SF 316

as introduced - 79th Legislature (1995 - 1996) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to elections; authorizing towns to designate 
  1.3             the time polling places will remain open in town 
  1.4             elections; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 
  1.5             205.175. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 205.175, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      205.175 [VOTING HOURS.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [MINIMUM VOTING HOURS.] In all 
  1.11  municipal city elections, the polling places will remain open 
  1.12  for voting from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [METROPOLITAN AREA MUNICIPALITIES CITIES.] The 
  1.14  governing body of a municipality city which is located within a 
  1.15  metropolitan county as defined by section 473.121 may designate 
  1.16  the time during which the polling places will remain open for 
  1.17  voting at the next succeeding and all subsequent municipal city 
  1.18  elections, provided that the polling places shall open no later 
  1.19  than 10:00 a.m. and shall close no earlier than 8:00 p.m.  The 
  1.20  resolution shall remain in force until it is revoked by the 
  1.21  municipal city governing body. 
  1.22     Subd. 3.  [OTHER MUNICIPALITIES CITIES.] The governing body 
  1.23  of a municipality city other than a municipality city described 
  1.24  in subdivision 2, may by resolution adopted prior to giving 
  1.25  notice of the election, designate the time, in addition to the 
  2.1   minimum voting hours provided in subdivision 1, during which the 
  2.2   polling places will remain open for voting at the next 
  2.3   succeeding and all subsequent municipal city elections.  The 
  2.4   resolution shall remain in force until it is revoked by 
  2.5   the municipal city's governing body or changed because of 
  2.6   request by voters as provided in this subdivision.  If a 
  2.7   petition requesting longer voting hours, signed by a number of 
  2.8   voters equal to 20 percent of the votes cast at the 
  2.9   last municipal city election, is presented to the municipal city 
  2.10  clerk no later than 30 days prior to the municipal city 
  2.11  election, then the polling places for that election shall open 
  2.12  at 10:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.  The municipal city clerk 
  2.13  shall give ten days notice of the changed voting hours and 
  2.14  notify the county auditor of the change.  Municipalities Cities 
  2.15  covered by this subdivision shall certify their election hours 
  2.16  to the county auditor in January of each year.  
  2.17     Subd. 4.  [TOWNS.] The governing body of a town, by 
  2.18  resolution adopted prior to giving notice of the election, may 
  2.19  designate the time, in no event less than three hours, during 
  2.20  which the polling places will remain open for voting at the next 
  2.21  succeeding and all subsequent town elections.  The resolution 
  2.22  shall remain in force until it is revoked by the town's 
  2.23  governing body or changed because of requests by voters as 
  2.24  provided in this subdivision.  If a petition requesting longer 
  2.25  voting hours, signed by a number of voters equal to 20 percent 
  2.26  of the votes cast at the last town election, is presented to the 
  2.27  town clerk no later than 30 days prior to the town election, the 
  2.28  polling places for that election must open at 10:00 a.m. and 
  2.29  close at 8:00 p.m.  The town clerk shall give ten days' notice 
  2.30  of the changed voting hours and notify the county auditor of the 
  2.31  change.  Towns covered by this subdivision shall certify their 
  2.32  election hours to the county auditor in January of each year.