Minnesota Legislature
HF 2600
as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/20/2025 03:03pm
Bill Text Versions
| Engrossments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Posted on 03/20/2025 |
Current Version - as introduced
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A bill for an act
relating to elections; modifying voter registration provisions for individuals in jail;
requiring the secretary of state to make grants to sheriffs; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 201.061, subdivision 3; 203B.28;
387.11; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 5.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
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[5.306] GRANTS TO COUNTY SHERIFFS.
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The secretary of state must make grants to sheriffs to implement the plan developed
under section 387.11. Appropriations made for this purpose must be allocated to sheriffs in
direct proportion to the number of jail beds under each sheriff's authority.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 201.061, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Election day registration.
(a) An individual who is eligible to vote may register
on election day by appearing in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the
individual maintains residence, by completing a registration application, making an oath in
the form prescribed by the secretary of state and providing proof of residence. An individual
may prove residence for purposes of registering by:
(1) presenting a driver's license or Minnesota identification card issued pursuant to
section 171.07;
(2) presenting any document approved by the secretary of state as proper identification;
(3) presenting a current student fee statement that contains the student's valid address
in the precinct together with a picture identification card; or
(4) having a voter who is registered to vote in the precinct, or an employee employed
by and working in a residential facility in the precinct and vouching for a resident in the
facility, sign an oath in the presence of the election judge vouching that the voter or employee
personally knows that the individual is a resident of the precinct. A voter who has been
vouched for on election day may not sign a proof of residence oath vouching for any other
individual on that election day. A voter who is registered to vote in the precinct may sign
up to eight proof-of-residence oaths on any election day. This limitation does not apply to
an employee of a residential facility described in this clause. The secretary of state shall
provide a form for election judges to use in recording the number of individuals for whom
a voter signs proof-of-residence oaths on election day. The form must include space for the
maximum number of individuals for whom a voter may sign proof-of-residence oaths. For
each proof-of-residence oath, the form must include a statement that the individual: (i) is
registered to vote in the precinct or is an employee of a residential facility in the precinct,
(ii) personally knows that the voter is a resident of the precinct, and (iii) is making the
statement on oath. The form must include a space for the voter's printed name, signature,
telephone number, and address.
The oath required by this subdivision and Minnesota Rules, part 8200.9939, must be
attached to the voter registration application.
(b) The operator of a residential facility shall prepare a list of the names of its employees
currently working in the residential facility and the address of the residential facility. The
operator shall certify the list and provide it to the appropriate county auditor no less than
20 days before each election for use in election day registration.
(c) "Residential facility" means transitional housing as defined in section 256K.48,
subdivision 1; a supervised living facility licensed by the commissioner of health under
section 144.50, subdivision 6; a nursing home as defined in section 144A.01, subdivision
5; an assisted living facility licensed by the commissioner of health under chapter 144G; a
veterans home operated by the board of directors of the Minnesota Veterans Homes under
chapter 198; a residence licensed by the commissioner of human services to provide a
residential program as defined in section 245A.02, subdivision 14; a residential facility for
persons with a developmental disability licensed by the commissioner of human services
under section 252.28; setting authorized to provide housing support as defined in section
256I.03, subdivision 10a; a shelter for battered women as defined in section 611A.37,
subdivision 4; a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter or dwelling designed to
provide temporary living accommodations for the homeless; a facility where a provider
operates a residential treatment program as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 23; deleted text begin ordeleted text end
a facility where a provider operates an adult foster care program as defined in section
245A.02, subdivision 6cnew text begin ; or a county jailnew text end .
(d) For tribal band members, an individual may prove residence for purposes of
registering by:
(1) presenting an identification card issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, that contains the
name, address, signature, and picture of the individual; or
(2) presenting an identification card issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, that contains the
name, signature, and picture of the individual and also presenting one of the documents
listed in Minnesota Rules, part 8200.5100, subpart 2, item B.
(e) new text begin For eligible voters in jail on election day, the individual may prove residence for
purposes of registering by using the address listed on the individual's intake form.
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new text begin (f) new text end A county, school district, or municipality may require that an election judge
responsible for election day registration initial each completed registration application.
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.28, is amended to read:
203B.28 POSTELECTION REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.
By January 15 of every odd-numbered year, the secretary of state deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end provide to
the chair and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
elections a statistical report related to absentee voting in the most recent general election
cycle. The statistics must be organized by county, and include:
(1) the number of absentee ballots transmitted to voters;
(2) the number of absentee ballots returned by voters;
(3) the number of absentee ballots that were rejected, categorized by the reason for
rejection;
(4) the number of absentee ballots submitted pursuant to sections 203B.16 to 203B.27,
along with the number of returned ballots that were accepted, rejected, and the reason for
any rejections; deleted text begin and
deleted text end
(5) the number of absentee ballots that were not counted because the ballot return
envelope was received after the deadlines provided in this chapterdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; and
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(6) information on the efforts made by sheriffs to facilitate voting for those in jail on
the date of a primary or general election, as reported to the secretary of state in accordance
with section 387.11.
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Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 387.11, is amended to read:
387.11 COUNTY JAIL.
new text begin (a) new text end The sheriff deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end have the charge and custody of the county jail and receive and
safely keep therein all persons lawfully committed thereto and not release any person
therefrom unless discharged by due course of law.
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(b) The sheriff must develop a plan, in consultation with the county auditor, on how to
provide voter education and assistance on registering to vote and voting by mail for eligible
voters in jail on the day of a primary or general election. The sheriff must designate a staff
person as the jail voting coordinator who is responsible for distributing and collecting voting
materials and facilitating voting for those in jail on the date of a primary or general election.
By November 30 of every even-numbered year, each sheriff must report to the secretary of
state on the actions taken and the resulting number of individuals who sought to vote and
the result of those requests.
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(c) If an eligible voter in jail expresses the desire to vote by absentee ballot, the jail staff
must ensure that the individual is allowed, during normal business hours, to use a telephone
to contact the county auditor to request an absentee ballot application or request assistance
with absentee voting.
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Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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$2,500,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the secretary of
state to make grants to county sheriffs under Minnesota Statutes, section 5.306. The base
for this appropriation is $0 in fiscal year 2028 and each even-numbered fiscal year thereafter.
The base for this appropriation is $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2029 and each odd-numbered
year thereafter.
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