HF 812

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

A bill for an act
relating to elections; providing for voter
registration outreach and solicitation training;
requiring numbering of voter registration applications
and providing for their distribution; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 201.054, by adding a
subdivision; 201.061, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 201.054, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Voter registration outreach and solicitation
training. new text end

new text begin The secretary of state must offer training courses to
individuals who participate in a voter registration drive.
"Voter registration drive" means any activity in which an
individual provides a voter registration application to or
receives a voter registration application from more than five
other individuals. No individual may provide a voter
registration application to another or collect voter
registration applications in a voter registration drive without
having attended and successfully completed a training course
under this subdivision. Each course must include an explanation
of:
new text end

new text begin (1) legally required elements of the voter registration
application;
new text end

new text begin (2) optional information that a voter may provide on the
voter registration application;
new text end

new text begin (3) deadlines required for submission of completed
applications to the county auditor or secretary of state;
new text end

new text begin (4) verification and postsubmission processes and
consequences of various deficiencies or required additional
information; and
new text end

new text begin (5) numbering systems used to track voter registration
applications.
new text end

Sec. 2.

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

Subdivision 1.

Prior to election day.

new text begin (a) new text end At any time
except during the 20 days immediately preceding any election, an
eligible voter or any individual who will be an eligible voter
at the time of the next election may register to vote in the
precinct in which the voter maintains residence by completing a
voter registration application as described in section 201.071,
subdivision 1, and submitting it in person or by mail to the
county auditor of that county or to the Secretary of State's
Office. A registration that is received no later than 5:00 p.m.
on the 21st day preceding any election shall be accepted. An
improperly addressed or delivered registration application shall
be forwarded within two working days after receipt to the county
auditor of the county where the voter maintains residence. A
state or local agency or an individual that accepts completed
voter registration applications from a voter must submit the
completed applications to the secretary of state or the
appropriate county auditor within ten days after the
applications are dated by the voter.

For purposes of this section, mail registration is defined
as a voter registration application delivered to the secretary
of state, county auditor, or municipal clerk by the United
States Postal Service or a commercial carrier.

new text begin (b) Voter registration applications must be numbered
consecutively and those printed by a county auditor must use
only numbers assigned by the secretary of state to that
auditor. Applications printed from the Internet must also be
numbered consecutively. Numbers must be assigned by the
secretary of state. An individual requesting more than five
voter registration applications from a county auditor or from
the secretary of state must sign a receipt for those
applications which contains:
new text end

new text begin (1) the name, address, telephone number, and, if
applicable, e-mail address of the individual;
new text end

new text begin (2) the name, address, telephone number, and, if
applicable, e-mail address of any organization the individual is
representing;
new text end

new text begin (3) the starting and ending numbers of the blank
applications received;
new text end

new text begin (4) the number of blank applications received;
new text end

new text begin (5) the date;
new text end

new text begin (6) a certification that the individual receiving the
applications and the individuals participating in any voter
registration drive as defined in section 201.054 have completed
a voter registration application training course given by the
secretary of state; and
new text end

new text begin (7) a certification that the individuals and any
organization will not inspect, capture, or retain, in any way,
the information provided on the voter registration application.
new text end