1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; making technical and policy changes to provisions related to 
1.3 	elections administration including provisions related to voting, voter registration, 
1.4 	polling places, ballots, recounts, contests, candidates, and various other 
1.5 	election-related provisions;amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 5B.06; 
1.6 	201.071, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 8; 201.12, subdivision 2; 201.121, subdivision 3; 
1.7 	201.13, subdivision 3; 201.1611, subdivision 1; 201.225, subdivision 2; 202A.16, 
1.8 	subdivision 1; 203B.04, subdivision 1; 203B.081, subdivisions 1, 2; 203B.12, 
1.9 	subdivision 7; 203B.121, subdivision 4; 203B.16, subdivision 2; 203B.24, 
1.10 	subdivision 1; 204B.06, subdivision 4a; 204B.09, subdivisions 1, 3; 204B.16, 
1.11 	subdivision 1; 204B.19, subdivision 6; 204B.21, subdivision 2; 204B.36, 
1.12 	subdivision 2; 204B.45, subdivision 2; 204B.46; 204C.05, subdivision 1; 204C.21, 
1.13 	subdivision 1; 204C.27; 204C.33, subdivision 3; 204C.35, subdivision 3, by adding 
1.14 	a subdivision; 204C.36, subdivision 1; 204D.08, subdivision 4; 204D.13, 
1.15 	subdivision 1; 204D.27, subdivision 5; 204D.28, subdivisions 9, 10; 205.13, 
1.16 	subdivision 5; 205A.10, subdivision 5; 205A.12, subdivision 5; 206.89, subdivisions 
1.17 	4, 5; 206.90, subdivision 6; 207A.12; 207A.14, subdivision 2; 209.021, subdivision 
1.18 	2; 211B.11, subdivision 1; 367.03, subdivision 6; 367.25, subdivision 1; 412.02, 
1.19 	subdivision 2a; 447.32, subdivision 4; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 
1.20 	204C.05, subdivisions 1a, 1b.
1.21 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.22 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 5B.06, is amended to read:
1.23 	5B.06 VOTING BY PROGRAM PARTICIPANT; ABSENTEE BALLOT.
1.24 	A program participant who is otherwise eligible to vote may register with the secretary 
1.25 	of state as a permanent absentee voter. Notwithstanding section 203B.04, subdivision 5, 
1.26 	the secretary of state is not required to send an absentee ballot application prior to each 
1.27 	election to a program participant registered as a permanent absentee voter under this section. 
1.28 	As soon as practicable before each election, the secretary of state shall determine the precinct 
1.29 	in which the residential address of the program participant is located and shall request from 
2.1 	and receive from the county auditor or other election official the ballot for that precinct and 
2.2 	shall forward the absentee ballot to the program participant with the other prepare the 
2.3 	program participant's ballot for that precinct using the Minnesota statewide voter registration 
2.4 	system and send the ballot with all corresponding materials for absentee balloting as required 
2.5 	by Minnesota law. The program participant shall complete the ballot and return it to the 
2.6 	secretary of state, who shall review the ballot in the manner provided by section 203B.121, 
2.7 	subdivision 2. If the ballot and ballot materials comply with the requirements of that section, 
2.8 	the ballot must be certified by the secretary of state as the ballot of a program participant, 
2.9 	and must be forwarded to the appropriate electoral jurisdiction for tabulation along with all 
2.10 	other ballots. The name and address of a program participant must not be listed in the 
2.11 	statewide voter registration system.

2.12 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.13 		Subdivision 1.Form. Both paper and electronic voter registration applications must 
2.14 	contain the same information unless otherwise provided by law. A voter registration 
2.15 	application must contain spaces for the following required information: voter's first name, 
2.16 	middle name, and last name; voter's previous name, if any; voter's current address; voter's 
2.17 	previous address, if any; voter's date of birth; voter's municipality and county of residence; 
2.18 	voter's telephone number, if provided by the voter; date of registration; current and valid 
2.19 	Minnesota driver's license number or Minnesota state identification number, or if the voter 
2.20 	has no current and valid Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota state identification, the 
2.21 	last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; and voter's signature. The paper 
2.22 	registration application may include the voter's e-mail address, if provided by the voter. The 
2.23 	electronic voter registration application must include the voter's e-mail address. The 
2.24 	registration application may include the voter's interest in serving as an election judge, if 
2.25 	indicated by the voter. The application must also contain the following certification of voter 
2.26 	eligibility:
2.27 	"I certify that I:
2.28 	(1) will be at least 18 years old on election day;
2.29 	(2) am a citizen of the United States;
2.30 	(3) will have resided maintained residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately 
2.31 	preceding election day;
2.32 	(4) maintain residence at the address given on the registration form;
3.1 	(5) am not under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes my right 
3.2 	to vote;
3.3 	(6) have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote;
3.4 	(7) have the right to vote because, if I have been convicted of a felony, my felony sentence 
3.5 	has expired (been completed) or I have been discharged from my sentence; and
3.6 	(8) have read and understand the following statement: that giving false information is a 
3.7 	felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more than 
3.8 	$10,000, or both."
3.9 	The certification must include boxes for the voter to respond to the following questions:
3.10 	"(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?" and
3.11 	"(2) Will you be 18 years old on or before election day?"
3.12 	And the instruction:
3.13 	"If you checked 'no' to either of these questions, do not complete this form."
3.14 	The form of the voter registration application and the certification of voter eligibility 
3.15 	must be as provided in this subdivision and approved by the secretary of state. Voter 
3.16 	registration forms authorized by the National Voter Registration Act must also be accepted 
3.17 	as valid. The federal postcard application form must also be accepted as valid if it is not 
3.18 	deficient and the voter is eligible to register in Minnesota.
3.19 	An individual may use a voter registration application to apply to register to vote in 
3.20 	Minnesota or to change information on an existing registration.

3.21 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.071, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.22 		Subd. 2.Instructions. A registration application shall be accompanied by instructions 
3.23 	specifying the manner and method of registration, the qualifications for voting, the penalties 
3.24 	for false registration, and the availability of registration and voting assistance for elderly 
3.25 	and disabled individuals and residents of health care facilities and hospitals. The instructions 
3.26 	must indicate that if the voter does not have must provide a valid Minnesota driver's license 
3.27 	or identification card, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number must be 
3.28 	provided, unless the voter does not have a Social Security number or valid Minnesota driver's 
3.29 	license or identification card. If, prior to election day, a person requests the instructions in 
3.30 	Braille, audio format, or in a version printed in 16-point bold type with 24-point leading, 
3.31 	the county auditor shall provide them in the form requested. The secretary of state shall 
3.32 	prepare Braille and audio copies and make them available.

4.1 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.071, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.2 		Subd. 3.Deficient registration. No voter registration application is deficient if it contains 
4.3 	the voter's name, address, date of birth, current and valid Minnesota driver's license number 
4.4 	or Minnesota state identification number, or if the voter has no current and valid Minnesota 
4.5 	driver's license or Minnesota state identification number, the last four digits of the voter's 
4.6 	Social Security number, if the voter has been issued a Social Security number or valid 
4.7 	Minnesota driver's license or identification card, prior registration, if any, and signature. 
4.8 	The absence of a zip code number does not cause the registration to be deficient. Failure to 
4.9 	check a box on an application form that a voter has certified to be true does not cause the 
4.10 	registration to be deficient. The election judges shall request an individual to correct a voter 
4.11 	registration application if it is deficient or illegible. No eligible voter may be prevented 
4.12 	from voting unless the voter's registration application is deficient or the voter is duly and 
4.13 	successfully challenged in accordance with section 201.195 or 204C.12.
4.14 	A voter registration application accepted prior to August 1, 1983, is not deficient for 
4.15 	lack of date of birth. The county or municipality may attempt to obtain the date of birth for 
4.16 	a voter registration application accepted prior to August 1, 1983, by a request to the voter 
4.17 	at any time except at the polling place. Failure by the voter to comply with this request does 
4.18 	not make the registration deficient.
4.19 	A voter registration application accepted before January 1, 2004, is not deficient for lack 
4.20 	of a valid Minnesota driver's license or state identification number or the last four digits of 
4.21 	a Social Security number. A voter registration application submitted by a voter who does 
4.22 	not have a Minnesota driver's license or state identification number, or a Social Security 
4.23 	number, is not deficient for lack of any of these numbers.
4.24 	A voter registration application submitted electronically through the website of the 
4.25 	secretary of state prior to April 30, 2014, is not invalid as a result of its electronic submission.

4.26 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.071, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
4.27 		Subd. 8.School district assistance. School districts shall assist county auditors in 
4.28 	determining the school district in which a voter resides maintains residence.

4.29 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.12, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.30 		Subd. 2.Moved within state. If any nonforwardable mailing from an election official 
4.31 	is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address in this state, the county 
4.32 	auditor may change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration system and 
5.1 	shall transmit a copy of the mailing to the auditor of the county in which the new address 
5.2 	is located. If an election is scheduled to occur in the precinct in which the voter resides
5.3 	maintains residence in the next 47 days, the county auditor shall promptly update the voter's 
5.4 	address in the statewide voter registration system. If there is not an election scheduled, the 
5.5 	auditor may wait to update the voter's address until after the next list of address changes is 
5.6 	received from the secretary of state. Once updated, the county auditor shall mail to the voter 
5.7 	a notice stating the voter's name, address, precinct, and polling place, except that if the 
5.8 	voter's record is challenged due to a felony conviction, noncitizenship, name change, 
5.9 	incompetence, or a court's revocation of voting rights of individuals under guardianship, 
5.10 	the auditor must not mail the notice. The notice must advise the voter that the voter's voting 
5.11 	address has been changed and that the voter must notify the county auditor within 21 days 
5.12 	if the new address is not the voter's address of residence. The notice must state that it must 
5.13 	be returned if it is not deliverable to the voter at the named address.

5.14 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.121, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
5.15 		Subd. 3.Postelection sampling. (a) Within ten days after an election, the county auditor 
5.16 	shall send the notice required by subdivision 2 to a random sampling of the individuals 
5.17 	registered on election day. The random sampling shall be determined in accordance with 
5.18 	the rules of the secretary of state. As soon as practicable after the election, the county auditor 
5.19 	shall mail the notice required by subdivision 2 to all other individuals registered on election 
5.20 	day. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the county auditor shall attempt to determine 
5.21 	the reason for the return. A county auditor who does not receive or obtain satisfactory proof 
5.22 	of an individual's eligibility to vote shall immediately notify the county attorney of all of 
5.23 	the relevant information. The By February 15 of each odd-numbered year, the county auditor 
5.24 	must notify the secretary of state of the following information for the previous state general 
5.25 	election by each precinct:
5.26 	(1) the total number of all notices that were returned as nondeliverable;
5.27 	(2) the total number of nondeliverable notices that the county auditor was able to 
5.28 	determine the reason for the return along with the reason for each return; and
5.29 	(3) the total number of individuals for whom the county auditor does not receive or 
5.30 	obtain satisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote.
5.31 	(b) By March 1 of every odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall report to the 
5.32 	chair and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over 
5.33 	elections the following information for the previous state general election by each precinct 
5.34 	and each county:
6.1 	(1) the total number of all notices that were returned as nondeliverable;
6.2 	(2) the total number of nondeliverable notices that a county auditor was able to determine 
6.3 	the reason for the return along with the reason for each return; and
6.4 	(3) the total number of individuals for whom the county auditor does not receive or 
6.5 	obtain satisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote.

6.6 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
6.7 		Subd. 3.Use of change of address system. (a) At least once each month the secretary 
6.8 	of state shall obtain a list of individuals registered to vote in this state who have filed with 
6.9 	the United States Postal Service a change of their permanent address. The secretary of state 
6.10 	may also periodically obtain a list of individuals with driver's licenses or state identification 
6.11 	cards to identify those who are registered to vote who have applied to the Department of 
6.12 	Public Safety for a replacement driver's license or state identification card with a different 
6.13 	address, and a list of individuals for whom the Department of Public Safety received 
6.14 	notification of a driver's license or state identification card cancellation due to a change of 
6.15 	residency out of state. However, the secretary of state shall not load data derived from these 
6.16 	lists into the statewide voter registration system within the 47 days before the state primary 
6.17 	or 47 days before a November general election.
6.18 	(b) If the address is changed to another address in this state, the secretary of state shall 
6.19 	locate the precinct in which the voter resides maintains residence, if possible. If the secretary 
6.20 	of state is able to locate the precinct in which the voter resides maintains residence, the 
6.21 	secretary must transmit the information about the changed address by electronic means to 
6.22 	the county auditor of the county in which the new address is located. For addresses for 
6.23 	which the secretary of state is unable to determine the precinct, the secretary may forward 
6.24 	information to the appropriate county auditors for individual review. If the voter has not 
6.25 	voted or submitted a voter registration application since the address change, upon receipt 
6.26 	of the information, the county auditor shall update the voter's address in the statewide voter 
6.27 	registration system. The county auditor shall mail to the voter a notice stating the voter's 
6.28 	name, address, precinct, and polling place, unless the voter's record is challenged due to a 
6.29 	felony conviction, noncitizenship, name change, incompetence, or a court's revocation of 
6.30 	voting rights of individuals under guardianship, in which case the auditor must not mail the 
6.31 	notice. The notice must advise the voter that the voter's voting address has been changed 
6.32 	and that the voter must notify the county auditor within 21 days if the new address is not 
6.33 	the voter's address of residence. The notice must state that it must be returned if it is not 
6.34 	deliverable to the voter at the named address.
7.1 	(c) If the change of permanent address is to an address outside this state, the secretary 
7.2 	of state shall notify by electronic means the auditor of the county where the voter formerly 
7.3 	resided maintained residence that the voter has moved to another state. If the voter has not 
7.4 	voted or submitted a voter registration application since the address change, the county 
7.5 	auditor shall promptly mail to the voter at the voter's new address a notice advising the voter 
7.6 	that the voter's status in the statewide voter registration system will be changed to "inactive" 
7.7 	unless the voter notifies the county auditor within 21 days that the voter is retaining the 
7.8 	former address as the voter's address of residence, except that if the voter's record is 
7.9 	challenged due to a felony conviction, noncitizenship, name change, incompetence, or a 
7.10 	court's revocation of voting rights of individuals under guardianship, the auditor must not 
7.11 	mail the notice. If the notice is not received by the deadline, the county auditor shall change 
7.12 	the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide voter registration system.
7.13 	(d) If, in order to maintain voter registration records, the secretary of state enters an 
7.14 	agreement to share information or data with an organization governed exclusively by a 
7.15 	group of states, the secretary must first determine that the data security protocols are sufficient 
7.16 	to safeguard the information or data shared. If required by such an agreement, the secretary 
7.17 	of state may share the following data from the statewide voter registration system and data 
7.18 	released to the secretary of state under section 171.12, subdivision 7a:
7.19 	(1) name;
7.20 	(2) date of birth;
7.21 	(3) address;
7.22 	(4) driver's license or state identification card number;
7.23 	(5) the last four digits of an individual's Social Security number; and
7.24 	(6) the date that an individual's record was last updated.
7.25 	If the secretary of state enters into such an agreement, the secretary and county auditors 
7.26 	must process changes to voter records based upon that data in accordance with this section. 
7.27 	Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, when data is shared with the secretary of 
7.28 	state by another state, the secretary of state must maintain the same data classification that 
7.29 	the data had while it was in the possession of the state providing the data.

7.30 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.1611, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7.31 		Subdivision 1.Forms. All postsecondary institutions that enroll students accepting state 
7.32 	or federal financial aid shall provide voter registration forms to each student as early as 
8.1 	possible in the fall quarter. All school districts shall make available voter registration 
8.2 	applications each May and September to all students registered as students of the school 
8.3 	district who will be eligible to vote at the next election after those months. A school district 
8.4 	has no obligation to provide voter registration applications to students who participate in a 
8.5 	postsecondary education option program or who otherwise reside maintain residence in the 
8.6 	district but do not attend a school operated by the district. A school district fulfills its 
8.7 	obligation to a student under this section if it provides a voter registration application to the 
8.8 	student one time. The forms must contain spaces for the information required in section 
8.9 	201.071, subdivision 1, and applicable rules of the secretary of state. The institutions and 
8.10 	school districts may request these forms from the secretary of state. Institutions shall consult 
8.11 	with their campus student government in determining the most effective means of distributing 
8.12 	the forms and in seeking to facilitate election day registration of students under section 
8.13 	201.061, subdivision 3. School districts must advise students that completion of the voter 
8.14 	registration application is not a school district requirement.

8.15 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 201.225, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
8.16 		Subd. 2.Technology requirements. An electronic roster must:
8.17 	(1) be able to be loaded with a data file that includes voter registration data in a file 
8.18 	format prescribed by the secretary of state;
8.19 	(2) allow for data to be exported in a file format prescribed by the secretary of state;
8.20 	(3) allow for data to be entered manually or by scanning a Minnesota driver's license or 
8.21 	identification card to locate a voter record or populate a voter registration application that 
8.22 	would be printed and signed and dated by the voter. The printed registration application 
8.23 	can be either a printed form, labels printed with voter information to be affixed to a preprinted 
8.24 	form, or a combination of both;
8.25 	(4) allow an election judge to update data that was populated from a scanned driver's 
8.26 	license or identification card;
8.27 	(5) cue an election judge to ask for and input data that is not populated from a scanned 
8.28 	driver's license or identification card that is otherwise required to be collected from the voter 
8.29 	or an election judge;
8.30 	(6) immediately alert the election judge if the voter has provided information that indicates 
8.31 	that the voter is not eligible to vote;
9.1 	(7) immediately alert the election judge if the electronic roster indicates that a voter has 
9.2 	already voted in that precinct, the voter's registration status is challenged, or it appears the 
9.3 	voter resides maintains residence in a different precinct;
9.4 	(8) provide immediate instructions on how to resolve a particular type of challenge when 
9.5 	a voter's record is challenged;
9.6 	(9) provide for a printed voter signature certificate, containing the voter's name, address 
9.7 	of residence, date of birth, voter identification number, the oath required by section 204C.10, 
9.8 	and a space for the voter's original signature. The printed voter signature certificate can be 
9.9 	either a printed form or a label printed with the voter's information to be affixed to the oath;
9.10 	(10) contain only preregistered voters within the precinct, and not contain preregistered 
9.11 	voter data on voters registered outside of the precinct;
9.12 	(11) be only networked within the polling location on election day, except for the purpose 
9.13 	of updating absentee ballot records;
9.14 	(12) meet minimum security, reliability, and networking standards established by the 
9.15 	Office of the Secretary of State in consultation with the Office of MN.IT Services;
9.16 	(13) be capable of providing a voter's correct polling place; and
9.17 	(14) perform any other functions necessary for the efficient and secure administration 
9.18 	of the participating election, as determined by the secretary of state.
9.19 	Electronic rosters used only for election day registration do not need to comply with clauses 
9.20 	(1), (8), and (10). Electronic rosters used only for preregistered voter processing do not need 
9.21 	to comply with clauses (4) and (5).

9.22 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 202A.16, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
9.23 		Subdivision 1.Eligible voters. Only those individuals who are or will be eligible to vote 
9.24 	at the time of the next state general election, may vote or be elected a delegate or officer at 
9.25 	the precinct caucus. An eligible voter may vote or be elected a delegate or officer only in 
9.26 	the precinct where the voter resides maintains residence at the time of the caucus.

9.27 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
9.28 		Subdivision 1.Application procedures. (a) Except as otherwise allowed by subdivision 
9.29 	2 or by section 203B.11, subdivision 4, an application for absentee ballots for any election 
9.30 	may be submitted at any time not less than one day before the day of that election. The 
9.31 	county auditor shall prepare absentee ballot application forms in the format provided by the 
10.1 	secretary of state and shall furnish them to any person on request. By January 1 of each 
10.2 	even-numbered year, the secretary of state shall make the forms to be used available to 
10.3 	auditors through electronic means. An application submitted pursuant to this subdivision 
10.4 	shall be in writing. An application may be submitted in person, by electronic facsimile 
10.5 	device, by electronic mail, or by mail to:
10.6 	(1) the county auditor of the county where the applicant maintains residence; or
10.7 	(2) the municipal clerk of the municipality, or school district if applicable, where the 
10.8 	applicant maintains residence.
10.9 	For a federal, state, or county election, an absentee ballot application may alternatively be 
10.10 	submitted electronically through a secure website that shall be maintained by the secretary 
10.11 	of state for this purpose. Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the secretary of state must require 
10.12 	applicants using the website to submit the applicant's e-mail address and verifiable Minnesota 
10.13 	driver's license number, Minnesota state identification card number, or the last four digits 
10.14 	of the applicant's Social Security number.
10.15 	An application submitted electronically under this paragraph may only be transmitted to 
10.16 	the county auditor for processing if the secretary of state has verified the application 
10.17 	information matches the information in a government database associated with the applicant's 
10.18 	driver's license number, state identification card number, or Social Security number. The 
10.19 	secretary of state must review all unverifiable applications for evidence of suspicious activity 
10.20 	and must forward any such application to an appropriate law enforcement agency for 
10.21 	investigation.
10.22 	(b) An application shall be approved if it is timely received, signed and dated by the 
10.23 	applicant, contains the applicant's name and residence and mailing addresses, date of birth, 
10.24 	and at least one of the following:
10.25 	(1) the applicant's Minnesota driver's license number;
10.26 	(2) Minnesota state identification card number;
10.27 	(3) the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number; or
10.28 	(4) a statement that the applicant does not have any of these numbers.
10.29 	(c) To be approved, the application must contain an oath that the information contained 
10.30 	on the form is accurate, that the applicant is applying on the applicant's own behalf, and 
10.31 	that the applicant is signing the form under penalty of perjury.
11.1 	(d) An applicant's full date of birth, Minnesota driver's license or state identification 
11.2 	number, and the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number must not be made 
11.3 	available for public inspection. An application may be submitted to the county auditor or 
11.4 	municipal clerk by an electronic facsimile device. An application mailed or returned in 
11.5 	person to the county auditor or municipal clerk on behalf of a voter by a person other than 
11.6 	the voter must be deposited in the mail or returned in person to the county auditor or 
11.7 	municipal clerk within ten days after it has been dated by the voter and no later than six 
11.8 	days before the election. The absentee ballot applications or a list of persons applying for 
11.9 	an absentee ballot may not be made available for public inspection until the close of voting 
11.10 	on election day, except as authorized in section 203B.12, and must be available to the public 
11.11 	in the same manner as public information lists in section 201.091, subdivisions 4, 5, and 9.
11.12 	(e) An application under this subdivision may contain an application under subdivision 
11.13 	5 to automatically receive an absentee ballot application.

11.14 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.081, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
11.15 		Subdivision 1.Location; timing. An eligible voter may vote by absentee ballot in the 
11.16 	office of the county auditor and at any other polling place designated by the county auditor 
11.17 	during the 46 days before the election, except as provided in this section. The county auditor 
11.18 	shall make such polling place designations at least 14 weeks before the election. Voters 
11.19 	casting absentee ballots in person for a town election held in March may do so during the 
11.20 	30 days before the election.

11.21 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.081, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11.22 		Subd. 2.Town elections Voting booth; electronic ballot marker. Voters casting 
11.23 	absentee ballots in person for a town election held in March may do so during the 30 days 
11.24 	before the election. The county auditor shall make such designations at least 14 weeks before 
11.25 	the election. For purposes of this section, the county auditor must make available in each 
11.26 	polling place (1) at least one voting booth in each polling place must be made available by 
11.27 	the county auditor for this purpose. The county auditor must also make available, and (2)
11.28 	at least one electronic ballot marker in each polling place that has implemented a voting 
11.29 	system that is accessible for individuals with disabilities pursuant to section 206.57, 
11.30 	subdivision 5.

12.1 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.12, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
12.2 		Subd. 7.Names of persons; rejected absentee ballots. The names of voters who have 
12.3 	submitted an absentee ballot to the county auditor or municipal clerk that has not been 
12.4 	accepted may not be made available for public inspection until the close of voting on election 
12.5 	day.
12.6 	After the close of voting on election day, the lists must be available to the public in the 
12.7 	same manner as public information lists in section 201.091, subdivisions 4, 5, and 9.

12.8 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.121, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
12.9 		Subd. 4.Opening of envelopes. After the close of business on the seventh day before 
12.10 	the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" may be opened, duplicated 
12.11 	as needed in the manner provided in section 206.86, subdivision 5, initialed by the members 
12.12 	of the ballot board, and deposited in the appropriate ballot box. If more than one voted ballot 
12.13 	is enclosed in the ballot envelope, the ballots must be returned in the manner provided by 
12.14 	section 204C.25 for return of spoiled ballots, and may not be counted.

12.15 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.16, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
12.16 		Subd. 2.Indefinite residence outside United States. Sections 203B.16 to 203B.27
12.17 	provide the exclusive voting procedure for United States citizens who are living indefinitely 
12.18 	outside the territorial limits of the United States who meet all the qualifications of an eligible 
12.19 	voter except residence in Minnesota, but who are authorized by federal law to vote in 
12.20 	Minnesota because they or, if they have never resided maintained residence in the United 
12.21 	States, a parent maintained residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days immediately prior 
12.22 	to their departure from the United States. Individuals described in this subdivision shall be 
12.23 	permitted to vote only for the offices of president, vice-president, senator in Congress, and 
12.24 	representative in Congress.

12.25 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 203B.24, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
12.26 		Subdivision 1.Check of voter eligibility; proper execution of certificate. Upon receipt 
12.27 	of an absentee ballot returned as provided in sections 203B.16 to 203B.27, the election 
12.28 	judges shall compare the voter's name with the names recorded under section 203B.19 in 
12.29 	the statewide registration system to insure that the ballot is from a voter eligible to cast an 
12.30 	absentee ballot under sections 203B.16 to 203B.27. The election judges shall mark the return 
12.31 	envelope "Accepted" and initial or sign the return envelope below the word "Accepted" if 
12.32 	the election judges are satisfied that:
13.1 	(1) the voter's name and address on the return envelope appears in substantially the same 
13.2 	form as on the application records provided to the election judges by the county auditor;
13.3 	(2) the voter has signed the federal oath prescribed pursuant to section 705(b)(2) of the 
13.4 	Help America Vote Act, Public Law 107-252;
13.5 	(3) the voter has set forth the same voter's passport number, or Minnesota driver's license 
13.6 	or state identification card number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security 
13.7 	number as submitted on the application, if the voter has one of these documents;
13.8 	(4) the voter is not known to have died; and
13.9 	(5) the voter has not already voted at that election, either in person or by absentee ballot.
13.10 	If the identification number described in clause (3) does not match the number as 
13.11 	submitted on the application, the election judges must make a reasonable effort to satisfy 
13.12 	themselves through other information provided by the applicant, or by an individual 
13.13 	authorized to apply on behalf of the voter, that the ballots were returned by the same person 
13.14 	to whom the ballots were transmitted.
13.15 	An absentee ballot cast pursuant to sections 203B.16 to 203B.27 may only be rejected 
13.16 	for the lack of one of clauses (1) to (5). In particular, failure to place the ballot within the 
13.17 	security envelope before placing it in the outer white envelope is not a reason to reject an 
13.18 	absentee ballot.
13.19 	Election judges must note the reason for rejection on the back of the envelope in the 
13.20 	space provided for that purpose.
13.21 	Failure to return unused ballots shall not invalidate a marked ballot, but a ballot shall 
13.22 	not be counted if the certificate on the return envelope is not properly executed. In all other 
13.23 	respects the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing deposit and counting of 
13.24 	ballots shall apply. Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the counting of the 
13.25 	absentee ballot of a deceased voter does not invalidate the election.

13.26 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.06, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
13.27 		Subd. 4a.State and local offices. Candidates who seek nomination for the following 
13.28 	offices shall state the following additional information on the affidavit:
13.29 	(1) for governor or lieutenant governor, that on the first Monday of the next January the 
13.30 	candidate will be 25 years of age or older and, on the day of the state general election, a 
13.31 	resident of Minnesota for not less than one year;
14.1 	(2) for supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or district court judge, that the 
14.2 	candidate is learned in the law;
14.3 	(3) for county, municipal, school district, or special district office, that the candidate 
14.4 	meets any other qualifications for that office prescribed by law;
14.5 	(4) for senator or representative in the legislature, that on the day of the general or special 
14.6 	election to fill the office the candidate will have resided maintained residence not less than 
14.7 	one year in the state and not less than six months in the legislative district from which the 
14.8 	candidate seeks election.

14.9 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
14.10 		Subdivision 1.Candidates in state and county general elections. (a) Except as 
14.11 	otherwise provided by this subdivision, affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions 
14.12 	for county, state, and federal offices filled at the state general election shall be filed not 
14.13 	more than 84 days nor less than 70 days before the state primary. The affidavit may be 
14.14 	prepared and signed at any time between 60 days before the filing period opens and the last 
14.15 	day of the filing period.
14.16 	(b) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary, the affidavit of candidacy must be signed 
14.17 	in the presence of a notarial officer or an individual authorized to administer oaths under 
14.18 	section 358.10.
14.19 	(c) This provision does not apply to candidates for presidential elector nominated by 
14.20 	major political parties. Major party candidates for presidential elector are certified under 
14.21 	section 208.03. Other candidates for presidential electors may file petitions at least 77 days 
14.22 	before the general election day pursuant to section 204B.07. Nominating petitions to fill 
14.23 	vacancies in nominations shall be filed as provided in section 204B.13. No affidavit or 
14.24 	petition shall be accepted later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing.
14.25 	(d) Affidavits and petitions for county offices must be filed with the county auditor of 
14.26 	that county. Affidavits and petitions for federal offices must be filed with the secretary of 
14.27 	state. Affidavits and petitions for state offices must be filed with the secretary of state or 
14.28 	with the county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides maintains residence.
14.29 	(e) Affidavits other than those filed pursuant to subdivision 1a must be submitted by 
14.30 	mail or by hand, notwithstanding chapter 325L, or any other law to the contrary and must 
14.31 	be received by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing.

15.1 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.09, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
15.2 		Subd. 3.Write-in candidates. (a) A candidate for county, state, or federal office who 
15.3 	wants write-in votes for the candidate to be counted must file a written request with the 
15.4 	filing office for the office sought not more than 84 days before the primary and no later 
15.5 	than the seventh day before the general election. The filing officer shall provide copies of 
15.6 	the form to make the request. No The filing officer shall not accept a written request shall 
15.7 	be accepted later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing a written request.
15.8 	(b) The governing body of a statutory or home rule charter city may require by resolution 
15.9 	that a candidate for local elective office file a written request with the chief election official 
15.10 	at least seven days before the city election if the candidate wants to have the candidate's 
15.11 	write-in votes individually recorded; or a governing body of a statutory or home rule charter 
15.12 	city may require by resolution that write-in votes for an individual candidate only be 
15.13 	individually recorded if the total number of write-in votes for that office is equal to or greater 
15.14 	than the fewest number of non-write-in votes for a ballot candidate. The governing body 
15.15 	of the statutory or home rule charter city must adopt a resolution authorized by this paragraph 
15.16 	before the first day of filing for office. A resolution adopted under this paragraph remains 
15.17 	in effect until a subsequent resolution on the same subject is adopted by the governing body 
15.18 	of the statutory or home rule charter city.
15.19 	(b) (c) A candidate for president of the United States who files a request under this 
15.20 	subdivision must include the name of a candidate for vice president of the United States.
15.21 	file jointly with another individual seeking nomination as a candidate for vice president of 
15.22 	the United States. A candidate for vice president of the United States who files a request 
15.23 	under this subdivision must file jointly with another individual seeking nomination as a 
15.24 	candidate for president of the United States. The request must also include the name of at 
15.25 	least one candidate for presidential elector. The total number of names of candidates for 
15.26 	presidential elector on the request may not exceed the total number of electoral votes to be 
15.27 	cast by Minnesota in the presidential election.
15.28 	(c) (d) A candidate for governor who files a request under this subdivision must include 
15.29 	the name of a candidate for lieutenant governor. file jointly with another individual seeking 
15.30 	nomination as a candidate for lieutenant governor. A candidate for lieutenant governor who 
15.31 	files a request under this subdivision must file jointly with another individual seeking 
15.32 	nomination as a candidate for governor.

16.1 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.16, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
16.2 		Subdivision 1.Authority; location. (a) By December 31 of each year, the governing 
16.3 	body of each municipality and of each county with precincts in unorganized territory must 
16.4 	designate by ordinance or resolution a polling place for each election precinct. The polling 
16.5 	places designated in the ordinance or resolution are the polling places for the following 
16.6 	calendar year, unless a change is made: any changes to a polling place location. A polling 
16.7 	place must be maintained for the following calendar year unless changed:
16.8 	(1) by ordinance or resolution by December 31 of the previous year;
16.9 	(1) (2) pursuant to section 204B.175;
16.10 	(2) (3) because a polling place has become unavailable; or
16.11 	(3) (4) because a township designates one location for all state, county, and federal 
16.12 	elections and one location for all township only elections.
16.13 	(b) Polling places must be designated and ballots must be distributed so that no one is 
16.14 	required to go to more than one polling place to vote in a school district and municipal 
16.15 	election held on the same day. The polling place for a precinct in a city or in a school district 
16.16 	located in whole or in part in the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, subdivision 
16.17 	24, shall be located within the boundaries of the precinct or within one mile of one of those 
16.18 	boundaries unless a single polling place is designated for a city pursuant to section 204B.14, 
16.19 	subdivision 2, or a school district pursuant to section 205A.11. The polling place for a 
16.20 	precinct in unorganized territory may be located outside the precinct at a place which is 
16.21 	convenient to the voters of the precinct. If no suitable place is available within a town or 
16.22 	within a school district located outside the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, 
16.23 	subdivision 24, then the polling place for a town or school district may be located outside 
16.24 	the town or school district within five miles of one of the boundaries of the town or school 
16.25 	district.

16.26 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.19, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
16.27 		Subd. 6.High school students. Notwithstanding any other requirements of this section, 
16.28 	a student enrolled in a high school in Minnesota or who is in a home school in compliance 
16.29 	with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24, who has attained the age of 16 is eligible to be appointed 
16.30 	as a without party affiliation trainee election judge in the county in which the student resides
16.31 	maintains residence, or a county adjacent to the county in which the student resides maintains 
16.32 	residence. The student must meet qualifications for trainee election judges specified in rules 
16.33 	of the secretary of state. A student appointed as a trainee election judge may be excused 
17.1 	from school attendance during the hours that the student is serving as a trainee election 
17.2 	judge if the student submits a written request signed and approved by the student's parent 
17.3 	or guardian to be absent from school and a certificate from the appointing authority stating 
17.4 	the hours during which the student will serve as a trainee election judge to the principal of 
17.5 	the school at least ten days prior to the election. Students shall not serve as trainee election 
17.6 	judges after 10:00 p.m. Notwithstanding section 177.24 to the contrary, trainee election 
17.7 	judges may be paid not less than two-thirds of the minimum wage for a large employer. 
17.8 	The principal of the school may approve a request to be absent from school conditioned on 
17.9 	acceptable academic performance at the time of service as a trainee election judge.

17.10 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.21, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
17.11 		Subd. 2.Appointing authority; powers and duties. Election judges for precincts in a 
17.12 	municipality shall be appointed by the governing body of the municipality. Election judges 
17.13 	for precincts in unorganized territory and for performing election-related duties assigned 
17.14 	by the county auditor shall be appointed by the county board. Election judges for a precinct 
17.15 	composed of two or more municipalities must be appointed by the governing body of the 
17.16 	municipality or municipalities responsible for appointing election judges as provided in the 
17.17 	agreement to combine for election purposes. Except as otherwise provided in this section, 
17.18 	appointments shall be made from the list of voters who reside maintain residence in each 
17.19 	precinct, furnished pursuant to subdivision 1, subject to the eligibility requirements and 
17.20 	other qualifications established or authorized under section 204B.19. At least two election 
17.21 	judges in each precinct must be affiliated with different major political parties. If no lists 
17.22 	have been furnished or if additional election judges are required after all listed names in 
17.23 	that municipality have been exhausted, the appointing authority may appoint other individuals 
17.24 	who meet the qualifications to serve as an election judge, including persons on the list 
17.25 	furnished pursuant to subdivision 1 who indicated a willingness to travel to the municipality, 
17.26 	and persons who are not affiliated with a major political party. An individual who is appointed 
17.27 	from a source other than the list furnished pursuant to subdivision 1 must provide to the 
17.28 	appointing authority the individual's major political party affiliation or a statement that the 
17.29 	individual does not affiliate with any major political party. An individual who refuses to 
17.30 	provide the individual's major political party affiliation or a statement that the individual 
17.31 	does not affiliate with a major political party must not be appointed as an election judge. 
17.32 	The appointments shall be made at least 25 days before the election at which the election 
17.33 	judges will serve, except that the appointing authority may pass a resolution authorizing 
17.34 	the appointment of additional election judges within the 25 days before the election if the 
17.35 	appointing authority determines that additional election judges will be required.

18.1 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.36, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
18.2 		Subd. 2.Candidates and offices. The name of each candidate shall be printed at a right 
18.3 	angle to the length of the ballot. At a general election the name of the political party or the 
18.4 	political principle of each candidate for partisan office shall be printed above or below the 
18.5 	name of the candidate. The name of a political party or a political principle shall be printed 
18.6 	in capital and lowercase letters of the same type, with the capital letters at least one-half the 
18.7 	height of the capital letters used for names of the candidates. At a general or special election, 
18.8 	blank lines containing the words "write-in, if any" shall be printed below the name of the 
18.9 	last candidate for each office, or below the title of the office if no candidate has filed for 
18.10 	that office, so that a voter may write in the names of individuals whose names are not on 
18.11 	the ballot. One blank line shall be printed for each officer of that kind to be elected. At a 
18.12 	primary election, no blank lines shall be provided for writing in the names of individuals 
18.13 	whose names do not appear on the primary ballot.
18.14 	On the left side of the ballot at the same level with the name of each candidate and each 
18.15 	blank line shall be printed an oval or similar target shape in which the voter may designate 
18.16 	a vote by filling in the oval or similar mark if a different target shape is used. Each oval or 
18.17 	target shape shall be the same size. Above the first name on each ballot shall be instructions 
18.18 	for voting. Directly underneath the official title of each office shall be printed the words 
18.19 	"Vote for one" or "Vote for up to ..." (any greater number to be elected).

18.20 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
18.21 		Subd. 2.Procedure. Notice of the election and the special mail procedure must be given 
18.22 	at least ten weeks prior to the election. Not more than 46 days nor later than 14 days before 
18.23 	a regularly scheduled election and not more than 30 days nor later than 14 days before any 
18.24 	other election, the auditor shall mail ballots by nonforwardable mail to all voters registered 
18.25 	in the city, town, or unorganized territory. No later than 14 days before the election, the 
18.26 	auditor must make a subsequent mailing of ballots to those voters who register to vote after 
18.27 	the initial mailing but before the 20th day before the election. Eligible voters not registered 
18.28 	at the time the ballots are mailed may apply for ballots as provided in chapter 203B. Ballot 
18.29 	return envelopes, with return postage provided, must be preaddressed to the auditor or clerk 
18.30 	and the voter may return the ballot by mail or in person to the office of the auditor or clerk. 
18.31 	The auditor or clerk must appoint a ballot board to examine the mail and absentee ballot 
18.32 	return envelopes and mark them "accepted" or "rejected" within three days of receipt if 
18.33 	there are 14 or fewer days before election day, or within five days of receipt if there are 
18.34 	more than 14 days before election day. The board may consist of deputy county auditors or 
19.1 	deputy municipal clerks who have received training in the processing and counting of mail 
19.2 	ballots, who need not be affiliated with a major political party. Election judges performing 
19.3 	the duties in this section must be of different major political parties, unless they are exempt 
19.4 	from that requirement under section 205.075, subdivision 4, or section 205A.10. If an 
19.5 	envelope has been rejected at least five days before the election, the ballots in the envelope 
19.6 	must remain sealed and the auditor or clerk shall provide the voter with a replacement ballot 
19.7 	and return envelope in place of the spoiled ballot. If the ballot is rejected within five days 
19.8 	of the election, the envelope must remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board 
19.9 	must attempt to contact the voter by telephone or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's 
19.10 	ballot has been rejected. The official must document the attempts made to contact the voter.
19.11 	If the ballot is accepted, the county auditor or municipal clerk must mark the roster to 
19.12 	indicate that the voter has already cast a ballot in that election. After the close of business 
19.13 	on the seventh day before the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" 
19.14 	may be opened, duplicated as needed in the manner provided by section 206.86, subdivision 
19.15 	5, initialed by the members of the ballot board, and deposited in the ballot box.
19.16 	In all other respects, the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing deposit 
19.17 	and counting of ballots apply.
19.18 	The mail and absentee ballots for a precinct must be counted together and reported as 
19.19 	one vote total. No vote totals from mail or absentee ballots may be made public before the 
19.20 	close of voting on election day.
19.21 	The costs of the mailing shall be paid by the election jurisdiction in which the voter 
19.22 	resides maintains residence. Any ballot received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election 
19.23 	must be counted.

19.24 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204B.46, is amended to read:
19.25 	204B.46 MAIL ELECTIONS; QUESTIONS.
19.26 	A county, municipality, or school district submitting questions to the voters at a special 
19.27 	election may conduct an election by mail with no polling place other than the office of the 
19.28 	auditor or clerk. No offices may be voted on at a mail election., except in overlapping school 
19.29 	and municipality jurisdictions, where a mail election may include an office when one of the 
19.30 	jurisdictions also has a question on the ballot. Notice of the election must be given to the 
19.31 	county auditor at least 74 days prior to the election. This notice shall also fulfill the 
19.32 	requirements of Minnesota Rules, part 8210.3000. The special mail ballot procedures must 
19.33 	be posted at least six weeks prior to the election. Not more than 46 nor later than 14 days 
20.1 	prior to the election, the auditor or clerk shall mail ballots by nonforwardable mail to all 
20.2 	voters registered in the county, municipality, or school district. No later than 14 days before 
20.3 	the election, the auditor or clerk must make a subsequent mailing of ballots to those voters 
20.4 	who register to vote after the initial mailing but before the 20th day before the election. 
20.5 	Eligible voters not registered at the time the ballots are mailed may apply for ballots pursuant 
20.6 	to chapter 203B. The auditor or clerk must appoint a ballot board to examine the mail and 
20.7 	absentee ballot return envelopes and mark them "Accepted" or "Rejected" within three days 
20.8 	of receipt if there are 14 or fewer days before election day, or within five days of receipt if 
20.9 	there are more than 14 days before election day. The board may consist of deputy county 
20.10 	auditors, deputy municipal clerks, or deputy school district clerks who have received training 
20.11 	in the processing and counting of mail ballots, who need not be affiliated with a major 
20.12 	political party. Election judges performing the duties in this section must be of different 
20.13 	major political parties, unless they are exempt from that requirement under section 205.075, 
20.14 	subdivision 4, or section 205A.10. If an envelope has been rejected at least five days before 
20.15 	the election, the ballots in the envelope must remain sealed and the auditor or clerk must 
20.16 	provide the voter with a replacement ballot and return envelope in place of the spoiled ballot. 
20.17 	If the ballot is rejected within five days of the election, the envelope must remain sealed 
20.18 	and the official in charge of the ballot board must attempt to contact the voter by telephone 
20.19 	or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's ballot has been rejected. The official must 
20.20 	document the attempts made to contact the voter.
20.21 	If the ballot is accepted, the county auditor or municipal clerk must mark the roster to 
20.22 	indicate that the voter has already cast a ballot in that election. After the close of business 
20.23 	on the seventh day before the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" 
20.24 	may be opened, duplicated as needed in the manner provided by section 206.86, subdivision 
20.25 	5, initialed by the ballot board, and deposited in the appropriate ballot box.
20.26 	In all other respects, the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing deposit 
20.27 	and counting of ballots apply.
20.28 	The mail and absentee ballots for a precinct must be counted together and reported as 
20.29 	one vote total. No vote totals from ballots may be made public before the close of voting 
20.30 	on election day.

20.31 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
20.32 		Subdivision 1.Opening and closing times. Except as otherwise provided in this section, 
20.33 	at For every precinct in the state, the hours for voting at the state primary and the state 
21.1 	general election the hours for voting in every precinct in the state shall begin at 7:00 a.m. 
21.2 	and shall extend continuously until 8:00 p.m.

21.3 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.21, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
21.4 		Subdivision 1.Method. The election judges shall take all the ballots of the same kind 
21.5 	and count the votes cast for each office or question, beginning with the first office or question 
21.6 	on the ballot. They shall make one pile of the ballots for each candidate who received votes 
21.7 	for that office, or one pile for the "Yes" votes and one pile for the "No" votes on a question. 
21.8 	They shall make a pile of totally defective ballots and a pile of totally blank ballots. They 
21.9 	shall make a pile of ballots that are not totally defective but are defective with respect to 
21.10 	the office or question being counted and a pile of ballots that are not totally blank but are 
21.11 	blank with respect to the office or question being counted. After the separation into piles, 
21.12 	the election judges shall examine each pile and remove and place in the proper pile any 
21.13 	ballots that are found in the wrong pile. The election judges shall count the totally blank 
21.14 	and totally defective ballots and set them aside until the counting is over for that ballot. In 
21.15 	conducting the count of blank ballots, election judges may presume that the total count 
21.16 	provided for prepackaged ballots is correct. The election judges may pile ballots crosswise 
21.17 	in groups of 25 in the same pile to facilitate counting. When their counts agree, the election 
21.18 	judges shall announce the number of ballots in each pile, and shall write the number in the 
21.19 	proper place on the summary statements.
21.20 	The election judges shall then return all the counted ballots, and all the partially defective 
21.21 	or partially blank ballots, to the original pile to be separated and counted in the same manner 
21.22 	for the next office or question.

21.23 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.27, is amended to read:
21.24 	204C.27 DELIVERY OF RETURNS TO COUNTY AUDITORS.
21.25 	One or more of the election judges in each precinct shall deliver two sets one set of 
21.26 	summary statements; all spoiled ballots; and the envelopes containing the ballots either 
21.27 	directly to the municipal clerk for transmittal to the county auditor's office or directly to the 
21.28 	county auditor's office as soon as possible after the vote counting is completed but no later 
21.29 	than 24 hours after the end of the hours for voting. One or more election judges shall deliver 
21.30 	the remaining set of summary statements and returns, all unused and spoiled municipal and 
21.31 	school district ballots, the envelopes containing municipal and school district ballots, and 
21.32 	all other things furnished by the municipal or school district clerk, to the municipal or school 
21.33 	district clerk's office within 24 hours after the end of the hours for voting. The municipal 
22.1 	or school district clerk shall return all polling place rosters and completed voter registration 
22.2 	cards to the county auditor within 48 hours after the end of the hours for voting.

22.3 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.33, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
22.4 		Subd. 3.State canvass. The State Canvassing Board shall meet at a public meeting 
22.5 	space located in the Capitol complex area on the third Tuesday following the state general 
22.6 	election to canvass the certified copies of the county canvassing board reports received from 
22.7 	the county auditors and shall prepare a report that states:
22.8 	(1) the number of individuals voting in the state and in each county;
22.9 	(2) the number of votes received by each of the candidates, specifying the counties in 
22.10 	which they were cast; and
22.11 	(3) the number of votes counted for and against each constitutional amendment, specifying 
22.12 	the counties in which they were cast.
22.13 	Upon completion of the canvass, the State Canvassing Board shall declare the candidates 
22.14 	duly elected who received the highest number of votes for each federal and state office. All 
22.15 	members of the State Canvassing Board shall sign the report and certify its correctness. The 
22.16 	State Canvassing Board shall declare the result within three days after completing the 
22.17 	canvass.

22.18 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.35, is amended by adding a subdivision 
22.19 	to read:
22.20 		Subd. 2a.Constitutional amendment recount. In a state general election when the 
22.21 	difference between the number of "yes" votes cast on ratification of a proposed constitutional 
22.22 	amendment is within one-quarter percent of the number of all other ballots cast at the 
22.23 	election, the canvassing board shall manually recount the votes on that question, including 
22.24 	the number of "yes" or "no" votes on the question, and the number of ballots that did not 
22.25 	cast a vote on the question. The results of the recount must be certified by the canvassing 
22.26 	board as soon as possible.

22.27 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.35, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
22.28 		Subd. 3.Scope of recount. A recount conducted as provided in this section is limited 
22.29 	in scope to the determination of the number of votes validly cast for the office or question
22.30 	to be recounted. Only the ballots cast in the election and the summary statements certified 
22.31 	by the election judges may be considered in the recount process. Original ballots that have 
23.1 	been duplicated under section 206.86, subdivision 5, are not within the scope of a recount 
23.2 	and must not be examined except as provided by a court in an election contest under chapter 
23.3 	209.

23.4 	Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
23.5 		Subdivision 1.Publicly funded recounts. (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and 
23.6 	(c), a losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school district 
23.7 	office may request a recount of the votes cast for the nomination or election to that office 
23.8 	if the difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for a winning candidate for 
23.9 	nomination or election is less than one-quarter of one percent of the total votes counted for 
23.10 	that office. In case of offices where two or more seats are being filled from among all the 
23.11 	candidates for the office, the one-quarter of one percent difference is between the elected 
23.12 	candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with the most votes from among the 
23.13 	candidates who were not elected.
23.14 	(b) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school 
23.15 	district office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election to that 
23.16 	office if the difference between the votes cast for that candidate and for a winning candidate 
23.17 	for nomination or election is less than one-half of one percent, and the total number of votes 
23.18 	cast for the nomination or election of all candidates is more than 400 but less than 50,000. 
23.19 	In cases of offices where two or more seats are being filled from among all the candidates 
23.20 	for the office, the one-half of one percent difference is between the elected candidate with 
23.21 	the fewest votes and the candidate with the most votes from among the candidates who 
23.22 	were not elected.
23.23 	(c) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school district 
23.24 	office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election to that office if the 
23.25 	difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for a winning candidate for nomination 
23.26 	or election is ten votes or less, and the total number of votes cast for the nomination or 
23.27 	election of all candidates is no more than 400. In cases of offices where two or more seats 
23.28 	are being filled from among all the candidates for the office, the ten vote difference is 
23.29 	between the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with the most votes 
23.30 	from among the candidates who were not elected.
23.31 	(d) Candidates for county offices shall file a written request for the recount with the 
23.32 	county auditor. Candidates for municipal or school district offices shall file a written request 
23.33 	with the municipal or school district clerk as appropriate. All requests under this paragraph 
23.34 	shall be filed by between the close of the canvass of a primary or special primary and 5:00 
24.1 	p.m. on the fifth day after the canvass of a primary or special primary or by between the 
24.2 	close of the canvass of a special or general election and 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day of the 
24.3 	canvass of a special or general election for which a recount is sought.
24.4 	(e) Upon receipt of a request made pursuant to this section, the county auditor shall 
24.5 	recount the votes for a county office at the expense of the county, the governing body of 
24.6 	the municipality shall recount the votes for a municipal office at the expense of the 
24.7 	municipality, and the school board of the school district shall recount the votes for a school 
24.8 	district office at the expense of the school district.

24.9 	Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204D.08, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
24.10 		Subd. 4.State partisan primary ballot; party columns. The state partisan primary 
24.11 	ballot shall be headed by the words "State Partisan Primary Ballot." The ballot shall be 
24.12 	printed on white paper. There must be at least three vertical columns on the ballot and each 
24.13 	major political party shall have a separate column headed by the words ".......... Party," 
24.14 	giving the party name. Above the party names, the following statement shall be printed.
24.15 	"Minnesota Election Law permits you to vote for the candidates of only one political 
24.16 	party in a state partisan primary election."
24.17 	If there are only two major political parties to be listed on the ballot, one party must 
24.18 	occupy the left-hand column, the other party must occupy the right-hand column, and the 
24.19 	center column must contain the following statement:
24.20 	"Do not vote for candidates of more than one party."
24.21 	The names of the candidates seeking the nomination of each major political party shall 
24.22 	be listed in that party's column. If only one individual files an affidavit of candidacy seeking 
24.23 	the nomination of a major political party for an office, the name of that individual shall be 
24.24 	placed on the state partisan primary ballot at the appropriate location in that party's column.
24.25 	In each column, the candidates for senator in Congress shall be listed first, candidates 
24.26 	for representative in Congress second, candidates for state senator third, candidates for state 
24.27 	representative fourth and then candidates for state office in the order specified by the secretary 
24.28 	of state. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed with other offices of 
24.29 	that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will be elected for a full 
24.30 	term.
24.31 	The party columns shall be substantially the same in width, type, and appearance. The 
24.32 	columns shall be separated by a 12-point solid line.

25.1 	Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204D.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
25.2 		Subdivision 1.Order of offices. The candidates for partisan offices shall be placed on 
25.3 	the state general election ballot in the following order: senator in Congress shall be first; 
25.4 	representative in Congress, second; state senator, third; and state representative, fourth. The 
25.5 	candidates for state offices shall follow in the order specified by the secretary of state. 
25.6 	Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor shall appear so that a single vote may be 
25.7 	cast for both offices. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed with other 
25.8 	offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will be elected 
25.9 	for a full term.

25.10 	Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204D.27, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
25.11 		Subd. 5.Canvass; special primary; state canvassing board; contest. Not later than 
25.12 	four days after the returns of the county canvassing boards are certified to the secretary of 
25.13 	state, the State Canvassing Board shall complete its canvass of the special primary. The 
25.14 	secretary of state shall then promptly certify to the county auditors the names of the 
25.15 	nominated individuals, prepare notices of nomination, and notify each nominee of the 
25.16 	nomination. In case of a contest of a special primary for state senator or state representative, 
25.17 	the notice of contest must be filed within two days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, 
25.18 	after the canvass is completed, and the contest shall otherwise proceed in the manner provided 
25.19 	by law for contesting elections.

25.20 	Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204D.28, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
25.21 		Subd. 9.Filing by candidates. The time for filing of affidavits and nominating petitions 
25.22 	for candidates to fill a vacancy at a special election shall open 12 weeks before the special 
25.23 	primary or on the day the secretary of state issues notice of the special election, whichever 
25.24 	occurs later. Filings shall close ten weeks before the special primary. A candidate filing for 
25.25 	the office of United States senator to fill a vacancy at a special election when both offices 
25.26 	of United States senator are required to be placed on the same ballot must specify on the 
25.27 	affidavit of candidacy the expiration date of the term of the office that the candidate is 
25.28 	seeking.

25.29 	Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204D.28, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
25.30 		Subd. 10.United States senator; candidates; designation of term. When the names 
25.31 	of candidates for both offices of United States senator are required to be placed on the same 
26.1 	ballot, the expiration date of the term of each office shall be printed on the ballot in the 
26.2 	office heading opposite the name of each candidate for nomination or election to that office.

26.3 	Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 205.13, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
26.4 		Subd. 5.Nominating petition; cities of the first class. A nominating petition filed on 
26.5 	behalf of a candidate for municipal office in a city of the first class shall be signed by eligible 
26.6 	voters who reside maintain residence in the election district from which the candidate is to 
26.7 	be elected. The number of signers shall be at least 500, or two percent of the total number 
26.8 	of individuals who voted in the municipality, ward, or other election district at the last 
26.9 	preceding municipal general election, whichever is greater.

26.10 	Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 205A.10, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
26.11 		Subd. 5.School district canvassing board. For the purpose of a recount of a special 
26.12 	election conducted under section 126C.17, subdivision 9, or 475.59, the school district 
26.13 	canvassing board shall consist of one member of the school board other than the clerk, 
26.14 	selected by the board, the clerk of the school board, the county auditor of the county in 
26.15 	which the greatest number of school district residents reside maintain residence, the court 
26.16 	administrator of the district court of the judicial district in which the greatest number of 
26.17 	school district residents reside maintain residence, and the mayor or chair of the town board 
26.18 	of the school district's most populous municipality. Any member of the canvassing board 
26.19 	may appoint a designee to appear at the meeting of the board, except that no designee may 
26.20 	be a candidate for public office. If one of the individuals fails to appear at the meeting of 
26.21 	the canvassing board, the county auditor shall appoint an eligible voter of the school district, 
26.22 	who must not be a member of the school board, to fill the vacancy. Not more than two 
26.23 	school board members shall serve on the canvassing board at one time. Four members 
26.24 	constitute a quorum.
26.25 	The school board shall serve as the school district canvassing board for the election of 
26.26 	school board members.

26.27 	Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 205A.12, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
26.28 		Subd. 5.Board elections. If the proposal for the establishment of election districts is 
26.29 	approved by the voters, the board shall specify the election districts from which vacancies 
26.30 	shall be filled as they occur until such time as each board member represents an election 
26.31 	district. A candidate for school board in a subsequent election must file an affidavit of 
26.32 	candidacy to be elected as a school board member for the election district in which the 
27.1 	candidate resides maintains residence. If there are as many election districts as there are 
27.2 	members of the board, one and only one member of the board shall be elected from each 
27.3 	election district. In school districts where one or more board members are elected by election 
27.4 	districts, candidates must indicate on the affidavit of candidacy the number of the district 
27.5 	from which they seek election or, if appropriate, that they seek election from one of the 
27.6 	offices elected at large. If the election districts have two or three members each, the terms 
27.7 	of the members must be staggered. Each board member must be a resident of the election 
27.8 	district for which elected but the creation of an election district or a change in election 
27.9 	district boundaries shall not disqualify a board member from serving for the remainder of 
27.10 	a term.

27.11 	Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 206.89, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
27.12 		Subd. 4.Standard of acceptable performance by voting system.  A comparison of the 
27.13 	results compiled by the voting system with the postelection review described in this section 
27.14 	must show that the results of the electronic voting system differed by no more than one-half
27.15 	one-quarter of one percent from the manual count of the offices reviewed. Valid votes that 
27.16 	have been marked by the voter outside the vote targets or using a manual marking device 
27.17 	that cannot be read by the voting system must not be included in making the determination 
27.18 	whether the voting system has met the standard of acceptable performance for any precinct.

27.19 	Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 206.89, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
27.20 		Subd. 5.Additional review.  (a) If the postelection review in one of the reviewed precincts 
27.21 	reveals a difference greater than one-half one-quarter of one percent, or greater than two 
27.22 	votes in a precinct where 400800 or fewer voters cast ballots, the postelection review official 
27.23 	must, within two days, conduct an additional review of the races indicated in subdivision 
27.24 	3 in at least three precincts in the same jurisdiction where the discrepancy was discovered. 
27.25 	If all precincts in that jurisdiction have been reviewed, the county auditor must immediately 
27.26 	publicly select by lot at least three additional precincts for review. The postelection review 
27.27 	official must complete the additional review within two days after the precincts are selected 
27.28 	and report the results immediately to the county auditor. If the second review in any of the 
27.29 	reviewed precincts also indicates a difference in the vote totals compiled by the voting 
27.30 	system that is greater than one-half one-quarter of one percent from the result indicated by 
27.31 	the postelection review, or greater than two votes in a precinct where 400800 or fewer 
27.32 	voters cast ballots, the county auditor must conduct a review of the ballots from all the 
27.33 	remaining precincts in the county for the races indicated in subdivision 3. This review must 
28.1 	be completed and the results must be reported to the secretary of state within one week after 
28.2 	the second review was completed.
28.3 	(b) If the results from the countywide reviews from one or more counties comprising in 
28.4 	the aggregate more than ten percent of the total number of persons voting in the election 
28.5 	clearly indicate that an error in vote counting has occurred, the secretary of state must notify 
28.6 	the postelection review official of each county in the district that they must conduct manual 
28.7 	recounts of all the ballots in the district for the affected office using the procedure outlined 
28.8 	in section 204C.35. The recount must be completed and the results reported to the appropriate 
28.9 	canvassing board within two weeks after the postelection review official received notice 
28.10 	from the secretary of state.

28.11 	Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 206.90, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
28.12 		Subd. 6.Ballots. In precincts using optical scan voting systems, a single ballot card on 
28.13 	which all ballot information is included must be printed in black ink on white colored 
28.14 	material except that marks not to be read by the automatic tabulating equipment may be 
28.15 	printed in another color ink. In state elections, a single ballot title must be used, as provided 
28.16 	in sections 204D.08, subdivision 6, and 204D.11, subdivision 1. In odd-numbered years 
28.17 	When both municipal and school district offices or questions appear on the ballot, the single 
28.18 	ballot title "City (or Town) and School District Ballot" must be used.
28.19 	On the front of the ballot must be printed the words "Official Ballot" and the date of the 
28.20 	election and lines for the initials of at least two election judges.
28.21 	When optical scan ballots are used, the offices to be elected must appear in the following 
28.22 	order: federal offices; state legislative offices; constitutional offices; proposed constitutional 
28.23 	amendments; county offices and questions; municipal offices and questions; school district 
28.24 	offices and questions; special district offices and questions; and judicial offices.
28.25 	On optical scan ballots, the names of candidates and the words "yes" and "no" for ballot 
28.26 	questions must be printed as close to their corresponding vote targets as possible.
28.27 	The line on an optical scan ballot for write-in votes must contain the words "write-in, 
28.28 	if any."
28.29 	If a primary ballot contains both a partisan ballot and a nonpartisan ballot, the instructions 
28.30 	to voters must include a statement that reads substantially as follows: "This ballot card 
28.31 	contains a partisan ballot and a nonpartisan ballot. On the partisan ballot you are permitted 
28.32 	to vote for candidates of one political party only." If a primary ballot contains political party 
28.33 	columns on both sides of the ballot, the instructions to voters must include a statement that 
29.1 	reads substantially as follows: "Additional political parties are printed on the other side of 
29.2 	this ballot. Vote for one political party only." At the bottom of each political party column 
29.3 	on the primary ballot, the ballot must contain a statement that reads substantially as follows: 
29.4 	"Continue voting on the nonpartisan ballot." The instructions in section 204D.08, subdivision 
29.5 	4, do not apply to optical scan partisan primary ballots. Electronic ballot displays and audio 
29.6 	ballot readers must follow the order of offices and questions on the optical scan or paper 
29.7 	ballot used in the same precinct, or the sample ballot posted for that precinct.

29.8 	Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 207A.12, is amended to read:
29.9 	207A.12 CONDUCTING PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PRIMARY.
29.10 	(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, the presidential nomination primary must be 
29.11 	conducted, and the results canvassed and returned, in the manner provided by law for the 
29.12 	state primary.
29.13 	(b) An individual seeking to vote at the presidential nomination primary must be 
29.14 	registered to vote pursuant to section 201.054, subdivision 1. The voter must request the 
29.15 	ballot of the party for whose candidate the individual wishes to vote. Notwithstanding section 
29.16 	204C.18, subdivision 1, the election judge must record in the polling place roster the name 
29.17 	of the political party whose ballot the voter requested. When posting voter history pursuant 
29.18 	to section 201.171, the county auditor must include the name of the political party whose 
29.19 	ballot the voter requested. The voter instruction posters, pamphlets, and other informational 
29.20 	materials prepared for a presidential primary by the secretary of state pursuant to section 
29.21 	204B.27 must include information about the requirements of this paragraph, including a 
29.22 	notice that the voter's choice of a political party's ballot will be recorded and is public 
29.23 	information. A voter eligible to cast a ballot as provided in section 5B.06 must be permitted 
29.24 	to cast a ballot at the presidential nomination primary consistent with the requirements of 
29.25 	that section.
29.26 	(c) Immediately after the state canvassing board declares the results of the presidential 
29.27 	nomination primary, the secretary of state must notify the chair of each party of the results.
29.28 	(d) The results of the presidential nomination primary must bind the election of delegates 
29.29 	in each party.

29.30 	Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 207A.14, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
29.31 		Subd. 2.Sample Example ballots. No later than 70 days before the presidential 
29.32 	nomination primary, the secretary of state must supply each county auditor with sample
30.1 	example ballots to be used at the presidential nomination primary. The sample example
30.2 	ballots must illustrate the format required for the ballots used in the presidential nomination 
30.3 	primary.

30.4 	Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 209.021, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
30.5 		Subd. 2.Notice filed with court. If the contest relates to a nomination or election for 
30.6 	statewide office, the contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court administrator 
30.7 	of District Court in Ramsey County. For contests relating to any other office, the contestant 
30.8 	shall file the notice of contest with the court administrator of district court in the county 
30.9 	where the contestee resides maintains residence.
30.10 	If the contest relates to a constitutional amendment, the contestant shall file the notice 
30.11 	of contest with the court administrator of District Court in Ramsey County. If the contest 
30.12 	relates to any other question, the contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court 
30.13 	administrator of district court for the county or any one of the counties where the question 
30.14 	appeared on the ballot.

30.15 	Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 211B.11, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
30.16 		Subdivision 1.Soliciting near polling places. A person may not display campaign 
30.17 	material, post signs, ask, solicit, or in any manner try to induce or persuade a voter within 
30.18 	a polling place or within 100 feet of the building in which a polling place is situated, or 
30.19 	anywhere on the public property on which a polling place is situated, on primary or election 
30.20 	day to vote for or refrain from voting for a candidate or ballot question. A person may not 
30.21 	provide political badges, political buttons, or other political insignia to be worn at or about 
30.22 	the polling place on the day of a primary or election. A political badge, political button, or 
30.23 	other political insignia may not be worn at or about the polling place on primary or election 
30.24 	day. This section applies only during voting hours and to areas established by the county 
30.25 	auditor or municipal clerk for absentee voting as provided in chapter 203B.
30.26 	Nothing in this subdivision prohibits the distribution of "I VOTED" stickers as provided 
30.27 	in section 204B.49.

30.28 	Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 367.03, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
30.29 		Subd. 6.Vacancies. (a) When a vacancy occurs in a town office, the town board shall 
30.30 	fill the vacancy by appointment. Except as provided in paragraph (b), the person appointed 
30.31 	shall hold office until the next annual town election, when a successor shall be elected for 
30.32 	the unexpired term.
31.1 	(b) When a vacancy occurs in a town office:
31.2 	(1) with more than one year remaining in the term; and
31.3 	(2) on or after the 14th day before the first day to file an affidavit of candidacy for the 
31.4 	town election;
31.5 	the vacancy must be filled by appointment. The person appointed serves until the next annual 
31.6 	town election following the election for which affidavits of candidacy are to be filed, when 
31.7 	a successor shall be elected for the unexpired term.
31.8 	(c) A vacancy in the office of supervisor must be filled by an appointment committee 
31.9 	comprised of the remaining supervisors and the town clerk.
31.10 	(d) Any person appointed to fill the vacancy in the office of supervisor must, upon 
31.11 	assuming the office, be an eligible voter, be 21 years of age, and have resided maintained 
31.12 	residence in the town for at least 30 days.
31.13 	(e) When, because of a vacancy, more than one supervisor is to be chosen at the same 
31.14 	election, candidates for the offices of supervisor shall file for one of the specific terms being 
31.15 	filled.
31.16 	(f) When, for any reason, the town board or the appointment committee fails to fill a 
31.17 	vacancy in the position of an elected town officer by appointment, a special election may 
31.18 	be called. To call a special election, the supervisors and town clerk, or any two of them 
31.19 	together with at least 12 other town freeholders, must file a statement in the town clerk's 
31.20 	office. The statement must tell why the election is called and that the interests of the town 
31.21 	require the election. When the town board or the appointment committee fails to fill a 
31.22 	vacancy by appointment, a special town election may also be called on petition of 20 percent 
31.23 	of the electors of the town. The percentage is of the number of voters at the last general 
31.24 	election. A special town election must be conducted in the manner required for the annual 
31.25 	town election.
31.26 	(g) Law enforcement vacancies must be filled by appointment by the town board.

31.27 	Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 367.25, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
31.28 		Subdivision 1.Requirement, fee. Every person elected at a March election, elected at 
31.29 	a special election, or appointed to a town office, within ten days after receiving a certificate 
31.30 	or notice of election or appointment, shall take and subscribe the oath required by law. 
31.31 	Persons elected at a November election shall take their oath before assuming office. If taken 
31.32 	before the town clerk, the oath shall be administered and certified without fee.

32.1 	Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 412.02, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
32.2 		Subd. 2a.Vacancy. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 2b, a vacancy in an 
32.3 	office shall be filled by council appointment until an election is held as provided in this 
32.4 	subdivision. In case of a tie vote in the council, the mayor shall make the appointment. If 
32.5 	the vacancy occurs before the first day to file affidavits of candidacy for the next regular 
32.6 	city election and more than two years remain in the unexpired term, a special election shall 
32.7 	be held at or before the next regular city election and the appointed person shall serve until 
32.8 	the qualification of a successor elected at a special election to fill the unexpired portion of 
32.9 	the term. If the vacancy occurs on or after the first day to file affidavits of candidacy for 
32.10 	the regular city election or when less than two years remain in the unexpired term, there 
32.11 	need not be a special election to fill the vacancy and the appointed person shall serve until 
32.12 	the qualification of a successor. The council must specify by ordinance under what 
32.13 	circumstances it will hold a special election to fill a vacancy other than a special election 
32.14 	held at the same time as the regular city election.
32.15 	All of the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law are applicable to special elections 
32.16 	as far as practicable.

32.17 	Sec. 53. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 447.32, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
32.18 		Subd. 4.Candidates; ballots; certifying election. A person who wants to be a candidate 
32.19 	for the hospital board shall file an affidavit of candidacy for the election either as member 
32.20 	at large or as a member representing the city or town where the candidate resides maintains 
32.21 	residence. The affidavit of candidacy must be filed with the city or town clerk not more 
32.22 	than 98 days nor less than 84 days before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in 
32.23 	November of the year in which the general election is held. The city or town clerk must 
32.24 	forward the affidavits of candidacy to the clerk of the hospital district or, for the first election, 
32.25 	the clerk of the most populous city or town immediately after the last day of the filing period. 
32.26 	A candidate may withdraw from the election by filing an affidavit of withdrawal with the 
32.27 	clerk of the district no later than 5:00 p.m. two days after the last day to file affidavits of 
32.28 	candidacy.
32.29 	Voting must be by secret ballot. The clerk shall prepare, at the expense of the district, 
32.30 	necessary ballots for the election of officers. Ballots must be prepared as provided in the 
32.31 	rules of the secretary of state. The ballots must be marked and initialed by at least two judges 
32.32 	as official ballots and used exclusively at the election. Any proposition to be voted on may 
32.33 	be printed on the ballot provided for the election of officers. The hospital board may also 
32.34 	authorize the use of voting systems subject to chapter 206. Enough election judges may be 
33.1 	appointed to receive the votes at each polling place. The election judges shall act as clerks 
33.2 	of election, count the ballots cast, and submit them to the board for canvass.
33.3 	After canvassing the election, the board shall issue a certificate of election to the candidate 
33.4 	who received the largest number of votes cast for each office. The clerk shall deliver the 
33.5 	certificate to the person entitled to it in person or by certified mail. Each person certified 
33.6 	shall file an acceptance and oath of office in writing with the clerk within 30 days after the 
33.7 	date of delivery or mailing of the certificate. The board may fill any office as provided in 
33.8 	subdivision 1 if the person elected fails to qualify within 30 days, but qualification is effective 
33.9 	if made before the board acts to fill the vacancy.

33.10 	Sec. 54. REPEALER.
 33.11 	Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 204C.05, subdivisions 1a and 1b, are repealed.

APPENDIX 

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: SCEH1487-1 

204C.05 STATE ELECTIONS; HOURS FOR VOTING.Subd. 1a.Elections; organized town. 
The governing body of a town with less than 500 inhabitants according to the most recent federal decennial census, which is located outside the metropolitan area as defined in section 200.02, subdivision 24, may fix a later time for voting to begin at state primary, special, or general elections, if approved by a vote of the town electors at the annual town meeting. The question of shorter voting hours must be included in the notice of the annual town meeting before the question may be submitted to the electors at the meeting. The later time may not be later than 10:00 a.m. for special, primary, or general elections. The town clerk shall either post or publish notice of the changed hours and notify the county auditor of the change 30 days before the election. 

Subd. 1b.Elections; unorganized territory. 
An unorganized territory or unorganized territories which constitute a voting district may have shorter voting hours if at least 20 percent of the registered voters residing in the voting district sign a petition for shorter hours and present it to the county auditor. The later time may not be later than 10:00 a.m. for special, primary, or general elections. The county auditor shall either post or publish notice of the changed hours, within the voting district, 30 days before the election.