation district to be here inserted)" and "Against terminating 
19.29 	the existence of the .................. (name of the soil and water conservation district to be here 
19.30 	inserted)" shall be printed, with a square before each proposition and a direction to insert 
19.31 	an X mark in the square before one or the other be terminated?".
19.32 	(c) Only eligible voters in the district may vote in the referendum.
20.1 	(d) Informalities in the conduct of the referendum or matters relating to the 
20.2 	referendum do not invalidate the referendum, or result of the referendum, if due notice has 
20.3 	been given and the referendum has been fairly conducted.
20.4 	(e) The state board shall publish the result of the referendum.

20.5 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 103C.305, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
20.6 		Subd. 3.Ballots. Ballots shall be prepared by the county auditor. The names of 
20.7 	candidates shall be placed on the "canary ballot" described in section 204D.11, subdivision 
20.8 	3 state general election ballot. The office title printed on the ballot must be either "Soil 
20.9 	and Water Conservation District Supervisor" or "Conservation District Supervisor," based 
20.10 	upon the district from which the supervisor is to be elected.

20.11 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 103C.311, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
20.12 		Subd. 2.Supervisors elected by districts. (a) The district board, with the approval 
20.13 	of the state board, may by resolution provide that supervisors will be elected by supervisor 
20.14 	districts as provided in this subdivision.
20.15 	(b) The supervisor districts must be composed of precincts established by county and 
20.16 	municipal governing bodies under section 204B.14. The districts must be compact, include 
20.17 	only contiguous territory, and be substantially equal in population. The districts must be 
20.18 	numbered in a regular series. The districts must be drawn by the county board of the county 
20.19 	containing the largest area of the soil and water conservation district, in consultation with 
20.20 	the district board and with the approval of the state board. The boundaries of the districts 
20.21 	must be redrawn after each decennial federal census as provided in section 204B.135. A 
20.22 	certified copy of the resolution establishing supervisor districts must be filed by the chair 
20.23 	of the district board with the county auditor of the counties where the soil and water 
20.24 	conservation district is located, with the state board, and with the secretary of state at least 
20.25 	30 days before the first date candidates may file for the office of supervisor., and the filings 
20.26 	must occur within 80 days of the time when the legislature has been redistricted or at least 
20.27 	15 weeks before the state primary election in a year ending in two, whichever comes first.
20.28 	(c) Each supervisor district is entitled to elect one supervisor. A supervisor must be a 
20.29 	resident of the district from which elected.
20.30 	(d) The district board shall provide staggered terms for supervisors elected by 
20.31 	district. After each redistricting, there shall be a new election of supervisors in all the 
20.32 	districts at the next general election, except that if the change made in the boundaries of a 
20.33 	district is less than five percent of the average population of all the districts, the supervisor 
20.34 	in office at the time of the redistricting shall serve for the full term for which elected. The 
21.1 	district board shall determine by lot the seats to be filled for a two-year term, a four-year 
21.2 	term, and a six-year term.

21.3 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.071, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
21.4 		Subd. 2.Instructions. A registration application shall be accompanied by 
21.5 	instructions specifying the manner and method of registration, the qualifications for 
21.6 	voting, the penalties for false registration, and the availability of registration and voting 
21.7 	assistance for elderly and disabled individuals and residents of health care facilities and 
21.8 	hospitals. The instructions must indicate that if the voter does not have a valid Minnesota 
21.9 	driver's license or identification card, the last four digits of the voter's Social Security 
21.10 	number must be provided, unless the voter does not have a Social Security number. If, 
21.11 	prior to election day, a person requests the instructions in Braille, on cassette tape audio 
21.12 	format, or in a version printed in 16-point bold type with 24-point leading, the county 
21.13 	auditor shall provide them in the form requested. The secretary of state shall prepare 
21.14 	Braille and cassetteaudio copies and make them available.

21.15 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.091, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
21.16 		Subd. 8.Registration places. Each county auditor shall designate a number of 
21.17 	public buildings in those political subdivisions of the county where preregistration of 
21.18 	voters is allowed as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 1, where eligible voters may 
21.19 	register to vote. At least one public building must be designated for each 30,000 residents 
21.20 	of the county. At least one telecommunications device for the deaf must be available for 
21.21 	voter registration information in each county seat and in every city of the first, second, 
21.22 	and third class.
21.23 	An adequate supply of registration applications and instructions must be maintained 
21.24 	at each designated location, and a designated individual must be available there to accept 
21.25 	registration applications and transmit them to the county auditor.
21.26 	A person who, because of disability, needs assistance in order to determine eligibility 
21.27 	or to register must be assisted by a designated individual. Assistance includes but is not 
21.28 	limited to reading the registration form and instructions and filling out the registration 
21.29 	form as directed by the eligible voter.

21.30 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.12, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
21.31 		Subd. 3.Moved out of state. If any nonforwardable mailing from an election 
21.32 	official is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address outside this 
21.33 	state, the county auditor shall promptly mail to the voter at the voter's new address a notice 
22.1 	advising the voter that the voter's status in the statewide voter registration system will be 
22.2 	changed to "inactive" unless the voter notifies the county auditor within 21 days that the 
22.3 	voter is retaining the former address as the voter's address of residence. If the voter's 
22.4 	record is challenged due to a felony conviction, lack of United States citizenship, legal 
22.5 	incompetence, or court-ordered revocation of voting rights of persons under guardianship, 
22.6 	the county auditor must not mail this notice. If the notice is not received by the deadline, 
22.7 	the county auditor shall change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide voter 
22.8 	registration system.

22.9 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.13, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
22.10 		Subd. 1a.Social Security Administration; other reports of deceased residents.
 22.11 	The secretary of state shall determine if any of the persons listed on either the Social 
22.12 	Security Death Index or reported as deceased by the vital records department of another 
22.13 	state are registered to vote and prepare a list of those registrants for each county auditor. 
22.14 	The county auditor shall change the status of those registrants to "deceased" in the 
22.15 	statewide voter registration system.

22.16 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.14, is amended to read:
22.17 	201.14 COURT ADMINISTRATOR OF DISTRICT COURT; REPORT 
22.18 	CHANGES OF NAMES.
22.19 	The state court administrator shall regularly report by electronic means to the 
22.20 	secretary of state the name, address, and, if available, driver's license or state identification 
22.21 	card number of each individual, 18 years of age or over, whose name was changed since 
22.22 	the last report, by marriage, divorce, or any order or decree of the court. The secretary of 
22.23 	state shall determine if any of the persons in the report are registered to vote under their 
22.24 	previous name and shall prepare a list of those registrants for each county auditor. Upon 
22.25 	receipt of the list, the county auditor shall make the change in the voter's record and mail 
22.26 	to the voter the notice of registration required by section 201.121, subdivision 2. A notice 
22.27 	must not be mailed if the voter's record is challenged due to a felony conviction, lack of 
22.28 	United States citizenship, legal incompetence, or court-ordered revocation of voting rights 
22.29 	of persons under guardianship.

22.30 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 202A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
22.31 		Subdivision 1.Time and manner of holding; postponement. (a) In every state 
22.32 	general election year, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the date established pursuant to paragraph 
23.1 	(b), there shall be held for every election precinct a party caucus in the manner provided 
23.2 	in sections 202A.14 to 202A.19.
23.3 	(b)(1) The chairs of the two largest major political parties shall jointly submit to 
23.4 	the secretary of state, no later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the single date 
23.5 	on which the two parties have agreed to conduct their precinct caucuses in the next 
23.6 	even-numbered year.
23.7 	(2) On March 1 of each odd-numbered year Within two business days after the 
23.8 	parties have agreed on a single date on which to conduct their precinct caucuses, the 
23.9 	secretary of state shall publicly announce the official state precinct caucus date for the 
23.10 	following general election year.
23.11 	(3) If the chairs of the two largest major political parties do not jointly submit a 
23.12 	single date for conducting their precinct caucuses as provided in this paragraph, then 
23.13 	for purposes of the next general election year, the first Tuesday in February shall be 
23.14 	considered the day of a major political party precinct caucus and sections 202A.19 and 
23.15 	202A.192 shall only apply on that date.
23.16 	(4) For purposes of this paragraph, the two largest major political parties shall be the 
23.17 	parties whose candidates for governor received the greatest and second greatest number of 
23.18 	votes at the most recent gubernatorial election.
23.19 	(c) In the event of severe weather a major political party may request the secretary of 
23.20 	state to postpone caucuses. If a major political party makes a request, or upon the secretary 
23.21 	of state's own initiative, after consultation with all major political parties and on the advice 
23.22 	of the federal Weather Bureau and the Department of Transportation, the secretary of state 
23.23 	may declare precinct caucuses to be postponed for a week in counties where weather 
23.24 	makes travel especially dangerous. The secretary of state shall submit a notice of the 
23.25 	postponement to news media covering the affected counties by 6:00 p.m. on the scheduled 
23.26 	day of the caucus. A postponed caucus may also be postponed pursuant to this subdivision.

23.27 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
23.28 		Subdivision 1.Generally. The full-time clerk of any city or town shall administer 
23.29 	the provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 if:
23.30 	(1) the county auditor of that county has designated the clerk to administer them; or
23.31 	(2) the clerk has given the county auditor of that county notice of intention to 
23.32 	administer them.
23.33 	The designation or notice must specify whether the clerk will be responsible for the 
23.34 	administration of a ballot board as provided in section 203B.121.
24.1 	A clerk of a city that is located in more than one county may only administer the 
24.2 	provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 and 203B.30 to 203B.35, if the clerk has been 
24.3 	designated by each of the county auditors or has provided notice to each of the county 
24.4 	auditors that the city will administer absentee voting. A clerk may only administer the 
24.5 	provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 if the clerk has technical capacity to access the 
24.6 	statewide voter registration system in the secure manner prescribed by the secretary of 
24.7 	state. The secretary of state must identify hardware, software, security, or other technical 
24.8 	prerequisites necessary to ensure the security, access controls, and performance of 
24.9 	the statewide voter registration system. A clerk must receive training approved by the 
24.10 	secretary of state on the use of the statewide voter registration system before administering 
24.11 	this section. A clerk may not use the statewide voter registration system until the clerk 
24.12 	has received the required training. The county auditor must notify the secretary of state 
24.13 	of any municipal clerk who will be administering the provisions of this section and the 
24.14 	duties that the clerk will administer.

24.15 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.08, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
24.16 		Subd. 3.Procedures on receipt of ballots. When absentee ballots are returned to a 
24.17 	county auditor or municipal clerk, that official shall stamp or initial and date the return 
24.18 	envelope and place it in a secure location with other return envelopes received by that 
24.19 	office. Within five days after receipt, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall deliver to 
24.20 	the ballot board all ballots received, except that during the 14 days immediately preceding 
24.21 	an election, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall deliver all ballots received to 
24.22 	the ballot board within three days. Ballots received on election day either (1) after 3:00 
24.23 	p.m., if delivered by an agent; or (2) after the last mail delivery, if delivered by another 
24.24 	method, shall be marked as received late by the county auditor or municipal clerk, and 
24.25 	must not be delivered to the ballot board.

24.26 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.081, is amended to read:
24.27 	203B.081 LOCATIONS FOR ABSENTEE VOTING IN PERSON.
24.28 	An eligible voter may vote by absentee ballot in the office of the county auditor and 
24.29 	at any other polling place designated by the county auditor during the 46 days before: the 
24.30 	election, except as provided in this subdivision.
24.31 	(1) a regularly scheduled election for federal, state, county, city, or school board 
24.32 	office;
24.33 	(2) a special election for a federal or county office; and
24.34 	(3) an election held in conjunction with an election described in clauses (1) and (2),
25.1 	andVoters casting absentee ballots in person for a town election held in March may 
25.2 	do so during the 30 days before any otherthe election, except that an eligible voter may not 
25.3 	vote by absentee ballot in person during the period designated for early voting, as provided 
25.4 	in section 203B.31. The county auditor shall make such designations at least 14 weeks 
25.5 	before the election. At least one voting booth in each polling place must be made available 
25.6 	by the county auditor for this purpose. The county auditor must also make available at least 
25.7 	one electronic ballot marker in each polling place that has implemented a voting system 
25.8 	that is accessible for individuals with disabilities pursuant to section 206.57, subdivision 5.

25.9 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.121, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
25.10 		Subd. 5.Storage and counting of absentee and early voting ballots. (a) On a 
25.11 	day on which absentee or early voting ballots are inserted into a ballot box, two members 
25.12 	of the ballot board must:
25.13 	(1) remove the ballots from the ballot box at the end of the day;
25.14 	(2) without inspecting the ballots, ensure that the number of ballots removed from 
25.15 	the ballot box is equal to the number of voters who cast early votes and whose absentee 
25.16 	ballots were accepted or cast that day; and
25.17 	(3) seal and secure all voted and unvoted ballots present in that location at the end 
25.18 	of the day.
25.19 	(b) After the polls have closed on election day, two members of the ballot board 
25.20 	must count the ballots, tabulating the vote in a manner that indicates each vote of the voter 
25.21 	and the total votes cast for each candidate or question. In state primary and state general 
25.22 	elections, the results must indicate the total votes cast for each candidate or question in each 
25.23 	precinct and report the vote totals tabulated for each precinct. The count shall be public. 
25.24 	No vote totals from ballots may be made public before the close of voting on election day
25.25 	 must be recorded on a summary statement in substantially the same format as provided in 
25.26 	section 204C.26. The ballot board shall submit at least one completed summary statement 
25.27 	to the county auditor or municipal clerk. The county auditor or municipal clerk may 
25.28 	require the ballot board to submit a sufficient number of completed summary statements to 
25.29 	comply with the provisions of section 204C.27, or the county auditor or municipal clerk 
25.30 	may certify reports containing the details of the ballot board summary statement to the 
25.31 	recipients of the summary statements designated in section 204C.27.
25.32 	In state primary and state general elections, these vote totals shall be added to the 
25.33 	vote totals on the summary statements of the returns for the appropriate precinct. In other 
25.34 	elections, these vote totals may be added to the vote totals on the summary statement of 
25.35 	returns for the appropriate precinct or may be reported as a separate total.
26.1 	The count shall be public. No vote totals from ballots may be made public before the 
26.2 	close of voting on election day.
26.3 	(c) In addition to the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b), if the task has not been 
26.4 	completed previously, the members of the ballot board must verify as soon as possible, but 
26.5 	no later than 24 hours after the end of the hours for voting, that voters whose absentee 
26.6 	ballots arrived after the rosters were marked or supplemental reports were generated 
26.7 	and whose ballots were accepted did not vote in person on election day. An absentee 
26.8 	ballot submitted by a voter who has voted in person on election day must be rejected. All 
26.9 	other accepted absentee ballots must be opened, duplicated if necessary, and counted by 
26.10 	members of the ballot board. The vote totals from these ballots must be incorporated into 
26.11 	the totals with the other absentee ballots and handled according to paragraph (b).

26.12 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.227, is amended to read:
26.13 	203B.227 WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT.
26.14 	(a) A voter described in section 203B.16, subdivision 1, may use a state write-in 
26.15 	absentee ballot or the federal write-in absentee ballot to vote in any federal, state, or local 
26.16 	election. In a state or local election, a vote for a political party without specifying the 
26.17 	name of a candidate must not be counted.
26.18 	(b) If a voter submits a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot for which a Federal Post 
26.19 	Card Application was not received, the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot serves as a voter 
26.20 	registration, for voters who are eligible to register, in lieu of the voter's Federal Post Card 
26.21 	Application. If the voter has not already voted and the accompanying certificate is properly 
26.22 	completed, the absentee ballot board must accept the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot.

26.23 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.28, is amended to read:
26.24 	203B.28 POSTELECTION REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.
26.25 	By March 1, 2011, and by January 15 of every odd-numbered year thereafter, the 
26.26 	secretary of state shall provide to the chair and ranking minority members of the legislative 
26.27 	committees with jurisdiction over elections a statistical report related to absentee voting 
26.28 	in the most recent general election cycle. The statistics must be organized by county 
26.29 	and precinct, and include:
26.30 	(1) the number of absentee ballots transmitted to voters;
26.31 	(2) the number of absentee ballots returned by voters;
26.32 	(3) the number of absentee ballots that were rejected, categorized by the reason 
26.33 	for rejection;
27.1 	(4) the number of absentee ballots submitted pursuant to sections 203B.16 to 
27.2 	203B.27, along with the number of returned ballots that were accepted, rejected, and 
27.3 	the reason for any rejections; and
27.4 	(5) the number of absentee ballots that were not counted because the ballot return 
27.5 	envelope was received after the deadlines provided in this chapter.

27.6 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.04, is amended by adding a 
27.7 	subdivision to read:
27.8 		Subd. 4.Prohibition on multiple candidacy. A candidate who files an affidavit 
27.9 	of candidacy for an office to be elected at the general election may not subsequently file 
27.10 	another affidavit of candidacy for any other office to be elected on the date of that general 
27.11 	election. The provisions in section 645.241 do not apply to this subdivision.

27.12 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
27.13 		Subd. 2.Petitions for presidential electors and alternates. This subdivision 
27.14 	does not apply to candidates for presidential elector or alternate nominated by major 
27.15 	political parties. Major party candidates for presidential elector or alternate are certified 
27.16 	under section 208.03. Other presidential electors or alternates are nominated by petition 
27.17 	pursuant to this section. On petitions nominating presidential electors or alternates, the 
27.18 	names of the candidates for president and vice-president shall be added to the political 
27.19 	party or political principle stated on the petition. One petition may be filed to nominate a 
27.20 	slate of presidential electors equal in number to the number of electors to which the state 
27.21 	is entitled and an alternate for each elector nominee.

27.22 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.18, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
27.23 		Subd. 2.Ballot boxes. Each polling place shall be provided with one ballot box for 
27.24 	each kind of ballot to be cast at the election. The boxes shall be substantially the same color 
27.25 	as the ballots to be deposited in them. Each box shall be of sufficient size and shall have a 
27.26 	sufficient opening to receive and contain all the ballots likely to be deposited in it. When 
27.27 	buff or goldenrod ballot boxes are required, a separate box must be provided for each school 
27.28 	district for which ballots are to be cast at that polling place. The number and name of the 
27.29 	school district must appear conspicuously on the top of each buff or goldenrod ballot box.

27.30 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
27.31 		Subdivision 1.Minimum number required. (a) A minimum of four election 
27.32 	judges shall be appointed for each precinct, except as provided by subdivision 2 in the 
28.1 	state general election. In all other elections, a minimum of three election judges shall 
28.2 	be appointed for each precinct. In a combined polling place under section 204B.14, 
28.3 	subdivision 2, at least one judge must be appointed from each municipality in the 
28.4 	combined polling place, provided that not less than three judges shall be appointed for 
28.5 	each combined polling place. The appointing authorities may appoint election judges for 
28.6 	any precinct in addition to the number required by this subdivision including additional 
28.7 	election judges to count ballots after voting has ended.
28.8 	(b) An election judge may serve for all or part of election day, at the discretion of the 
28.9 	appointing authority, as long as the minimum number of judges required is always present. 
28.10 	The head election judge designated under section 204B.20 must serve for all of election day 
28.11 	and be present in the polling place unless another election judge has been designated by the 
28.12 	head election judge to perform the functions of the head election judge during any absence.

28.13 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.22, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
28.14 		Subd. 2.Exception. A minimum of three election judges shall be appointed in 
28.15 	precincts not using electronic voting equipment. One additional election judge shall 
28.16 	be appointed for each 150 votes cast in that precinct at the last similar election and in 
28.17 	precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters as of 14 weeks before the state primary.

28.18 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.28, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
28.19 		Subdivision 1.Meeting with election officials. At least 12 weeks before each 
28.20 	regularly scheduled town general election conducted in March, and at least 18 weeks 
28.21 	before all other general elections, each county auditor shall conduct a meeting or otherwise 
28.22 	communicate with local election officials to review the procedures for the election. The 
28.23 	county auditor may require the head election judges in the county to attend this meeting.

28.24 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.32, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
28.25 		Subdivision 1.Payment. (a) The secretary of state shall pay the compensation for 
28.26 	presidential electors, the cost of printing the pink paper ballots, and all necessary expenses 
28.27 	incurred by the secretary of state in connection with elections.
28.28 	(b) The counties shall pay the compensation prescribed in section 204B.31, clauses 
28.29 	(b) and (c), the cost of printing the canary ballots, the white ballots, the pink state general 
28.30 	election ballots when machines are used, the state partisan primary ballots, and the 
28.31 	state and county nonpartisan primary ballots, all necessary expenses incurred by county 
28.32 	auditors in connection with elections, and the expenses of special county elections.
29.1 	(c) Subject to subdivision 2, the municipalities shall pay the compensation prescribed 
29.2 	for election judges and sergeants at arms, the cost of printing the municipal ballots, 
29.3 	providing ballot boxes, providing and equipping polling places and all necessary expenses 
29.4 	of the municipal clerks in connection with elections, except special county elections.
29.5 	(d) The school districts shall pay the compensation prescribed for election judges 
29.6 	and sergeants-at-arms, the cost of printing the school district ballots, providing ballot 
29.7 	boxes, providing and equipping polling places and all necessary expenses of the school 
29.8 	district clerks in connection with school district elections not held in conjunction with 
29.9 	state elections. When school district elections are held in conjunction with state elections, 
29.10 	the school district shall pay the costs of printing the school district ballots, providing ballot 
29.11 	boxes and all necessary expenses of the school district clerk.
29.12 	All disbursements under this section shall be presented, audited, and paid as in 
29.13 	the case of other public expenses.

29.14 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.33, is amended to read:
29.15 	204B.33 NOTICE OF FILING.
29.16 	(a) At least 1516 weeks before the state primary, the secretary of state shall notify 
29.17 	each county auditor of the offices to be voted for in that county at the next state general 
29.18 	election for which candidates file with the secretary of state. The notice shall include 
29.19 	the time and place of filing for those offices. Within ten days after notification by the 
29.20 	secretary of state, each county auditor shall notify each municipal clerk in the county of 
29.21 	all the offices to be voted for in the county at that election and the time and place for 
29.22 	filing for those offices. The county auditors and municipal clerks shall promptly post a 
29.23 	copy of that notice in their offices.
29.24 	(b) At least two weeksone week before the first day to file an affidavit of candidacy, 
29.25 	the county auditor shall publish a notice stating the first and last dates on which affidavits 
29.26 	of candidacy may be filed in the county auditor's office and the closing time for filing on 
29.27 	the last day for filing. The county auditor shall post a similar notice at least ten days before 
29.28 	the first day to file affidavits of candidacy.

29.29 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.35, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
29.30 		Subd. 4.Absentee ballots; preparation; delivery. At least 46 days before a 
29.31 	regularly scheduledan election for federal, state, county, city, or school board office 
29.32 	or a special election for federal office, and at least 30 days before any other election, 
29.33 	ballots necessary to fill applications of absentee voters shall be prepared and delivered to 
29.34 	the officials who administer the provisions of chapter 203B, except as provided in this 
30.1 	subdivision. Ballots necessary to fill applications of absentee voters for a town general 
30.2 	election held in March shall be prepared and delivered to the town clerk at least 30 days 
30.3 	before the election.
30.4 	This section applies to school district elections held on the same day as a statewide 
30.5 	election or an election for a county or municipality located partially or wholly within 
30.6 	the school district.

30.7 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
30.8 		Subdivision 1.Type. All ballots shall be printed with black ink on paper of sufficient 
30.9 	thickness to prevent the printing from being discernible from the back. All ballots of the 
30.10 	same color shall be substantially uniform in style of printing, size, thickness and shade of 
30.11 	color. When the ballots of a particular color vary in shade, those used in any one precinct 
30.12 	shall be of the same shade. All ballots shall be printed in easily readable type with suitable 
30.13 	lines dividing candidates, offices, instructions and other matter printed on ballots. The 
30.14 	name of each candidate shall be printed in capital letters. The same type shall be used for 
30.15 	the names of all candidates on the same ballot.

30.16 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.45, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
30.17 		Subdivision 1.Authorization. A municipality town of any size not located in a 
30.18 	metropolitan county as defined by section 473.121 or a city having fewer than 400 1,000
30.19 	 registered voters on June 1 of an election year and not located in a metropolitan county as 
30.20 	defined by section 473.121 may provide balloting by mail at any municipal, county, or 
30.21 	state election with no polling place other than the office of the auditor or clerk or other 
30.22 	locations designated by the auditor or clerk. The governing body may apply to the county 
30.23 	auditor for permission to conduct balloting by mail. The county board may provide for 
30.24 	balloting by mail in unorganized territory. The governing body of any municipality may 
30.25 	designate for mail balloting any precinct having fewer than 50 100 registered voters, 
30.26 	subject to the approval of the county auditor.
30.27 	Voted ballots may be returned in person to any location designated by the county 
30.28 	auditor or municipal clerk.

30.29 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
30.30 		Subd. 2.Procedure. Notice of the election and the special mail procedure must be 
30.31 	given at least sixten weeks prior to the election. Not more than 46 days nor later than 14 
30.32 	days before a regularly scheduled election for federal, state, county, city, or school board 
30.33 	office or a special election for federal office and not more than 30 days nor later than 14 
31.1 	days before any other election a town election held in March, the auditor shall mail ballots 
31.2 	by nonforwardable mail to all voters registered in the town or unorganized territory. No 
31.3 	later than 14 days before the election, the auditor must make a subsequent mailing of ballots 
31.4 	to those voters who register to vote after the initial mailing but before the 20th day before 
31.5 	the election. Eligible voters not registered at the time the ballots are mailed may apply for 
31.6 	ballots as provided in chapter 203B. Ballot return envelopes, with return postage provided, 
31.7 	must be preaddressed to the auditor or clerk and the voter may return the ballot by mail or 
31.8 	in person to the office of the auditor or clerk. The auditor or clerk must appoint a ballot 
31.9 	board to examine the mail and absentee ballot return envelopes and mark them "accepted" 
31.10 	or "rejected" within three days of receipt if there are 14 or fewer days before election day, 
31.11 	or within five days of receipt if there are more than 14 days before election day. The board 
31.12 	may consist of staff trained as election judges. Election judges performing the duties in 
31.13 	this section must be of different major political parties, unless they are exempt from that 
31.14 	requirement under section 205.075, subdivision 4, or section 205A.10. If an envelope has 
31.15 	been rejected at least five days before the election, the ballots in the envelope must remain 
31.16 	sealed and the auditor or clerk shall provide the voter with a replacement ballot and return 
31.17 	envelope in place of the spoiled ballot. If the ballot is rejected within five days of the 
31.18 	election, the envelope must remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board must 
31.19 	attempt to contact the voter by telephone or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's ballot 
31.20 	has been rejected. The official must document the attempts made to contact the voter.
31.21 	If the ballot is accepted, the county auditor or municipal clerk must mark the roster to 
31.22 	indicate that the voter has already cast a ballot in that election. After the close of business 
31.23 	on the fourth day before the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" 
31.24 	may be opened, duplicated as needed in the manner provided by section 206.86, 
31.25 	subdivision 5, initialed by the members of the ballot board, and deposited in the ballot box.
31.26 	In all other respects, the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing 
31.27 	deposit and counting of ballots apply.
31.28 	The mail and absentee ballots for a precinct must be counted together and reported 
31.29 	as one vote total. No vote totals from mail or absentee ballots may be made public before 
31.30 	the close of voting on election day.
31.31 	The costs of the mailing shall be paid by the election jurisdiction in which the voter 
31.32 	resides. Any ballot received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election must be counted.

31.33 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.46, is amended to read:
31.34 	204B.46 MAIL ELECTIONS; QUESTIONS.
32.1 	A county, municipality, or school district submitting questions to the voters at a 
32.2 	special election may conduct an election by mail with no polling place other than the office 
32.3 	of the auditor or clerk. No offices may be voted on at a mail election. Notice of the election 
32.4 	must be given to the county auditor at least 5374 days prior to the election. This notice 
32.5 	shall also fulfill the requirements of Minnesota Rules, part 8210.3000. The special mail 
32.6 	ballot procedures must be posted at least six weeks prior to the election. Not more than 30
32.7 	46 nor later than 14 days prior to the election, the auditor or clerk shall mail ballots by 
32.8 	nonforwardable mail to all voters registered in the county, municipality, or school district. 
32.9 	No later than 14 days before the election, the auditor or clerk must make a subsequent 
32.10 	mailing of ballots to those voters who register to vote after the initial mailing but before the 
32.11 	20th day before the election. Eligible voters not registered at the time the ballots are mailed 
32.12 	may apply for ballots pursuant to chapter 203B. The auditor or clerk must appoint a ballot 
32.13 	board to examine the mail and absentee ballot return envelopes and mark them "Accepted" 
32.14 	or "Rejected" within three days of receipt if there are 14 or fewer days before election day, 
32.15 	or within five days of receipt if there are more than 14 days before election day. The board 
32.16 	may consist of staff trained as election judges. Election judges performing the duties in 
32.17 	this section must be of different major political parties, unless they are exempt from that 
32.18 	requirement under section 205.075, subdivision 4, or section 205A.10. If an envelope has 
32.19 	been rejected at least five days before the election, the ballots in the envelope must remain 
32.20 	sealed and the auditor or clerk must provide the voter with a replacement ballot and return 
32.21 	envelope in place of the spoiled ballot. If the ballot is rejected within five days of the 
32.22 	election, the envelope must remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board must 
32.23 	attempt to contact the voter by telephone or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's ballot 
32.24 	has been rejected. The official must document the attempts made to contact the voter.
32.25 	If the ballot is accepted, the county auditor or municipal clerk must mark the roster to 
32.26 	indicate that the voter has already cast a ballot in that election. After the close of business 
32.27 	on the fourth day before the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" 
32.28 	may be opened, duplicated as needed in the manner provided by section 206.86, 
32.29 	subdivision 5, initialed by the ballot board, and deposited in the appropriate ballot box.
32.30 	In all other respects, the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing 
32.31 	deposit and counting of ballots apply.
32.32 	The mail and absentee ballots for a precinct must be counted together and reported 
32.33 	as one vote total. No vote totals from ballots may be made public before the close of 
32.34 	voting on election day.

32.35 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
33.1 		Subdivision 1.Partisan elections. At an election to fill partisan offices, the chair of 
33.2 	an authorized committee of each major political party may appoint by written certificate 
33.3 	voters from that political party to act as challengers of voters at the polling place for each 
33.4 	precinct. Only one challenger from each major political party for each precinct shall be 
33.5 	allowed to remain in the polling place at one time. A challenger may only remain in a 
33.6 	polling place while performing authorized duties of a challenger or for other purposes 
33.7 	as specified by law.

33.8 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
33.9 		Subd. 2.Nonpartisan elections. At an election to fill nonpartisan offices, each 
33.10 	nonpartisan candidate may appoint by written certificate voters to act as challengers of 
33.11 	voters at the polling place for each precinct. Only one challenger for each candidate shall 
33.12 	be allowed to remain in the polling place for each precinct at one time. A challenger 
33.13 	may only remain in a polling place while performing authorized duties of a challenger 
33.14 	or for other purposes as specified by law.

33.15 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.07, is amended by adding a 
33.16 	subdivision to read:
33.17 		Subd. 3b.Training requirement. (a) An individual must successfully complete 
33.18 	one hour of training prior to serving as a challenger. The individual must complete the 
33.19 	training once per two-year election cycle. The training must be approved by the secretary 
33.20 	of state. The training must include, at a minimum, information on the role of challengers 
33.21 	in the polling place, valid bases for challenges, prohibited conduct by challengers, and 
33.22 	procedures for making challenges.
33.23 	(b) Individuals seeking admission to a polling place to serve as a challenger must 
33.24 	provide a certificate issued by the secretary of state or a designee of the secretary of 
33.25 	state. The secretary of state or designee must issue a certificate to an individual that 
33.26 	successfully completes the training described in paragraph (a). The certificate must state 
33.27 	that the individual completed the required training and include the date of the training. An 
33.28 	individual that fails to present a certificate or presents a certificate dated before the current 
33.29 	two-year election cycle shall not be allowed to serve as a challenger.

33.30 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.07, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
33.31 		Subd. 4.Restrictions on conduct. (a) An election judge may not be appointed as a 
33.32 	challenger. The election judges shall permit challengers appointed pursuant to this section 
33.33 	to be present in the polling place during the hours of voting and to remain there until the 
34.1 	votes are counted and the results declared. NoA head judge may order a challenger 
34.2 	to leave the polling place if the challenger fails to comply with the requirements of 
34.3 	this section. A challenger must comply with the order to leave and must not serve as a 
34.4 	challenger at any polling place for the remainder of the day.
34.5 	(b) A challenger shall not:
34.6 	(1) handle or inspect registration cards, files, or lists. Challengers shall not;
34.7 	(2)  prepare in any manner any list of individuals who have or have not voted. They 
34.8 	shall not;
34.9 	(3)  attempt to influence voting in any manner. They shall not;
34.10 	(4)  converse with a voter except to determine, in the presence of an election judge, 
34.11 	whether the voter is eligible to vote in the precinct. or with a person assisting a voter;
34.12 	(5) use any electronic communication device inside the polling place; or 
34.13 	(6) interfere with an election judge who is performing official duties.
34.14 	(c) Individuals seeking admission to a polling place to serve as a challenger must 
34.15 	sign a form that acknowledges the challenger is aware of the prohibited activities in 
34.16 	paragraph (b). The form shall be prescribed by the secretary of state and must, at a 
34.17 	minimum, include a list of the prohibited activities in paragraph (b).

34.18 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
34.19 		Subdivision 1. Physical assistance in marking ballots. A voter who claims a need 
34.20 	for assistance because of inability to read English or physical inability to mark a ballot may 
34.21 	obtain the aid of two election judges who are members of different major political parties. 
34.22 	The election judges shall mark the ballots as directed by the voter and in as secret a manner 
34.23 	as circumstances permit. If the voter is deaf or cannot speak English or understand it when 
34.24 	it is spoken, the election judges may select two individuals who are members of different 
34.25 	major political parties to provide assistance. The individuals shall assist the voter in 
34.26 	marking the ballots. A voter in need of assistance may alternatively obtain the assistance of 
34.27 	any individual the voter chooses. Only the following persons may not provide assistance 
34.28 	to a voter: the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, an officer or agent of 
34.29 	the voter's union, or a candidate for election. The person who assists the voter shall, 
34.30 	unaccompanied by an election judge, retire with that voter to a booth and mark the ballot 
34.31 	as directed by the voter. No person who assists another voter as provided in the preceding 
34.32 	sentence shall mark the ballots of more than three voters at one election. Before the ballots 
34.33 	are deposited, the voter may show them privately to an election judge to ascertain that they 
34.34 	are marked as the voter directed. An election judge or other individual assisting a voter 
34.35 	shall not in any manner request, persuade, induce, or attempt to persuade or induce the 
35.1 	voter to vote for any particular political party or candidate. The election judges or other 
35.2 	individuals who assist the voter shall not reveal to anyone the name of any candidate for 
35.3 	whom the voter has voted or anything that took place while assisting the voter.

35.4 	Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.19, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
35.5 		Subd. 2.Ballots; order of counting. Except as otherwise provided in this 
35.6 	subdivision, the ballot boxes shall be opened, the votes counted, and the total declared one 
35.7 	box at a time in the following order: the white box, the pink box, the canary box, the light 
35.8 	green box, the blue box, the buff box, the goldenrod box, the gray box, and then the other 
35.9 	kinds of ballots voted at the election. If enough election judges are available to provide 
35.10 	counting teams of four or more election judges for each box, more than one box may be 
35.11 	opened and counted at the same time. The election judges on each counting team shall be 
35.12 	evenly divided between the major political parties. The numbers entered on the summary 
35.13 	sheet shall not be considered final until the ballots in all the boxes have been counted and 
35.14 	corrections have been made if ballots have been deposited in the wrong boxes.

35.15 	Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.25, is amended to read:
35.16 	204C.25 DISPOSITION OF BALLOTS.
35.17 	After the count and the summary statements have been completed, in the presence 
35.18 	of all the election judges, the counted, defective, and blank ballots shall be placed in 
35.19 	envelopes marked or printed to distinguish the color of the ballots contained, and the 
35.20 	envelopes shall be sealed. The election judges shall sign each envelope over the sealed part 
35.21 	so that the envelope cannot be opened without disturbing the continuity of the signatures. 
35.22 	The number and kind of ballots in each envelope, the name of the town or city, and the 
35.23 	name of the precinct shall be plainly written upon the envelopes. The number and name of 
35.24 	the district must be plainly written on envelopes containing school district ballots. The 
35.25 	spoiled ballots shall be placed in separate envelopes and returned with the unused ballots 
35.26 	to the county auditor or municipal or school district clerk from whom they were received.

35.27 	Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.27, is amended to read:
35.28 	204C.27 DELIVERY OF RETURNS TO COUNTY AUDITORS.
35.29 	One or more of the election judges in each precinct shall deliver two sets of 
35.30 	summary statements; all spoiled white, pink, canary, and gray ballots; and the envelopes 
35.31 	containing the white, pink, canary, and gray ballots either directly to the municipal clerk 
35.32 	for transmittal to the county auditor's office or directly to the county auditor's office as 
35.33 	soon as possible after the vote counting is completed but no later than 24 hours after the 
36.1 	end of the hours for voting. One or more election judges shall deliver the remaining set 
36.2 	of summary statements and returns, all unused and spoiled municipal and school district 
36.3 	ballots, the envelopes containing municipal and school district ballots, and all other things 
36.4 	furnished by the municipal or school district clerk, to the municipal or school district 
36.5 	clerk's office within 24 hours after the end of the hours for voting. The municipal or school 
36.6 	district clerk shall return all polling place rosters and completed voter registration cards to 
36.7 	the county auditor within 48 hours after the end of the hours for voting.

36.8 	Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.35, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
36.9 		Subdivision 1.AutomaticPublicly funded recounts. (a) In a state primary when 
36.10 	the difference between the votes cast for the candidates for nomination to:
36.11 	(1) a state legislative office is less than one-half of one percent of the total number of 
36.12 	votes counted for that nomination or is ten votes or less and the total number of votes cast 
36.13 	for the nomination is 400 votes or less; or
36.14 	(2) a statewide federal office, state constitutional office, statewide judicial office, 
36.15 	congressional office, state legislative office, or district judicial office:
36.16 	(1) is less than one-half one-quarter of one percent of the total number of votes 
36.17 	counted for that nomination; or
36.18 	(2) is ten votes or less and the total number of votes cast for the nomination is 400 
36.19 	votes or less;
36.20 	and the difference determines the nomination, the canvassing board with responsibility 
36.21 	for declaring the results for that office shall manually recount the vote upon receiving a 
36.22 	written request from the candidate whose nomination is in question.
36.23 	Immediately following the meeting of the board that has responsibility for 
36.24 	canvassing the results of the nomination, the filing officer must notify the candidate that 
36.25 	the candidate has the option to request a recount of the votes at no cost to the candidate. 
36.26 	This written request must be received by the filing officer no later than 48 hours after the 
36.27 	canvass of the primary for which the recount is being sought.
36.28 	(b) In a state general election when the difference between the votes of a candidate 
36.29 	who would otherwise be declared elected to:
36.30 	(1) a state legislative office is less than one-half of one percent of the total number of 
36.31 	votes counted for that office or is ten votes or less and the total number of votes cast for 
36.32 	the office is 400 votes or less; or
36.33 	(2) a statewide federal office, state constitutional office, statewide judicial office, 
36.34 	congressional office, state legislative office, or district judicial office and the votes of 
36.35 	any other candidate for that office:
37.1 	(1) is less than one-half one-quarter of one percent of the total number of votes 
37.2 	counted for that office; or
37.3 	(2) is ten votes or less if the total number of votes cast for the office is 400 votes or less,
37.4 	the canvassing board shall manually recount the votes upon receiving a written request 
37.5 	from the candidate whose election is in question.
37.6 	Immediately following the meeting of the board that has responsibility for 
37.7 	canvassing the results of the general election, the filing officer must notify the candidate 
37.8 	that the candidate has the option to request a recount of the votes at no cost to the 
37.9 	candidate. This written request must be received by the filing officer no later than 48 hours 
37.10 	after the canvass of the election for which the recount is being sought.
37.11 	(c) A recount must not delay any other part of the canvass. The results of the recount 
37.12 	must be certified by the canvassing board as soon as possible.
37.13 	(d) Time for notice of a contest for an office which is recounted pursuant to this section 
37.14 	shall begin to run upon certification of the results of the recount by the canvassing board.
37.15 	(e) A losing candidate may waive a recount required pursuant to this section by 
37.16 	filing a written notice of waiver with the canvassing board.

37.17 	Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.35, is amended by adding a 
37.18 	subdivision to read:
37.19 		Subd. 4.Filing officer. For the purposes of this section, the secretary of state is 
37.20 	the filing officer for candidates for all federal offices and for state offices voted on in 
37.21 	more than one county. The county auditor is the filing officer for state offices voted on 
37.22 	in only one county.

37.23 	Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
37.24 		Subdivision 1.RequiredPublicly funded recounts. (a) Except as provided in 
37.25 	paragraph paragraphs (b) and (c), a losing candidate for nomination or election to a 
37.26 	county, municipal, or school district office may request a recount of the votes cast for 
37.27 	the nomination or election to that office if the difference between the vote cast for that 
37.28 	candidate and for a winning candidate for nomination or election is less than one-half
37.29 	 one-quarter of one percent of the total votes counted for that office. In case of offices where 
37.30 	two or more seats are being filled from among all the candidates for the office, the one-half
37.31 	 one-quarter of one percent difference is between the elected candidate with the fewest votes 
37.32 	and the candidate with the most votes from among the candidates who were not elected.
37.33 	(b) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school 
37.34 	district office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election to that 
38.1 	office if the difference between the votes cast for that candidate and for a winning 
38.2 	candidate for nomination or election is less than one-half of one percent, and the total 
38.3 	number of votes cast for the nomination or election of all candidates is more than 400 
38.4 	but less than 50,000. In cases of offices where two or more seats are being filled from 
38.5 	among all the candidates for the office, the one-half of one percent difference is between 
38.6 	the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with the most votes from 
38.7 	among the candidates who were not elected.
38.8 	(b) (c) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or 
38.9 	school district office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election 
38.10 	to that office if the difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for a winning 
38.11 	candidate for nomination or election is ten votes or less, and the total number of votes cast 
38.12 	for the nomination or election of all candidates is no more than 400. In cases of offices 
38.13 	where two or more seats are being filled from among all the candidates for the office, 
38.14 	the ten vote difference is between the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the 
38.15 	candidate with the most votes from among the candidates who were not elected.
38.16 	(c) (d) Candidates for county offices shall file a written request for the recount with 
38.17 	the county auditor. Candidates for municipal or school district offices shall file a written 
38.18 	request with the municipal or school district clerk as appropriate. All requests shall be filed 
38.19 	during the time for notice of contest of the primary or election for which a recount is sought.
38.20 	(d) (e) Upon receipt of a request made pursuant to this section, the county auditor 
38.21 	shall recount the votes for a county office at the expense of the county, the governing 
38.22 	body of the municipality shall recount the votes for a municipal office at the expense of 
38.23 	the municipality, and the school board of the school district shall recount the votes for a 
38.24 	school district office at the expense of the school district.

38.25 	Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.08, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
38.26 		Subd. 6.State and county nonpartisan primary ballot. The state and county 
38.27 	nonpartisan primary ballot shall be headed "State and County Nonpartisan Primary 
38.28 	Ballot." It shall be printed on canary paper in the manner provided in the rules of the 
38.29 	secretary of state. The names of candidates for nomination to the Supreme Court, Court of 
38.30 	Appeals, district court, and all county offices shall be placed on this ballot.
38.31 	No candidate whose name is placed on the state and county nonpartisan primary 
38.32 	ballot shall be designated or identified as the candidate of any political party or in any 
38.33 	other manner except as expressly provided by law.

38.34 	Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.09, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
39.1 		Subd. 2.Sample ballot. At least two weeks 46 days before the state primary the 
39.2 	county auditor shall prepare a sample state partisan primary ballot and a sample state and 
39.3 	county nonpartisan primary ballot for each precinct for public inspection and transmit an 
39.4 	electronic copy of these sample ballots to the secretary of state. The names of all of the 
39.5 	candidates to be voted for in the county shall be placed on the sample ballots, with the 
39.6 	names of the candidates for each office arranged in the base rotation as determined by 
39.7 	section 206.61, subdivision 5. Only one sample state partisan primary ballot and one 
39.8 	sample state and county nonpartisan ballot shall be prepared for any county. The county 
39.9 	auditor shall post the sample ballots in a conspicuous place in the auditor's office and shall 
39.10 	cause them to be published at least one week before the state primary in at least one 
39.11 	newspaper of general circulation in the county.

39.12 	Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.11, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
39.13 		Subdivision 1.WhiteState general election ballot; rules. The names of 
39.14 	the candidates for all partisanstate and federal offices, all proposed constitutional 
39.15 	amendments, all county offices and questions, and all judicial offices voted on at the state 
39.16 	general election shall be placed on a single ballot printed on white paper which that  shall 
39.17 	be known as the "whitestate general election ballot." This ballot shall be prepared by the 
39.18 	county auditor subject to the rules of the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall 
39.19 	adopt rules for preparation and time of delivery of the whitestate general election ballot.

39.20 	Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.11, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
39.21 		Subd. 4.Special federal white ballot. (a) The names of all candidates for the 
39.22 	offices of president and vice-president of the United States and senator and representative 
39.23 	in Congress shall be placed on a ballot printed on white paper whichthat shall be known 
39.24 	as the "special federal white ballot."
39.25 	(b) This ballot shall be prepared by the county auditor in the same manner as 
39.26 	the whitestate general election ballot and shall be subject to the rules adopted by the 
39.27 	secretary of state pursuant to subdivision 1. This ballot must be prepared and furnished 
39.28 	in accordance with the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 
39.29 	United States Code, title 42, section 1973ff.
39.30 	(c) The special federal white ballot shall be the only ballot sent to citizens of 
39.31 	the United States who are eligible to vote by absentee ballot for federal candidates in 
39.32 	Minnesota.

39.33 	Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.11, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
40.1 		Subd. 5.Ballot headings. The white, pink, and special federal white ballot 
40.2 	containing the offices and questions in subdivisions 1 and 4, shall be headed with the 
40.3 	words "State General Election Ballot." The canary ballot shall be headed with the words 
40.4 	"County and Judicial Nonpartisan General Election Ballot."

40.5 	Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.11, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
40.6 		Subd. 6.GrayJudicial ballot. When the canary ballot would be longer than 30 
40.7 	inches or when it would not be possible to place all offices on a single ballot card for the 
40.8 	state general election, the judicial offices that should be placed on the canary ballot may be 
40.9 	placed instead on a separate grayjudicial ballot. The grayjudicial ballot shall be prepared 
40.10 	by the county auditor in the manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state.
40.11 	The grayjudicial ballot must be headed with the words: "Judicial Nonpartisan 
40.12 	General Election Ballot." Separate ballot boxes must be provided for these grayjudicial 
40.13 	ballots.

40.14 	Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
40.15 		Subd. 3.Nominees by petition; placement on ballot. The names of candidates 
40.16 	nominated by petition for a partisan office voted on at the state general election shall be 
40.17 	placed on the whitestate general election ballot after the names of the candidates for that 
40.18 	office who were nominated at the state primary. Prior to the state primary No later than 
40.19 	11 weeks before the state general election, the secretary of state shall determine by lot 
40.20 	the order of candidates nominated by petition. The drawing of lots must be by political 
40.21 	party or principle. The political party or political principle of the candidate as stated on 
40.22 	the petition shall be placed after the name of a candidate nominated by petition. The word 
40.23 	"nonpartisan" shall not be used to designate any partisan candidate whose name is placed 
40.24 	on the whitestate general election ballot by nominating petition.

40.25 	Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
40.26 		Subdivision 1.Rotation of names. The names of candidates for nonpartisan offices 
40.27 	on the canarystate general election ballot and the judicial nonpartisan general election 
40.28 	ballot shall be rotated in the manner provided for rotation of names on state partisan 
40.29 	primary ballots by section 204D.08, subdivision 3.

40.30 	Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.14, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
41.1 		Subd. 3.Uncontested judicial offices. Judicial offices for a specific court for 
41.2 	which there is only one candidate filed must appear after all other judicial offices for that 
41.3 	same court on the canary ballot.

41.4 	Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.15, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
41.5 		Subd. 3.Sample pink ballot; constitutional amendments. Four weeks before the 
41.6 	state general election the secretary of state shall file sample copies of the pink ballot
41.7 	portion of the state general election ballot that contains the proposed constitutional 
41.8 	amendments in the Secretary of State's Office for public inspection. Three weeks before 
41.9 	the state general election the secretary of state shall mailtransmit sample copies of the 
41.10 	pinksample ballot to each county auditor. Each auditor shall post the sample ballot in a 
41.11 	conspicuous place in the auditor's office.

41.12 	Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.16, is amended to read:
41.13 	204D.16 SAMPLE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOTS; POSTING; 
41.14 	PUBLICATION.
41.15 	Two weeks before the state general election the county auditor shall prepare sample 
41.16 	copies of the white and canary ballots andAt least 46 days before the state general 
41.17 	election, the county auditor shall post copies of these sample ballots and a sample of the 
41.18 	pink ballotfor each precinct in the auditor's office for public inspection and transmit an 
41.19 	electronic copy of these sample ballots to the secretary of state. No earlier than 15 days 
41.20 	and no later than two days before the state general election the county auditor shall cause 
41.21 	the sample white and canary ballotsstate general election ballots to be published in at 
41.22 	least one newspaper of general circulation in the county.

41.23 	Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.165, is amended to read:
41.24 	204D.165 SAMPLE BALLOTS TO SCHOOLS.
41.25 	Notwithstanding any contrary provisions in section 204D.09 or 204D.16, The county 
41.26 	auditor, two weeks before the applicable primary or general election, shall provide one 
41.27 	copy of thean appropriate sample partisan primary, nonpartisan primary, canary, white, 
41.28 	or pink ballot to a school district upon request. The school district may have the sample 
41.29 	ballots reproduced at its expense for classroom educational purposes and for educational 
41.30 	activities authorized under section 204B.27, subdivision 7.

41.31 	Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.19, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
42.1 		Subd. 2.Special election when legislature will be in session. Except for 
42.2 	vacancies in the legislature which occur at any time between the last day of session in an 
42.3 	odd-numbered year and the 40th day prior to the opening day of session in the succeeding 
42.4 	even-numbered year, when a vacancy occurs and the legislature will be in session so 
42.5 	that the individual elected as provided by this section could take office and exercise the 
42.6 	duties of the office immediately upon election, the governor shall issue within five days 
42.7 	after the vacancy occurs a writ calling for a special election. The special election shall 
42.8 	be held as soon as possible, consistent with the notice requirements of section 204D.22, 
42.9 	subdivision 3, but in no event more than 35 days after the issuance of the writ. A special 
42.10 	election must not be held during the four days before or the four days after a holiday as 
42.11 	defined in section 645.44, subdivision 5.

42.12 	Sec. 53. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.02, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
42.13 		Subd. 2.City elections. In all statutory and home rule charter cities, the primary, 
42.14 	general and special elections held for choosing city officials and deciding public questions 
42.15 	relating to the city shall be held as provided in this chapter, except that sections 205.065, 
42.16 	subdivisions 4 to 6; 205.07, subdivision 3; 205.10; 205.121; and 205.17, subdivisions 2 
42.17 	and subdivision 3, do not apply to a city whose charter provides the manner of holding 
42.18 	its primary, general or special elections.

42.19 	Sec. 54. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.10, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
42.20 		Subd. 3.Prohibition. No special election authorized under subdivision 1 may be 
42.21 	held within 40 56  days after the state general election.

42.22 	Sec. 55. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.13, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
42.23 		Subd. 1a.Filing period. In a city nominating candidates at a primary, an affidavit of 
42.24 	candidacy for a city office voted on in November must be filed no more than 84 days nor 
42.25 	less than 70 days before the city primary. In municipalities that do not hold a primary, an 
42.26 	affidavit of candidacy must be filed no more than 70 days and not less than 56 days before 
42.27 	the municipal general election held in March in any year, or a special election not held in 
42.28 	conjunction with another election, and no more than 98 days nor less than 84 days before 
42.29 	the municipal general election held in November of any year. The municipal clerk's office 
42.30 	must be open for filing from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the filing period.

42.31 	Sec. 56. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.13, is amended by adding a subdivision 
42.32 	to read:
43.1 		Subd. 7.Write-in candidates for city offices. The governing body of any city 
43.2 	may, by resolution, require that a candidate for a city office who wants write-in votes for 
43.3 	the candidate to be counted file a written request with the city clerk no later than the 
43.4 	seventh day before the general election. The filing officer shall provide copies of the 
43.5 	form to make the request.

43.6 	Sec. 57. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.16, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
43.7 		Subd. 4.Notice to auditor. At least 6774 days before every municipal election held 
43.8 	in conjunction with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or school 
43.9 	board office or a special primary for federal office, at least 74 days before every municipal 
43.10 	election held in connection with a regularly scheduled general election for federal, state, 
43.11 	county, city, or school board office or a special election for federal office, and at least 53 
43.12 	days before any other municipal election, the municipal clerk shall provide a written notice 
43.13 	to the county auditor, including the date of the election, the offices to be voted on at the 
43.14 	election, and the title and language for each ballot question to be voted on at the election. 
43.15 	At least 6774 days before every municipal election held in conjunction with a regularly 
43.16 	scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special 
43.17 	primary for federal office, at least 74 days before a regularly scheduled general election for 
43.18 	federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special election for federal office, and 
43.19 	at least 46 days before any other election, the municipal clerk must provide written notice 
43.20 	to the county auditor of any special election canceled under section 205.10, subdivision 6.

43.21 	Sec. 58. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.16, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
43.22 		Subd. 5.Notice to secretary of state. At least 67 74 days before every municipal 
43.23 	election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, 
43.24 	city, or school board office or a special primary for federal office, at least 74 days before 
43.25 	every municipal election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled general election 
43.26 	for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special election for federal office, 
43.27 	and at least 46 days before any other municipal election for which a notice is provided 
43.28 	to the county auditor under subdivision 4, the county auditor shall provide a notice of 
43.29 	the election to the secretary of state, in a manner and including information prescribed 
43.30 	by the secretary of state.

43.31 	Sec. 59. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.17, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
43.32 		Subdivision 1.Second, third, and fourth class cities; towns Municipal offices; 
43.33 	questions; general election ballot. In all statutory and home rule charter cities of the 
44.1 	second, third, and fourth class, and in all towns, for the municipal general election, the 
44.2 	municipal clerk shall have printed on light green paper the official ballot containing the 
44.3 	names of all candidates for municipal offices and municipal ballot questions. The ballot 
44.4 	shall be printed in quantities of 25, 50, or 100, shall be headed "City or Town Election 
44.5 	Ballot," shall state the name of the city or town and the date of the election, and shall 
44.6 	conform in other respects to the white ballot used at the state general election ballot. The 
44.7 	names shall be arranged on city ballots in the manner provided for the state elections. On 
44.8 	town ballots names of the candidates for each office shall be arranged either:
44.9 	(1) alphabetically according to the candidates' surnames; or
44.10 	(2) in the manner provided for state elections if the town electors chose at the town's 
44.11 	annual meeting to arrange the names in that way for at least two consecutive years.

44.12 	Sec. 60. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.17, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
44.13 		Subd. 3.Primary ballots. The municipal primary ballot in cities of the second, 
44.14 	third, and fourth class and towns and the nonpartisan primary ballot in cities of the first 
44.15 	class shall conform as far as practicable with the municipal general election ballot except 
44.16 	that it shall be printed on light green paper. No blank spaces shall be provided for writing 
44.17 	in the names of candidates. The partisan primary ballot in cities of the first class shall 
44.18 	conform as far as practicable with the state partisan primary ballot.

44.19 	Sec. 61. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.04, is amended by adding a 
44.20 	subdivision to read:
44.21 		Subd. 3.Change in year of general election. The school board may, by resolution, 
44.22 	change the year in which the school district general election will be held. The resolution 
44.23 	must be approved no later than four weeks before the first day to file affidavits of 
44.24 	candidacy for the general election. A plan for the orderly transition to the new election 
44.25 	year must be included in the resolution. The terms of school board members may be 
44.26 	lengthened or shortened by one year as a part of the transition process.

44.27 	Sec. 62. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
44.28 		Subdivision 1.Questions. Special elections must be held for a school district on a 
44.29 	question on which the voters are authorized by law to pass judgment. The school board 
44.30 	may on its own motion call a special election to vote on any matter requiring approval of 
44.31 	the voters of a district. Upon petition filed with the school board of 50 or more voters of 
44.32 	the school district or five percent of the number of voters voting at the preceding school 
44.33 	district general election, whichever is greater, the school board shall by resolution call 
45.1 	a special election to vote on any matter requiring approval of the voters of a district. A 
45.2 	question is carried only with the majority in its favor required by law. The election officials 
45.3 	for a special election are the same as for the most recent school district general election 
45.4 	unless changed according to law. Otherwise, special elections must be conducted and the 
45.5 	returns made in the manner provided for the school district general election. A special 
45.6 	election may not be held during the 3056 days before and the 3056 days after the statea 
45.7 	regularly scheduled primary, during the 30 days before and the 40 days after the stateor 
45.8 	general election. In addition, a special election may not be held during the 20 days before 
45.9 	and the 20 days after any regularly scheduled election of a municipalityconducted wholly 
45.10 	or partially within the school district. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the 
45.11 	time period in which a special election must be conducted under any other law may be 
45.12 	extended by the school board to conform with the requirements of this subdivision.

45.13 	Sec. 63. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
45.14 		Subd. 2.Vacancies in school district offices. Special elections shall be held in 
45.15 	school districts in conjunction with school district primary and general elections to fill 
45.16 	vacancies in elective school district offices. When more than one vacancy exists in an 
45.17 	office elected at-large, voters must be instructed to vote for up to the number of vacancies 
45.18 	to be filled.

45.19 	Sec. 64. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.06, is amended by adding a 
45.20 	subdivision to read:
45.21 		Subd. 6.Write-in candidates. The governing body of any school district may, by 
45.22 	resolution, require that a candidate for school district office who wants write-in votes 
45.23 	for the candidate to be counted file a written request with the filing office for the office 
45.24 	sought no later than the seventh day before the general election. The filing officer shall 
45.25 	provide copies of the form to make the request.

45.26 	Sec. 65. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.07, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
45.27 		Subd. 3.Notice to auditor. At least 6774 days before every school district election 
45.28 	held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or 
45.29 	school board office or a special primary for federal office, at least 74 days before every 
45.30 	school district election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled general election for 
45.31 	federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special election for federal office, 
45.32 	and at least 53 days before any other school district election, the school district clerk shall 
45.33 	provide a written notice to the county auditor of each county in which the school district is 
46.1 	located. The notice must include the date of the election, the offices to be voted on at the 
46.2 	election, and the title and language for each ballot question to be voted on at the election. 
46.3 	For the purposes of meeting the timelines of this section, in a bond election, a notice, 
46.4 	including a proposed question, may be provided to the county auditor before receipt of a 
46.5 	review and comment from the commissioner of education and before actual initiation of 
46.6 	the election. At least 67 74 days before every school district election held in conjunction 
46.7 	with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or 
46.8 	a special primary for federal office, at least 74 days before an election held in conjunction 
46.9 	with a regularly scheduled general election for federal, state, county, city, or school board 
46.10 	office or a special election for federal office, and at least 46 days before any other election, 
46.11 	the school district clerk must provide written notice to the county auditor of any special 
46.12 	election canceled under section 205A.05, subdivision 3.

46.13 	Sec. 66. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.07, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
46.14 		Subd. 3a.Notice to commissioner of education. At least 6774 days before every 
46.15 	school district election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, 
46.16 	state, county, city, or school board office or a special primary for federal office, at least 74 
46.17 	days before every school district election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled 
46.18 	general election for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special election 
46.19 	for federal office, and at least 49 days before any other school district election, under 
46.20 	section 123B.62, 123B.63, 126C.17, 126C.69, or 475.58, the school district clerk shall 
46.21 	provide a written notice to the commissioner of education. The notice must include the 
46.22 	date of the election and the title and language for each ballot question to be voted on at the 
46.23 	election. At least 67 74 days before every school district election held in conjunction with 
46.24 	a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a 
46.25 	special primary for federal office, at least 74 days before every school district election 
46.26 	held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled general election for federal, state, county, 
46.27 	city, or school board office or a special election for federal office, and at least 46 days 
46.28 	before any other school district election, the school district clerk must provide a written 
46.29 	notice to the commissioner of education of any special election canceled under section 
46.30 	205A.05, subdivision 3. The certified vote totals for each ballot question shall be provided 
46.31 	in a written notice to the commissioner in a timely manner.

46.32 	Sec. 67. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.07, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:
46.33 		Subd. 3b.Notice to secretary of state. At least 67 74  days before every school 
46.34 	district election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled primary for federal, state, 
47.1 	county, city, or school board office or a special primary for federal office, at least 74 
47.2 	days before every school district election held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled 
47.3 	general election for federal, state, county, city, or school board office or a special election 
47.4 	for federal office, and at least 46 days before any other school district election for which 
47.5 	a notice is provided to the county auditor under subdivision 3, the county auditor shall 
47.6 	provide a notice of the election to the secretary of state, in a manner and including 
47.7 	information prescribed by the secretary of state.

47.8 	Sec. 68. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.08, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
47.9 		Subdivision 1.BuffGeneral election ballot. The names of all candidates for offices 
47.10 	and all ballot questions to be voted on at a school district general election must be placed 
47.11 	on a single ballot printed on buff paper and known as the "buff ballot.".

47.12 	Sec. 69. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.61, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
47.13 		Subd. 4.Order of candidates. On the "State Partisan Primary Ballot" prepared for 
47.14 	primary elections, and on the whitestate general election ballot prepared for the general 
47.15 	election, the order of the names of nominees or names of candidates for election shall be 
47.16 	the same as required for paper ballots. More than one column or row may be used for the 
47.17 	same office or party. Electronic ballot display and audio ballot readers must conform to 
47.18 	the candidate order on the optical scan ballot used in the precinct.

47.19 	Sec. 70. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.89, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
47.20 		Subd. 2.Selection for review; notice.  At the canvass of the state primary, the 
47.21 	county canvassing board in each county must set the date, time, and place for the 
47.22 	postelection review of the state general election to be held under this section.
47.23 	At the canvass of the state general election, the county canvassing boards must select 
47.24 	the precincts to be reviewed by lot. Ballots counted centrally by a ballot board shall be 
47.25 	considered one precinct eligible to be selected for purposes of this subdivision. The county 
47.26 	canvassing board of a county with fewer than 50,000 registered voters must conduct a 
47.27 	postelection review of a total of at least two precincts. The county canvassing board of a 
47.28 	county with between 50,000 and 100,000 registered voters must conduct a review of a total 
47.29 	of at least three precincts. The county canvassing board of a county with over 100,000 
47.30 	registered voters must conduct a review of a total of at least four precincts, or three percent 
47.31 	of the total number of precincts in the county, whichever is greater. At least one precinct 
47.32 	selected in each county must have had more than 150 votes cast at the general election.
48.1 	The county auditor must notify the secretary of state of the precincts that have been 
48.2 	chosen for review and the time and place the postelection review for that county will be 
48.3 	conducted, as soon as the decisions are made. If the selection of precincts has not resulted 
48.4 	in the selection of at least four precincts in each congressional district, the secretary of state 
48.5 	may require counties to select by lot additional precincts to meet the congressional district 
48.6 	requirement. The secretary of state must post this information on the office Web site.

48.7 	Sec. 71. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.89, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
48.8 		Subd. 3.Scope and conduct of review.  The county canvassing board shall appoint 
48.9 	the postelection review official as defined in subdivision 1. The postelection review must 
48.10 	be conducted of the votes cast for president or governor; United States senator; and United 
48.11 	States representative. The postelection review official may conduct postelection review of 
48.12 	the votes cast for additional offices.
48.13 	The postelection review must be conducted in public at the location where the 
48.14 	voted ballots have been securely stored after the state general election or at another 
48.15 	location chosen by the county canvassing board. The postelection review official for 
48.16 	each precinct selected must conduct the postelection review and may be assisted by 
48.17 	election judges designated by the postelection review official for this purpose. The party 
48.18 	balance requirement of section 204B.19 applies to election judges designated for the 
48.19 	review. The postelection review must consist of a manual count of the ballots used in the 
48.20 	precincts selected and must be performed in the manner provided by section 204C.21. 
48.21 	The postelection review must be conducted in the manner provided for recounts under 
48.22 	section 204C.361 to the extent practicable. The review must be completed no later 
48.23 	than two days before the meeting of the state canvassing board to certify the results of 
48.24 	the state general election.

48.25 	Sec. 72. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.895, is amended to read:
48.26 	206.895 SECRETARY OF STATE MONITOR.
48.27 	The secretary of state must monitor and evaluate election procedures in precincts 
48.28 	subject to the audit provided for in section 206.89 in at least four precinctsone precinct in 
48.29 	each congressional district. The precincts must be chosen by lot by the State Canvassing 
48.30 	Board at its meeting to canvass the state general election.

48.31 	Sec. 73. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.90, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
48.32 		Subd. 6.Ballots. In precincts using optical scan voting systems, a single ballot card 
48.33 	on which all ballot information is included must be printed in black ink on white colored 
49.1 	material except that marks not to be read by the automatic tabulating equipment may be 
49.2 	printed in another color ink. In state elections, a single ballot title must be used, as provided 
49.3 	in sections 204D.08, subdivision 6, and 204D.11, subdivision 1. In odd-numbered years 
49.4 	when both municipal and school district offices or questions appear on the ballot, the 
49.5 	single ballot title "City (or Town) and School District Ballot" must be used.
49.6 	On the front of the ballot must be printed the words "Official Ballot" and the date of 
49.7 	the election and lines for the initials of at least two election judges.
49.8 	When optical scan ballots are used, the offices to be elected must appear in the 
49.9 	following order: federal offices; state legislative offices; constitutional offices; proposed 
49.10 	constitutional amendments; county offices and questions; municipal offices and questions; 
49.11 	school district offices and questions; special district offices and questions; and judicial 
49.12 	offices.
49.13 	On optical scan ballots, the names of candidates and the words "yes" and "no" for 
49.14 	ballot questions must be printed as close to their corresponding vote targets as possible.
49.15 	The line on an optical scan ballot for write-in votes must contain the words "write-in, 
49.16 	if any."
49.17 	If a primary ballot contains both a partisan ballot and a nonpartisan ballot, the 
49.18 	instructions to voters must include a statement that reads substantially as follows: "THIS 
49.19 	BALLOT CARD CONTAINS A PARTISAN BALLOT AND A NONPARTISAN 
49.20 	BALLOT. ON THE PARTISAN BALLOT YOU ARE PERMITTED TO VOTE FOR 
49.21 	CANDIDATES OF ONE POLITICAL PARTY ONLY." If a primary ballot contains 
49.22 	political party columns on both sides of the ballot, the instructions to voters must include a 
49.23 	statement that reads substantially as follows: "ADDITIONAL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE 
49.24 	PRINTED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS BALLOT. VOTE FOR ONE POLITICAL 
49.25 	PARTY ONLY." At the bottom of each political party column on the primary ballot, the 
49.26 	ballot must contain a statement that reads substantially as follows: "CONTINUE VOTING 
49.27 	ON THE NONPARTISAN BALLOT." The instructions in section 204D.08, subdivision 4, 
49.28 	do not apply to optical scan partisan primary ballots. Electronic ballot displays and audio 
49.29 	ballot readers must follow the order of offices and questions on the optical scan or paper 
49.30 	ballot used in the same precinct, or the sample ballot posted for that precinct.

49.31 	Sec. 74. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 208.02, is amended to read:
49.32 	208.02 ELECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS AND ALTERNATES.
49.33 	Presidential electors and alternates shall be chosen at the state general election held 
49.34 	in the year preceding the expiration of the term of the president of the United States.

50.1 	Sec. 75. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 208.03, is amended to read:
50.2 	208.03 NOMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS AND 
50.3 	ALTERNATES.
50.4 	Presidential electors and alternates for the major political parties of this state shall be 
50.5 	nominated by delegate conventions called and held under the supervision of the respective 
50.6 	state central committees of the parties of this state. At least 71 days before the general 
50.7 	election day the chair of the major political party shall certify to the secretary of state 
50.8 	the names of the persons nominated as presidential electors, the names of eightpersons 
50.9 	nominated as alternate presidential electors, and the names of the party candidates for 
50.10 	president and vice president. The chair shall also certify that the party candidates for 
50.11 	president and vice president have no affidavit on file as a candidate for any office in 
50.12 	this state at the ensuing general election.

50.13 	Sec. 76. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 208.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
50.14 		Subdivision 1.Form of presidential ballots. When presidential electors and 
50.15 	alternates are to be voted for, a vote cast for the party candidates for president and vice 
50.16 	president shall be deemed a vote for that party's electors and alternates as filed with the 
50.17 	secretary of state. The secretary of state shall certify the names of all duly nominated 
50.18 	presidential and vice presidential candidates to the county auditors of the counties of 
50.19 	the state. Each county auditor, subject to the rules of the secretary of state, shall cause 
50.20 	the names of the candidates of each major political party and the candidates nominated 
50.21 	by petition to be printed in capital letters, set in type of the same size and style as for 
50.22 	candidates on the state whitegeneral election ballot, before the party designation. To the 
50.23 	left of, and on the same line with the names of the candidates for president and vice 
50.24 	president, near the margin, shall be placed a square or box, in which the voters may 
50.25 	indicate their choice by marking an "X."
50.26 	The form for the presidential ballot and the relative position of the several candidates 
50.27 	shall be determined by the rules applicable to other state officers. The state ballot, with 
50.28 	the required heading, shall be printed on the same piece of paper and shall be below the 
50.29 	presidential ballot with a blank space between one inch in width.

50.30 	Sec. 77. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 208.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
50.31 		Subd. 2.Applicable rules. The rules for preparation, state contribution to the cost 
50.32 	of printing, and delivery of presidential ballots are the same as the rules for whitestate 
50.33 	general election ballots under section 204D.11, subdivision 1.

51.1 	Sec. 78. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 208.06, is amended to read:
51.2 	208.06 ELECTORS AND ALTERNATES TO MEET AT STATE CAPITOL; 
51.3 	FILLING OF VACANCIES.
51.4 	The presidential electors and alternate presidential electors, before 12:00 M.noon 
51.5 	on the day before that fixed by Congress for the electors to vote for president and vice 
51.6 	president of the United States, shall notify the governor that they are at the State Capitol 
51.7 	and ready at the proper time to fulfill their duties as electors. The governor shall deliver 
51.8 	to the electors present a certificate of the names of all the electors. If any elector named 
51.9 	therein fails to appear before 9:00 a.m. on the day, and at the place, fixed for voting for 
51.10 	president and vice president of the United States, an alternate, chosen from among the 
51.11 	alternates by lot, shall be appointed to act for that elector. If more than eight alternates are 
51.12 	necessary, the electors present shall, in the presence of the governor, immediately elect 
51.13 	by ballot a person to fill the vacancy. If more than the number of persons required have 
51.14 	the highest and an equal number of votes, the governor, in the presence of the electors 
51.15 	attending, shall decide by lot which of those persons shall be elected The electors shall 
51.16 	meet at 12:00 p.m. in the executive chamber of the State Capitol and shall perform all the 
51.17 	duties imposed upon them as electors by the Constitution and laws of the United States 
51.18 	and this state in the manner provided in section 208.46.

51.19 	Sec. 79. [208.40] SHORT TITLE.
51.20 	Sections 208.40 to 208.48 may be cited as the "Uniform Faithful Presidential 
51.21 	Electors Act."

51.22 	Sec. 80. [208.41] DEFINITIONS.
51.23 	(a) The definitions in this section apply to sections 208.40 to 208.48.
51.24 	(b) "Cast" means accepted by the secretary of state in accordance with section 
51.25 	208.46, paragraph (b).
51.26 	(c) "Elector" means an individual selected as a presidential elector under this chapter.
51.27 	(d) "President" means the president of the United States.
51.28 	(e) "Unaffiliated presidential candidate" means a candidate for president who 
51.29 	qualifies for the general election ballot in this state by means other than nomination by a 
51.30 	political party.
51.31 	(f) "Vice president" means the vice president of the United States.

51.32 	Sec. 81. [208.42] DESIGNATION OF STATE'S ELECTORS.
52.1 	For each elector position in this state, a political party contesting the position, or 
52.2 	an unaffiliated presidential candidate, shall submit to the secretary of state the names of 
52.3 	two qualified individuals. One of the individuals must be designated "elector nominee" 
52.4 	and the other "alternate elector nominee."
52.5 	Except as otherwise provided in sections 208.44 to 208.47, this state's electors are 
52.6 	the winning elector nominees under the laws of this state.

52.7 	Sec. 82. [208.43] PLEDGE.
52.8 	Each elector nominee and alternate elector nominee of a political party shall execute 
52.9 	the following pledge: "If selected for the position of elector, I agree to serve and to mark 
52.10 	my ballots for president and vice president for the nominees for those offices of the party 
52.11 	that nominated me." Each elector nominee and alternate elector nominee of an unaffiliated 
52.12 	presidential candidate shall execute the following pledge: "If selected for the position 
52.13 	of elector as a nominee of an unaffiliated presidential candidate, I agree to serve and 
52.14 	to mark my ballots for that candidate and for that candidate's vice-presidential running 
52.15 	mate." The executed pledges must accompany the submission of the corresponding names 
52.16 	to the secretary of state.

52.17 	Sec. 83. [208.44] CERTIFICATION OF ELECTORS.
52.18 	In submitting this state's certificate of ascertainment as required by United States 
52.19 	Code, title 3, section 6, the governor shall certify this state's electors and state in the 
52.20 	certificate that:
52.21 	(1) the electors will serve as electors unless a vacancy occurs in the office of elector 
52.22 	before the end of the meeting at which elector votes are cast, in which case a substitute 
52.23 	elector will fill the vacancy; and
52.24 	(2) if a substitute elector is appointed to fill a vacancy, the governor will submit an 
52.25 	amended certificate of ascertainment stating the names on the final list of this state's 
52.26 	electors.

52.27 	Sec. 84. [208.45] PRESIDING OFFICER; ELECTOR VACANCY.
52.28 	(a) The secretary of state shall preside at the meeting of electors described in section 
52.29 	208.06.
52.30 	(b) The position of an elector not present to vote is vacant. The secretary of state 
52.31 	shall appoint an individual as a substitute elector to fill a vacancy as follows:
52.32 	(1) if the alternate elector is present to vote, by appointing the alternate elector 
52.33 	for the vacant position;
53.1 	(2) if the alternate elector for the vacant position is not present to vote, by appointing 
53.2 	an elector chosen by lot from among the alternate electors present to vote who were 
53.3 	nominated by the same political party or unaffiliated presidential candidate;
53.4 	(3) if the number of alternate electors present to vote is insufficient to fill any 
53.5 	vacant position pursuant to clauses (1) and (2), by appointing any immediately available 
53.6 	individual who is qualified to serve as an elector and chosen through nomination by a 
53.7 	plurality vote of the remaining electors, including nomination and vote by a single elector 
53.8 	if only one remains;
53.9 	(4) if there is a tie between at least two nominees for substitute elector in a vote 
53.10 	conducted under clause (3), by appointing an elector chosen by lot from among those 
53.11 	nominees; or
53.12 	(5) if all elector positions are vacant and cannot be filled pursuant to clauses (1) to 
53.13 	(4), by appointing a single presidential elector, with remaining vacant positions to be filled 
53.14 	under clause (3) and, if necessary, clause (4).
53.15 	(c) To qualify as a substitute elector under paragraph (b), an individual who has not 
53.16 	executed the pledge required under section 208.43 shall execute the following pledge: "I 
53.17 	agree to serve and to mark my ballots for president and vice president consistent with the 
53.18 	pledge of the individual to whose elector position I have succeeded."

53.19 	Sec. 85. [208.46] ELECTOR VOTING.
53.20 	(a) At the time designated for elector voting in section 208.06, and after all vacant 
53.21 	positions have been filled under section 208.45, the secretary of state shall provide each 
53.22 	elector with a presidential and a vice-presidential ballot. The elector shall mark the 
53.23 	elector's presidential and vice-presidential ballots with the elector's votes for the offices 
53.24 	of president and vice president, respectively, along with the elector's signature and the 
53.25 	elector's legibly printed name.
53.26 	(b) Except as otherwise provided by law of this state other than this chapter, each 
53.27 	elector shall present both completed ballots to the secretary of state, who shall examine 
53.28 	the ballots and accept as cast all ballots of electors whose votes are consistent with their 
53.29 	pledges executed under section 208.43 or 208.45, paragraph (c). Except as otherwise 
53.30 	provided by law of this state other than this chapter, the secretary of state may not accept 
53.31 	and may not count either an elector's presidential or vice-presidential ballot if the elector 
53.32 	has not marked both ballots or has marked a ballot in violation of the elector's pledge.
53.33 	(c) An elector who refuses to present a ballot, presents an unmarked ballot, or 
53.34 	presents a ballot marked in violation of the elector's pledge executed under section 208.43 
54.1 	or 208.45, paragraph (c), vacates the office of elector, creating a vacant position to be 
54.2 	filled under section 208.45.
54.3 	(d) The secretary of state shall distribute ballots to and collect ballots from a 
54.4 	substitute elector and repeat the process under this section of examining ballots, declaring 
54.5 	and filling vacant positions as required, and recording appropriately completed ballots from 
54.6 	the substituted electors, until all of this state's electoral votes have been cast and recorded.

54.7 	Sec. 86. [208.47] ELECTOR REPLACEMENT; ASSOCIATED CERTIFICATES.
54.8 	(a) After the vote of this state's electors is completed, if the final list of electors 
54.9 	differs from any list that the governor previously included on a certificate of ascertainment 
54.10 	prepared and transmitted under United States Code, title 3, section 6, the secretary of state 
54.11 	immediately shall prepare an amended certificate of ascertainment and transmit it to 
54.12 	the governor for the governor's signature.
54.13 	(b) The governor immediately shall deliver the signed amended certificate of 
54.14 	ascertainment to the secretary of state and a signed duplicate original of the amended 
54.15 	certificate of ascertainment to all individuals entitled to receive this state's certificate of 
54.16 	ascertainment, indicating that the amended certificate of ascertainment is to be substituted 
54.17 	for the certificate of ascertainment previously submitted.
54.18 	(c) The secretary of state shall prepare a certificate of vote. The electors on the final 
54.19 	list shall sign the certificate. The secretary of state shall process and transmit the signed 
54.20 	certificate with the amended certificate of ascertainment under United States Code, title 
54.21 	3, sections 9, 10, and 11.

54.22 	Sec. 87. [208.48] UNIFORMITY OF APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
54.23 	In applying and construing sections 208.40 to 208.48, consideration must be given 
54.24 	to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to their subject matter among 
54.25 	states that enact the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act or similar law.

54.26 	Sec. 88. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 209.01, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
54.27 		Subd. 2.Statewide office. For purposes of this chapter, "statewide office" means the 
54.28 	office of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor, secretary of state, 
54.29 	chief justice or associate justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, 
54.30 	United States senator, or presidential elector or alternate.

54.31 	Sec. 89. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 211B.045, is amended to read:
54.32 	211B.045 NONCOMMERCIAL SIGNS EXEMPTION.
55.1 	In any municipality, whether or not the municipality has an ordinance that regulates 
55.2 	the size or number of noncommercial signs, All noncommercial signs of any size may be 
55.3 	posted in any number frombeginning 46 days before the state primary in a state general 
55.4 	election year until ten days following the state general election. Municipal ordinances 
55.5 	may regulate the size and number of noncommercial signs at other times.

55.6 	Sec. 90. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 211B.37, is amended to read:
55.7 	211B.37 COSTS ASSESSED.
55.8 	Except as otherwise provided in section 211B.36, subdivision 3, the chief 
55.9 	administrative law judge shall assess the cost of considering complaints filed under 
55.10 	section 211B.32 as provided in this section. Costs of complaints relating to a statewide 
55.11 	ballot question or an election for a statewide or legislative office must be assessed against 
55.12 	the appropriation from the general fund to the general account of the state elections 
55.13 	campaign fund in section 10A.31, subdivision 4. Costs of complaints relating to any 
55.14 	other ballot question or elective office must be assessed against the county or counties in 
55.15 	which the election is held. Where the election is held in more than one county, the chief 
55.16 	administrative law judge shall apportion the assessment among the counties in proportion 
55.17 	to their respective populations within the election district to which the complaint relates 
55.18 	according to the most recent decennial federal census paid from appropriations to the 
55.19 	office for this purpose.

55.20 	Sec. 91. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 340A.416, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
55.21 		Subd. 2.Ballot question. The form of the question of the referendum under this 
55.22 	section must be on a separate ballot and must allow the voters to vote either "for license" 
55.23 	or "against license." either "Shall the city issue ... intoxicating liquor licenses?" or  "Shall 
55.24 	the city discontinue issuing intoxicating liquor licenses?".

55.25 	Sec. 92. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 340A.416, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
55.26 		Subd. 3.Effect of election results. If a majority of persons voting on the 
55.27 	referendum question vote "against license,"to discontinue issuing licenses, the city may 
55.28 	not issue intoxicating liquor licenses until the results of the referendum have been reversed 
55.29 	at a subsequent election where the question has been submitted as provided in this section.

55.30 	Sec. 93. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 340A.602, is amended to read:
55.31 	340A.602 CONTINUATION.
56.1 	In any city in which the report of the operations of a municipal liquor store has 
56.2 	shown a net loss prior to interfund transfer in any two of three consecutive years, the 
56.3 	city council shall, not more than 45 days prior to the end of the fiscal year following 
56.4 	the three-year period, hold a public hearing on the question of whether the city shall 
56.5 	continue to operate a municipal liquor store. Two weeks' notice, written in clear and easily 
56.6 	understandable language, of the hearing must be printed in the city's official newspaper. 
56.7 	Following the hearing the city council may on its own motion or shall upon petition of five 
56.8 	percent or more of the registered voters of the city, submit to the voters at a general or 
56.9 	special municipal election the question of whether the city shall continue or discontinue 
56.10 	municipal liquor store operations by a date which the city council shall designate. The 
56.11 	date designated by the city council must not be more than 30 months following the date 
56.12 	of the election. The form of the question shall be: "Shall the city of (name) discontinue 
56.13 	operating the municipal liquor store on (Month xx, 2xxx)?".

56.14 	Sec. 94. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 375.20, is amended to read:
56.15 	375.20 BALLOT QUESTIONS.
56.16 	If the county board may do an act, incur a debt, appropriate money for a purpose, 
56.17 	or exercise any other power or authority, only if authorized by a vote of the people, the 
56.18 	question may be submitted at a special or general election, by a resolution specifying the 
56.19 	matter or question to be voted upon. If the question is to authorize the appropriation of 
56.20 	money, creation of a debt, or levy of a tax, it shall state the amount. Notice of the election 
56.21 	shall be given as in the case of special elections. If the question submitted is adopted, the 
56.22 	board shall pass an appropriate resolution to carry it into effect. In the election the form 
56.23 	of the ballot shall be: "In favor ofShall (here state the substance of the resolution to be 
56.24 	submitted)?, Yes ...... No......," with a square opposite each of the words "yes" and "no," in 
56.25 	one of which the voter shall mark an "X" to indicate a choice. The county board may call 
56.26 	a special county election upon a question to be held within 6074 days after a resolution to 
56.27 	that effect is adopted by the county board. Upon the adoption of the resolution the county 
56.28 	auditor shall post and publish notices of the election, as required by section 204D.22, 
56.29 	subdivisions 2 and 3. The election shall be conducted and the returns canvassed in the 
56.30 	manner prescribed by sections 204D.20 to 204D.27, so far as practicable.

56.31 	Sec. 95. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 447.32, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
56.32 		Subd. 2.Elections. Except as provided in this chapter, the Minnesota Election Law 
56.33 	applies to hospital district elections, as far as practicable. Regular elections must be held 
56.34 	in each hospital district at the same time, in the same election precincts, and at the same 
57.1 	polling places as general elections of state and county officers. It may establish the whole 
57.2 	district as a single election precinct or establish two or more different election precincts and 
57.3 	polling places for the elections. If there is more than one precinct, the boundaries of the 
57.4 	election precincts and the locations of the polling places must be defined in the notice of 
57.5 	election, either in full or by reference to a description or map on file in the office of the clerk.
57.6 	Special elections may be called by the hospital board to vote on any matter required 
57.7 	by law to be submitted to the voters. A special election may not be conducted either 
57.8 	during the 30 56 days before and the 30 days after the stateor the 56 days after a regularly 
57.9 	scheduled primary or state general election, or during the 20 days before and the 20 days 
57.10 	after the regularly scheduled election of any municipalityconducted wholly or partially 
57.11 	within the hospital district. Special elections must be held within the election precinct or 
57.12 	precincts and at the polling place or places designated by the board. In the case of the 
57.13 	first election of officers of a new district, precincts and polling places must be set by the 
57.14 	governing body of the most populous city or town included in the district.
57.15 	Advisory ballots may be submitted by the hospital board on any question it wishes, 
57.16 	concerning the affairs of the district, but only at a regular election or at a special election 
57.17 	required for another purpose.

57.18 	Sec. 96. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 447.32, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
57.19 		Subd. 3.Election notices. At least two weeks before the first day to file affidavits 
57.20 	of candidacy, the clerk of the district shall publish a notice stating the first and last day 
57.21 	on which affidavits of candidacy may be filed, the places for filing the affidavits and the 
57.22 	closing time of the last day for filing. The clerk shall post a similar notice in at least one 
57.23 	conspicuous place in each city and town in the district at least ten days before the first 
57.24 	day to file affidavits of candidacy.
57.25 	At least 5374 days prior to every hospital district election, the hospital district clerk 
57.26 	shall provide a written notice to the county auditor of each county in which the hospital 
57.27 	district is located. The notice must include the date of the election, the offices to be voted 
57.28 	on at the election, and the title and language for each ballot question to be voted on at the 
57.29 	election. At least 46 days before a hospital district election for which a notice is provided 
57.30 	to the county auditor under this subdivision, The county auditor shall immediately provide 
57.31 	a notice to the secretary of state in a manner and including information prescribed by 
57.32 	the secretary of state.
57.33 	The notice of each election must be posted in at least one public and conspicuous 
57.34 	place within each city and town included in the district at least ten daystwo weeks before 
57.35 	the election. It must be published in the official newspaper of the district or, if a paper has 
58.1 	not been designated, in a legal newspaper having general circulation within the district, at 
58.2 	least two weeks before the election. Failure to give notice does not invalidate the election 
58.3 	of an officer of the district. A voter may contest a hospital district election in accordance 
58.4 	with chapter 209. Chapter 209 applies to hospital district elections.

58.5 	Sec. 97. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 447.32, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
58.6 		Subd. 4.Candidates; ballots; certifying election. A person who wants to be a 
58.7 	candidate for the hospital board shall file an affidavit of candidacy for the election either as 
58.8 	member at large or as a member representing the city or town where the candidate resides. 
58.9 	The affidavit of candidacy must be filed with the city or town clerk not more than 9198 days 
58.10 	nor less than 7784 days before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the 
58.11 	year in which the general election is held. The city or town clerk must forward the affidavits 
58.12 	of candidacy to the clerk of the hospital district or, for the first election, the clerk of the 
58.13 	most populous city or town immediately after the last day of the filing period. A candidate 
58.14 	may withdraw from the election by filing an affidavit of withdrawal with the clerk of the 
58.15 	district no later than 5:00 p.m. two days after the last day to file affidavits of candidacy.
58.16 	The governing body of any hospital district may, by resolution, require that a 
58.17 	candidate for hospital district office who wants write-in votes for the candidate to be 
58.18 	counted file a written request with the filing officer for the office sought no later than the 
58.19 	seventh day before the general election. The filing officer shall provide copies of the 
58.20 	form to make the request.
58.21 	Voting must be by secret ballot. The clerk shall prepare, at the expense of the 
58.22 	district, necessary ballots for the election of officers. Ballots must be printed on tan paper 
58.23 	and prepared as provided in the rules of the secretary of state. The ballots must be marked 
58.24 	and initialed by at least two judges as official ballots and used exclusively at the election. 
58.25 	Any proposition to be voted on may be printed on the ballot provided for the election 
58.26 	of officers. The hospital board may also authorize the use of voting systems subject to 
58.27 	chapter 206. Enough election judges may be appointed to receive the votes at each 
58.28 	polling place. The election judges shall act as clerks of election, count the ballots cast, 
58.29 	and submit them to the board for canvass.
58.30 	After canvassing the election, the board shall issue a certificate of election to the 
58.31 	candidate who received the largest number of votes cast for each office. The clerk shall 
58.32 	deliver the certificate to the person entitled to it in person or by certified mail. Each person 
58.33 	certified shall file an acceptance and oath of office in writing with the clerk within 30 
58.34 	days after the date of delivery or mailing of the certificate. The board may fill any office 
59.1 	as provided in subdivision 1 if the person elected fails to qualify within 30 days, but 
59.2 	qualification is effective if made before the board acts to fill the vacancy.

59.3 	Sec. 98. Laws 1963, chapter 276, section 2, subdivision 2, as amended by Laws 1992, 
59.4 	chapter 534, section 1, is amended to read:
59.5 		Subd. 2.One third of the members of the first hospital board shall be appointed for a 
59.6 	term to expire one year from December 31 next following such appointment, one third 
59.7 	for a term to expire two years from such date, and one third for a term to expire three 
59.8 	years from such date. Successors to the original board members shall each be elected for 
59.9 	terms of three years, and all members shall hold office until their successors are elected 
59.10 	and qualify. Terms of all members shall expire on December 31. In case of a vacancy 
59.11 	on the hospital board, whether due to death, removal from the district, inability to serve, 
59.12 	resignation, or other cause the majority of the remaining members of the hospital board, 
59.13 	at its next regular or special meeting, shall make an appointment to fill such vacancy for 
59.14 	the then unexpired term. The election of successors to the original board members shall 
59.15 	be elected by popular vote of the qualified voters in the hospital district.Hospital board 
59.16 	elections shall be conducted as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 447.32. The 
59.17 	hospital board shall, by resolution, adopt a plan for the orderly transition to the new 
59.18 	election schedule. The resolution must be approved no later than four weeks before the 
59.19 	first day to file affidavits of candidacy for the general election. The terms of hospital board 
59.20 	members may be lengthened or shortened by one year as a part of the transition process.

59.21 	Sec. 99. APPROPRIATION.
 59.22 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2014 to the secretary of 
59.23 	state to develop functionality within the statewide voter registration system to facilitate 
59.24 	the processing and tracking of mail ballots submitted under Minnesota Statutes, sections 
59.25 	204B.45 and 204B.46.

59.26 	Sec. 100.  REPEALER.
 59.27 	Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 204B.42; 204D.11, subdivisions 2 and 3; 205.17, 
59.28 	subdivisions 2 and 4; 205A.08, subdivision 4; 208.07; and 208.08, are repealed.

59.29 	ARTICLE 6
59.30 	LOSS AND RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS

59.31 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 13.851, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
60.1 		Subd. 10.Felony sentenceoffender data; voter registration. The use and 
60.2 	classification of felony sentenceoffender data made available to the secretary of state 
60.3 	is governed by section 201.157.

60.4 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.054, is amended by adding a subdivision 
60.5 	to read:
60.6 		Subd. 1a.Invalid registrations; notice to voter. If the county auditor has reason 
60.7 	to believe based upon records provided by another public entity that an individual who 
60.8 	has submitted a voter registration application is not eligible to vote, the county auditor 
60.9 	must notify the individual of the reason that the individual's eligibility is in question 
60.10 	and that the individual will not be registered to vote unless the individual reaffirms the 
60.11 	individual's eligibility in writing.

60.12 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.054, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
60.13 		Subd. 2.Prohibitions; penalty; affirmative defense. (a) No individual shall 
60.14 	intentionally:
60.15 	(a) (1) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered in any 
60.16 	precinct if the individual is not eligible to vote;
60.17 	(b) (2) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered for the 
60.18 	purpose of voting in more than one precinct;
60.19 	(c) (3) misrepresent the individual's identity when attempting to register to vote; or
60.20 	(d) (4) aid, abet, counsel, or procure any other individual to violate this subdivision.
60.21 	A violation of this subdivision is a felony.
60.22 	An individual who violates clause (1) but does not subsequently cast a ballot is guilty of a 
60.23 	misdemeanor. An individual who violates clause (1) and subsequently casts a ballot is 
60.24 	guilty of a felony. All other violations of this subdivision are a felony.
60.25 	(b) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for violation of paragraph (a), clause 
60.26 	(1), if the individual:
60.27 	(1) requested, in writing, that the county auditor of the county where the individual 
60.28 	resides withdraw the registration, and the request was made before any complaint was 
60.29 	filed alleging a violation of paragraph (a), clause (1); and
60.30 	(2) did not vote at an election between the time the registration application was 
60.31 	submitted and the time the individual requested the registration be withdrawn.

60.32 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.157, is amended to read:
60.33 	201.157 USE OF DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS DATA.
61.1 		Subdivision 1.Access to data. (a) As required by the Help America Vote Act of 
61.2 	2002, Public Law 107-252, The commissioner of corrections shall make electronic data 
61.3 	available to the secretary of state on individuals 18 years of age or older who are currently:
61.4 	(1) serving felony sentences under the commissioner's jurisdiction; or 
61.5 	(2) on probation for felony offenses that would result in the loss of civil rights, as 
61.6 	indicated by the statewide supervision system established under section 241.065. 
61.7 	The data must include the name, date of birth, last known residential address that is 
61.8 	not a correctional facility, and, if available, corrections' state identification number, and if 
61.9 	available, and the driver's license or state identification card number, and, if an individual 
61.10 	has completed the sentence, the date of discharge.
61.11 	(b) The secretary of state must determine if any data newly indicates that:
61.12 	(1) an individual with an active voter registration in the statewide voter registration 
61.13 	system is currently serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction or is on 
61.14 	probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil rights and the individual's 
61.15 	voter record does not already have a challenged status due to a felony conviction;
61.16 	(2) an individual with an active voter registration in the statewide voter registration 
61.17 	system who is currently serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction or 
61.18 	who is on probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil rights appears 
61.19 	to have registered to vote or to have voted during a period when the individual's civil 
61.20 	rights were revoked; and
61.21 	(3) an individual with a voter record that has a challenged status due to a felony 
61.22 	conviction who was serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction
61.23 	 or who has been on probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil 
61.24 	rights has been discharged from a sentence.
61.25 	The secretary of state shall prepare a list of the registrants included under clause (1), 
61.26 	(2), or (3) for each county auditor. For individuals under clause (1), the county auditor 
61.27 	shall challenge the individual's record in the statewide voter registration system. The 
61.28 	county auditor must provide information to the county attorney about individuals under 
61.29 	clause (2) for the county attorney's investigation. For individuals under clause (3), the 
61.30 	county auditor must determine if the challenge status should be removed from the voter 
61.31 	record for the individual, and if so, must remove the challenge.
61.32 	The secretary of state must make the required determinations and provide the 
61.33 	required lists to the county auditors at least monthly.
61.34 	For each state general election that occurs prior to the statewide voter registration 
61.35 	system being programmed to generate lists as required by this section, the secretary of 
61.36 	state must make the determination and provide lists to the county auditors between 30 and 
62.1 	60 days before the election and again between six and ten weeks after the election. In the 
62.2 	year following that state election, the secretary of state must make this determination and 
62.3 	provide lists to the county auditors again as part of the annual list maintenance.
62.4 		Subd. 2.Notice to affected individuals. (a) Between 60 and 65 days prior to a state 
62.5 	general election, the Department of Corrections shall provide to the secretary of state a list 
62.6 	of offenders, who, at the time the list is prepared, are on supervised release or probation for 
62.7 	a felony offense that resulted in the loss of civil rights. The list shall also include former 
62.8 	offenders who the data indicates were discharged from all felony-level sentences since the 
62.9 	previous list was provided in accordance with this subdivision and who are not serving a 
62.10 	felony-level sentence at the time the list is prepared. The data must include the offender's 
62.11 	name; date of birth; last known residential address that is not a correctional facility; if 
62.12 	available, corrections state identification number and driver's license or state identification 
62.13 	card number; and if an offender has completed the sentence, the date the discharge occurred.
62.14 	(b) The secretary of state shall use the data provided in paragraph (a) to mail written 
62.15 	notices at least one month prior to a state general election, as follows:
62.16 	(1) a notice to each individual on probation for a felony offense that would result 
62.17 	in the loss of civil rights, informing the individual that registration or voting while on 
62.18 	probation for the offense is itself a felony offense and may result in the loss of the 
62.19 	individual's probation status; and
62.20 	(2) a notice to each individual who has completed a term of probation resulting in 
62.21 	the loss of civil rights and who has no new felony conviction, that the individual's right 
62.22 	to vote has been restored.
62.23 		Subd. 3.Data. Data on offenders submitted to the secretary of state under this 
62.24 	section are private data on individuals as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, and 
62.25 	may be used or disseminated only for purposes authorized by this section.

62.26 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.275, is amended to read:
62.27 	201.275 INVESTIGATIONS; PROSECUTIONS.
62.28 	A county attorney who law enforcement agency that  is notified by affidavit of an 
62.29 	alleged violation of this chapter shall promptly investigate. If there is probable cause for 
62.30 	instituting a prosecution, the county attorney shall proceed by complaint or present the 
62.31 	charge, with whatever evidence has been found, to the grand jury. A county attorney 
62.32 	who refuses or intentionally fails to faithfully perform this or any other duty imposed by 
62.33 	this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall forfeit office. The 
62.34 	county attorney, under the penalty of forfeiture of office, shall prosecute all violations of 
62.35 	this chapter except violations of this section; if, however, a complainant withdraws an 
63.1 	allegation under this chapter, the county attorney is not required to proceed with the 
63.2 	prosecution in accordance with the second edition of the National Prosecution Standards 
63.3 	published by the National District Attorneys Association.

63.4 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 203B.06, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
63.5 		Subd. 3.Delivery of ballots. (a)  The commissioner of corrections must provide 
63.6 	the secretary of state with a list of the names and mailing addresses of correctional 
63.7 	facilities in which only persons convicted of felony-level offenses reside in Minnesota. 
63.8 	An application for an absentee ballot that provides an address included on the list provided 
63.9 	by the commissioner of corrections must not be accepted and an absentee ballot must 
63.10 	not be provided to the applicant. The county auditor or municipal clerk must promptly 
63.11 	transmit a copy of the application to the county attorney. The Department of Corrections 
63.12 	must implement procedures to ensure that absentee ballots issued under chapter 203B are 
63.13 	not received or mailed by offenders incarcerated at correctional facilities in which only 
63.14 	persons convicted of felony-level offenses reside.
63.15 	(b) If an application for absentee ballots is accepted at a time when absentee ballots 
63.16 	are not yet available for distribution, the county auditor, or municipal clerk accepting the 
63.17 	application shall file it and as soon as absentee ballots are available for distribution shall 
63.18 	mail them to the address specified in the application. If an application for absentee ballots 
63.19 	is accepted when absentee ballots are available for distribution, the county auditor or 
63.20 	municipal clerk accepting the application shall promptly:
63.21 	(1) mail the ballots to the voter whose signature appears on the application if the 
63.22 	application is submitted by mail and does not request commercial shipping under clause (2);
63.23 	(2) ship the ballots to the voter using a commercial shipper requested by the voter at 
63.24 	the voter's expense;
63.25 	(3) deliver the absentee ballots directly to the voter if the application is submitted in 
63.26 	person; or
63.27 	(4) deliver the absentee ballots in a sealed transmittal envelope to an agent who has 
63.28 	been designated to bring the ballots, as provided in section 203B.11, subdivision 4, to a 
63.29 	voter who would have difficulty getting to the polls because of incapacitating health 
63.30 	reasons, or who is disabled, or who is a patient in a health care facility, a resident of 
63.31 	a facility providing assisted living services governed by chapter 144G, a participant in 
63.32 	a residential program for adults licensed under section 245A.02, subdivision 14, or a 
63.33 	resident of a shelter for battered women as defined in section 611A.37, subdivision 4.
63.34 	(b) (c) If an application does not indicate the election for which absentee ballots are 
63.35 	sought, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall mail or deliver only the ballots for 
64.1 	the next election occurring after receipt of the application. Only one set of ballots may 
64.2 	be mailed, shipped, or delivered to an applicant for any election, except as provided in 
64.3 	section 203B.121, subdivision 2, or when a replacement ballot has been requested by the 
64.4 	voter for a ballot that has been spoiled or lost in transit.

64.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective June 15, 2013.

64.6 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204C.14, is amended to read:
64.7 	204C.14 UNLAWFUL VOTING; PENALTY.
64.8 		Subdivision 1.Violations; penalty. No individual shall intentionally:
64.9 	(a) misrepresent the individual's identity in applying for a ballot, depositing a ballot in 
64.10 	a ballot box or attempting to vote by means of a voting machine or electronic voting system;
64.11 	(b) vote more than once at the same election;
64.12 	(c) put a ballot in a ballot box for any illegal purpose;
64.13 	(d) give more than one ballot of the same kind and color to an election judge to 
64.14 	be placed in a ballot box;
64.15 	(e) aid, abet, counsel or procure another to go into any precinct for the purpose 
64.16 	of voting in that precinct, knowing that the other individual is not eligible to vote in 
64.17 	that precinct; or
64.18 	(f) aid, abet, counsel or procure another to do any act in violation of this section.
64.19 	A violation of this section is a felony.
64.20 		Subd. 2.Signature on roster as evidence of intent. For purposes of proving a 
64.21 	violation of this section, the signature of an individual on a polling place roster is prima 
64.22 	facie evidence of the intent of the individual to vote at that election.

64.23 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 241.065, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
64.24 		Subd. 2.Establishment. The Department of Corrections shall administer and 
64.25 	maintain a computerized data system for the purpose of assisting criminal justice agencies 
64.26 	in monitoring and enforcing the conditions of conditional release imposed on criminal 
64.27 	offenders by a sentencing court or the commissioner of corrections. The adult data and 
64.28 	juvenile data as defined in section 260B.171 in the statewide supervision system are 
64.29 	private data as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, but are accessible to criminal 
64.30 	justice agencies as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 3a, to the Minnesota sex offender 
64.31 	program as provided in section 246B.04, subdivision 3, to public defenders as provided in 
64.32 	section 611.272, to all trial courts and appellate courts, and to criminal justice agencies in 
65.1 	other states in the conduct of their official duties. Adult data in the statewide supervision 
65.2 	system are accessible to the secretary of state for the purposes described in section 201.157.

65.3 	Sec. 9. [244.25] NOTICE OF LOSS OF VOTING RIGHTS.
65.4 	Whenever an adult felon is placed on probation supervision, the individual must be 
65.5 	provided a written notice, included in the probation agreement, that the individual may not 
65.6 	register to vote or cast a ballot in any election during the period of felony supervision. The 
65.7 	individual must acknowledge, by signature, receipt of the notice. A copy of the notice and 
65.8 	signature must be placed in the felon's probation supervision file.

65.9 	Sec. 10. APPROPRIATION.
 65.10 	(a) $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2014 and $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 
65.11 	2015 to the secretary of state to administer this article. Of these amounts, $....... is added 
65.12 	to the base budget of the secretary of state. 
65.13 	(b) $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2014 and $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 
65.14 	2015 to the commissioner of corrections to administer this article. Of this amount, $....... 
65.15 	is added to the base budget of the Department of Corrections.

65.16 	ARTICLE 7
65.17 	JUNE PRIMARY

65.18 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.14, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
65.19 		Subd. 2.Separate precincts; combined polling place. (a) The following shall 
65.20 	constitute at least one election precinct:
65.21 	(1) each city ward; and
65.22 	(2) each town and each statutory city.
65.23 	(b) A single, accessible, combined polling place may be established no later than 
65.24 	May March 1 of any year:
65.25 	(1) for any city of the third or fourth class, any town, or any city having territory in 
65.26 	more than one county, in which all the voters of the city or town shall cast their ballots;
65.27 	(2) for contiguous precincts in the same municipality;
65.28 	(3) for up to four contiguous municipalities located entirely outside the metropolitan 
65.29 	area, as defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24, that are contained in the same county; or
65.30 	(4) for noncontiguous precincts located in one or more counties.
65.31 	A copy of the ordinance or resolution establishing a combined polling place must 
65.32 	be filed with the county auditor within 30 days after approval by the governing body. A 
65.33 	polling place combined under clause (3) must be approved by the governing body of each 
66.1 	participating municipality. A polling place combined under clause (4) must be approved 
66.2 	by the governing body of each participating municipality and the secretary of state and 
66.3 	may be located outside any of the noncontiguous precincts. A municipality withdrawing 
66.4 	from participation in a combined polling place must do so by filing a resolution of 
66.5 	withdrawal with the county auditor no later than April February 1 of any year.
66.6 	The secretary of state shall provide a separate polling place roster for each precinct 
66.7 	served by the combined polling place. A single set of election judges may be appointed 
66.8 	to serve at a combined polling place. The number of election judges required must be 
66.9 	based on the total number of persons voting at the last similar election in all precincts to 
66.10 	be voting at the combined polling place. Separate ballot boxes must be provided for the 
66.11 	ballots from each precinct. The results of the election must be reported separately for each 
66.12 	precinct served by the combined polling place, except in a polling place established under 
66.13 	clause (2) where one of the precincts has fewer than ten registered voters, in which case the 
66.14 	results of that precinct must be reported in the manner specified by the secretary of state.

66.15 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.14, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
66.16 		Subd. 4.Boundary change procedure. Any change in the boundary of an election 
66.17 	precinct must be adopted at least ten weeks before the date of the next election and, for the 
66.18 	state primary and general election, no later than June April 1 in the year of the state general 
66.19 	election. The precinct boundary change shall not take effect until notice of the change has 
66.20 	been posted in the office of the municipal clerk or county auditor for at least 56 days.
66.21 	The county auditor must publish a notice illustrating or describing the congressional, 
66.22 	legislative, and county commissioner district boundaries in the county in one or more 
66.23 	qualified newspapers in the county at least 14 days before the first day to file affidavits of 
66.24 	candidacy for the state general election in the year ending in two.
66.25 	Alternate dates for adopting changes in precinct boundaries, posting notices 
66.26 	of boundary changes, and notifying voters affected by boundary changes pursuant 
66.27 	to this subdivision, and procedures for coordinating precinct boundary changes with 
66.28 	reestablishing local government election district boundaries may be established in the 
66.29 	manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state.

66.30 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.21, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
66.31 		Subdivision 1.Appointment lists; duties of political parties and secretary of 
66.32 	state. On May March 1 in a year in which there is an election for a partisan political 
66.33 	office, each major political party shall prepare a list of eligible voters to act as election 
66.34 	judges in each election precinct. The political parties shall furnish the lists electronically 
67.1 	to the secretary of state, in a format specified by the secretary of state. The secretary of 
67.2 	state must combine the data received from each political party under this subdivision 
67.3 	and must process the data to locate the precinct in which the address provided for each 
67.4 	potential election judge is located. If the data submitted by a political party is insufficient 
67.5 	for the secretary of state to locate the proper precinct, the associated name must not appear 
67.6 	in any list forwarded to an appointing authority under this subdivision. The secretary of 
67.7 	state shall notify political parties of any proposed election judges with addresses that 
67.8 	could not be located in a precinct.
67.9 	By May March 15, the secretary of state shall furnish electronically to the county 
67.10 	auditor a list of the appropriate names for each election precinct in the jurisdiction of 
67.11 	the appointing authority, noting the political party affiliation of each individual on the 
67.12 	list. The county auditor must promptly forward the appropriate names to the appropriate 
67.13 	municipal clerk.

67.14 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
67.15 		Subdivision 1.State primary. The state primary shall be held on the second first
67.16 	 Tuesday after the third Monday in August June in each even-numbered year to select 
67.17 	the nominees of the major political parties for partisan offices and the nominees for 
67.18 	nonpartisan offices to be filled at the state general election, other than presidential electors.

67.19 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
67.20 		Subdivision 1.Example ballot. (a) No later than May March 1 of each year, the 
67.21 	secretary of state shall supply each auditor with a copy of an example ballot. The example 
67.22 	ballot must illustrate the format required for the ballots used in the primary and general 
67.23 	elections that year.
67.24 	(b) The county auditor shall distribute copies of the example ballot to municipal and 
67.25 	school district clerks in municipalities and school districts holding elections that year. The 
67.26 	official ballot must conform in all respects to the example ballot.

67.27 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204D.28, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
67.28 		Subd. 5.Regular state primary. "Regular state primary" means:
67.29 	(a) the state primary at which candidates are nominated for offices elected at the 
67.30 	state general election; or
67.31 	(b) a primary held on the second first Tuesday after the third Monday in August June
67.32 	 of odd-numbered years.

68.1 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.065, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
68.2 		Subdivision 1.Establishing primary. A municipal primary for the purpose of 
68.3 	nominating elective officers may be held in any city on the second first Tuesday after the 
68.4 	third Monday in August June of any year in which a municipal general election is to 
68.5 	be held for the purpose of electing officers. The date of a municipal primary held in 
68.6 	an odd-numbered year may be postponed for inclement weather as provided in section 
68.7 	205.105.

68.8 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205.065, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
68.9 		Subd. 2.Resolution or ordinance. The governing body of a city may, by ordinance 
68.10 	or resolution adopted by April January 15 in the year when a municipal general election 
68.11 	is held, elect to choose nominees for municipal offices by a primary as provided in this 
68.12 	section. The resolution or ordinance, when adopted, is effective for all ensuing municipal 
68.13 	elections until it is revoked. The municipal clerk shall notify the secretary of state and the 
68.14 	county auditor within 30 days after the adoption of the resolution or ordinance.

68.15 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
68.16 		Subdivision 1.Resolution requiring primary in certain circumstances. The 
68.17 	school board of a school district may, by resolution adopted by April January 15 of any 
68.18 	year, decide to choose nominees for school board by a primary as provided in this section. 
68.19 	The resolution, when adopted, is effective for all ensuing elections of board members in 
68.20 	that school district until it is revoked. If the board decides to choose nominees by primary 
68.21 	and if there are more than two candidates for a specified school board position or more 
68.22 	than twice as many school board candidates as there are at-large school board positions 
68.23 	available, the school district must hold a primary.

68.24 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
68.25 		Subd. 2.Date. The school district primary must be held on the second first Tuesday
68.26 	 after the third Monday in August June in the year when the school district general election 
68.27 	is held. The clerk shall give notice of the primary in the manner provided in section 
68.28 	205A.07. The date of a school district primary held in an odd-numbered year may be 
68.29 	postponed for inclement weather as provided in section 205A.055.

68.30 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.06, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
68.31 		Subd. 1a.Filing period. In school districts that have adopted a resolution to choose 
68.32 	nominees for school board by a primary election, affidavits of candidacy must be filed 
69.1 	with the school district clerk no earlier than the 84th day and no later than the 70th day 
69.2 	before the second first Tuesday after the third Monday in August June in the year when the 
69.3 	school district general election is held. In all other school districts, affidavits of candidacy 
69.4 	must be filed no earlier than the 98th day and no later than the 84th day before the school 
69.5 	district general election.

69.6 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 205A.11, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
69.7 		Subd. 2a.Notice of special elections. The school district clerk shall prepare a 
69.8 	notice to the voters who will be voting in a combined polling place for a school district 
69.9 	special election. The notice must include the following information: the date of the 
69.10 	election, the hours of voting, and the location of the voter's polling place. The notice must 
69.11 	be sent by nonforwardable mail to every affected household in the school district with 
69.12 	at least one registered voter. The notice must be mailed no later than 14 days before 
69.13 	the election. The mailed notice is not required for a school district special election that 
69.14 	is held on the second first Tuesday after the third Monday in August June, the Tuesday 
69.15 	following the first Monday in November, or for a special election conducted entirely by 
69.16 	mail. In addition, the mailed notice is not required for voters residing in a township if 
69.17 	the school district special election is held on the second Tuesday in March and the town 
69.18 	general election is held on that day. A notice that is returned as undeliverable must be 
69.19 	forwarded immediately to the county auditor.

69.20 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.61, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
69.21 		Subd. 5.Alternation. The provisions of the election laws requiring the alternation 
69.22 	of names of candidates must be observed as far as practicable by changing the order of the 
69.23 	names on an electronic voting system in the various precincts so that each name appears 
69.24 	on the machines or marking devices used in a municipality substantially an equal number 
69.25 	of times in the first, last, and in each intermediate place in the list or group in which 
69.26 	they belong. However, the arrangement of candidates' names must be the same on all 
69.27 	voting systems used in the same precinct. If the number of names to be alternated exceeds 
69.28 	the number of precincts, the election official responsible for providing the ballots, in 
69.29 	accordance with subdivision 1, shall determine by lot the alternation of names.
69.30 	If an electronic ballot marker is used with a paper ballot that is not an optical scan 
69.31 	ballot card, the manner of alternation of candidate names on the paper ballot must be as 
69.32 	prescribed for optical scan ballots in this subdivision.
70.1 	The rules adopted by the secretary of state for the rotation of candidate names must 
70.2 	use the number of registered voters in each precinct as of 8:00 a.m. on May March 1 of 
70.3 	the year when the rotation will be made as the basis for determining the rotation of names.

70.4 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 206.82, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
70.5 		Subd. 2.Plan.  The municipal clerk in a municipality where an electronic voting 
70.6 	system is used and the county auditor of a county in which an electronic voting system 
70.7 	is used in more than one municipality and the county auditor of a county in which a 
70.8 	counting center serving more than one municipality is located shall prepare a plan which 
70.9 	indicates acquisition of sufficient facilities, computer time, and professional services 
70.10 	and which describes the proposed manner of complying with section 206.80. The plan 
70.11 	must be signed, notarized, and submitted to the secretary of state more than 60 days 
70.12 	before the first election at which the municipality uses an electronic voting system. Before 
70.13 	May March 1 of each subsequent general election year, the clerk or auditor shall submit 
70.14 	to the secretary of state notification of any changes to the plan on file with the secretary 
70.15 	of state. The secretary of state shall review each plan for its sufficiency and may request 
70.16 	technical assistance from the Office of Enterprise Technology or other agency which may 
70.17 	be operating as the central computer authority. The secretary of state shall notify each 
70.18 	reporting authority of the sufficiency or insufficiency of its plan within 20 days of receipt 
70.19 	of the plan. The attorney general, upon request of the secretary of state, may seek a district 
70.20 	court order requiring an election official to fulfill duties imposed by this subdivision or by 
70.21 	rules promulgated pursuant to this section.

70.22 	Sec. 15. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 70.23 	Sections 1 to 14 are effective January 1, 2016, and apply to elections conducted 
70.24 	on or after that date.