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HF 3723

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

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
 relating to elections; eliminating the requirement to provide interpreter assistance
to deaf voters; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204C.15, subdivision
1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204C.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Interpreters; physical assistance in marking ballots.

A voter who
claims a need for assistance because of inability to read English or physical inability to
mark a ballot may obtain the aid of two election judges who are members of different
major political parties. The election judges shall mark the ballots as directed by the voter
and in as secret a manner as circumstances permit. If the voterdeleted text begin is deaf ordeleted text end cannot speak
English or understand it when it is spoken, the election judges may select two individuals
who are members of different major political parties to act as interpreters. The interpreters
shall assist the individual in marking the ballots. A voter in need of assistance may
alternatively obtain the assistance of any individual the voter chooses. Only the following
persons may not provide assistance to a voter: the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's
employer, an officer or agent of the voter's union, or a candidate for election. The person
who assists the voter shall, unaccompanied by an election judge, retire with that voter to a
booth and mark the ballot as directed by the voter. No person who assists another voter
as provided in the preceding sentence shall mark the ballots of more than three voters at
one election. Before the ballots are deposited, the voter may show them privately to an
election judge to ascertain that they are marked as the voter directed. An election judge
or other individual assisting a voter shall not in any manner request, persuade, induce,
or attempt to persuade or induce the voter to vote for any particular political party or
candidate. The election judges or other individuals who assist the voter shall not reveal
to anyone the name of any candidate for whom the voter has voted or anything that took
place while assisting the voter.