SF 1232

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 09/11/2013 04:05pm

A bill for an act
relating to elections; establishing a pilot project for conducting elections using
electronic roster technology; creating the Electronic Roster Task Force; requiring
a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. ELECTRONIC ROSTER PILOT PROJECT.

Subdivision 1.

Established.

A pilot project is established to explore the use of
electronic rosters in conducting elections. Jurisdictions participating in the project may
use electronic rosters to process election day registration, to verify the registration status
of preregistered voters, or both. The pilot project shall apply to general elections for home
rule charter or statutory cities conducted in participating cities in 2013. The standards for
conducting the pilot project are provided in this section.

Subd. 2.

Participating cities.

Precincts located in Dilworth, Minnetonka,
Moorhead, Saint Anthony, and Saint Paul may participate in the project. In participating
cities, the head elections official may designate individual precincts in the jurisdiction to
participate. A city is not required to use electronic rosters in all precincts.

Subd. 3.

Technology requirements.

(a) In participating precincts, an electronic
poll book must:

(1) be able to be loaded with a data file that includes voter registration data in a file
format prescribed by the secretary of state;

(2) allow for data to be exported in a file format prescribed by the secretary of state;

(3) allow for data to be entered manually or by scanning a Minnesota driver's license
or identification card to populate a voter registration application that would be printed
and signed and dated by the voter;

(4) provide for a printed voter's signature certificate, containing the voter's name,
address of residence, date of birth, voter identification number, the oath required by
Minnesota Statutes, section 204C.10, and a space for the voter's original signature;

(5) immediately alert the election judge if the electronic poll book indicates that a
voter has already voted, the voter's registration status is challenged, or it appears the
voter resides in a different precinct;

(6) provide immediate instructions on how to resolve a particular type of challenge
when a voter's record is challenged; and

(7) perform any other functions necessary for the efficient and secure administration
of participating election, as determined by the secretary of state.

(b) In precincts using electronic rosters only for election day registration, the
technology does not need to comply with paragraph (a), clause (4), (5), or (6).

Subd. 4.

Minnesota election law; other law.

Except as provided in this section, the
provisions of the Minnesota Election Law apply to this pilot project, so far as practicable.
Voters participating in the safe at home program must be allowed to vote pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes, section 5B.06. Nothing in this section shall be construed to amend
absentee voting provisions in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 203B.

Subd. 5.

Election records retention.

All voter's signature certificates and voter
registration applications printed from an electronic poll book shall be retained pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.40. Data on election day registrants must be uploaded to
the statewide voter registration system for processing by county auditors.

Subd. 6.

Election day.

Participating precincts may use electronic rosters for
election day registration, to verify registration status of preregistered voters, or both. In
precincts using electronic rosters to verify registration status of preregistered voters, the
election judges shall also use a paper roster.

Subd. 7.

Evaluation.

The secretary of state must evaluate the pilot project and must
report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over elections by January 31, 2014,
on the results of the evaluation. The report must include:

(1) a description of the technology that was used and explanation of how that
technology was selected;

(2) the process used for implementing electronic poll books;

(3) a description of training that was conducted for election judges and other election
officials in precincts that used electronic poll books;

(4) the number of voters who voted in each precinct using electronic poll books;

(5) comments, feedback, or recommendations from election judges and others in a
precinct using electronic poll books;

(6) the costs associated with the use of electronic poll books, broken down by precinct;

(7) comments, feedback, or recommendations from the participating cities and
counties regarding data transfers and other exchanges of information; and

(8) any other feedback or recommendations the secretary of state believes are
relevant to evaluating the pilot project.

Subd. 8.

Expiration.

The authorization for this pilot project expires upon
submission of the report as provided in subdivision 7.

Sec. 2. ELECTRONIC ROSTER TASK FORCE.

Subdivision 1.

Membership.

(a) The Electronic Roster Task Force consists of the
following 15 members:

(1) the director of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Vehicle Services, or
designee;

(2) the secretary of state, or designee;

(3) an individual designated by the secretary of state, from the elections division in
the Office of the Secretary of State;

(4) the chief information officer of the state of Minnesota, or designee;

(5) one county auditor appointed by the Minnesota Association of County Officers;

(6) one town election official appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships;

(7) one city election official appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities;

(8) one school district election official appointed by the Minnesota School Boards
Association;

(9) one representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(10) one representative appointed by the minority leader of the house of
representatives;

(11) one senator appointed by the senate Subcommittee on the Committee of the
Committee on Rules and Administration;

(12) one senator appointed by the senate minority leader;

(13) one person appointed by the governor, familiar with electronic roster technology
but who does not represent a specific vendor of the technology; and

(14) two election judges appointed by the governor.

(b) Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the appointing authority for the
vacating member.

(c) Members shall be appointed by June 1, 2013.

Subd. 2.

Conflict of interest.

No member of the task force may have a financial
interest in a manufacturer or distributor of electronic roster technology.

Subd. 3.

Duties.

The task force must research the following issues:

(1) electronic roster technology, including different types of electronic rosters;

(2) the ability to use photographs received from the Department of Vehicle Services;

(3) the ability to add photographs to the roster on election day;

(4) data security in electronic rosters, the statewide voter registration system, and the
Department of Vehicle Services;

(5) reliability of Department of Vehicle Services data, including the ability to match
names and photographs without duplication;

(6) ability of precincts across the state to connect an electronic roster to a secure
network to access the statewide voter registration system; and

(7) direct and indirect costs associated with using electronic rosters.

Subd. 4.

First meeting.

The secretary of state, or the secretary's designee, must
convene the initial meeting of the task force by July 1, 2013. The members of the task force
must elect a chair and a vice-chair from the members of the task force at the first meeting.

Subd. 5.

Compensation.

Public members of the task force shall be compensated
pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.

Subd. 6.

Staff.

The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide staff
support, as needed, to facilitate the task force's work.

Subd. 7.

Report.

The task force must submit a report by January 31, 2014, to
the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the senate and house of
representatives with primary jurisdiction over elections, summarizing its findings and
listing recommendations on the implementation of electronic rosters statewide. The report
shall include draft legislation to implement the recommendations of the task force.

Subd. 8.

Sunset.

The task force shall sunset the day following submission of the
report under subdivision 7, or January 31, 2014, whichever is earlier.

Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.

(a) $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the secretary of state to carry
out the requirements of section 1.

(b) $....... is appropriated to the Legislative Coordinating Commission for the
purposes of the task force established in section 2.

Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This act is effective the day following final enactment.