SF 600

as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 01/28/2025 09:41am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; requiring publication of temporary polling locations; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.081, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.081, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Temporary locations.

(a) A county auditor or municipal clerk authorized under
section 203B.05 to administer voting before election day may designate additional polling
places with days and hours that differ from those required by section 203B.085. A designation
authorized by this subdivision must be made at least 47 days before the election. The county
auditor or municipal clerk must provide notice to the secretary of state at the time that the
designations are made.

(b) At the request of a federally recognized Indian Tribe with a reservation in the county,
the county auditor must establish an additional polling place for at least one day on the
Indian reservation on a site agreed upon by the Tribe and the county auditor that is accessible
to the county auditor by a public road.

(c) At the request of a postsecondary institution or the student government organization
of a postsecondary institution in the county or municipality, the county auditor or a municipal
clerk authorized to administer absentee voting under section 203B.05 must establish an
additional temporary polling place for the state general election or the odd-year city general
election for at least one day at a location agreed upon by the institution and the county
auditor or municipal clerk that:

(1) is accessible to the public;

(2) satisfies the requirements of state and federal law; and

(3) is on the institution's campus or is within one-half mile of the institution's campus
and is reasonably accessible to the institution's students.

A request must be made no later than May 31 before an election and the request is valid
only for that election. This paragraph only applies to a postsecondary institution that provides
on-campus student housing to 100 or more students. Nothing in this paragraph prevents the
county auditor or municipal clerk from engaging in a dialogue with the entity that made the
request regarding potential alternative locations for a temporary polling place that does not
meet the requirements of clause (3). An entity that made a request for a temporary polling
place may withdraw its request by notifying the county auditor or municipal clerk.

new text begin (d) Within five business days of designating an additional polling place under this
subdivision, the county auditor or municipal clerk must post on the county's or municipality's
website the address of the polling place and the dates and times the polling place will be
available for voting. Within five business days of receiving the notice described in paragraph
(a), the secretary of state must post on the secretary of state's website the address of the
polling place and the dates and times the polling place will be available for voting.
new text end