Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
Laws of Minnesota 1987 CHAPTER 212-H.F.No. 230 An act relating to elections; authorizing combination of certain municipalities for election purposes; providing mail balloting; amending Minnesota Statutes 1986, sections 204B.14, subdivisions 2, 4, 5, and by adding a subdivision; 204B.21, subdivision 2; and 204B.22, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 204B. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.14, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [SEPARATE PRECINCTS; REQUIREMENTS.] The following shall constitute at least one election precinct: (a) Each city ward; and (b) Each town and each statutory city, unlessa town andstatutory citymunicipalities are combined for election purposes under subdivision 8. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, each town and each statutory city located within the metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2 shall constitute at least one election precinct. Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.14, subdivision 4, is amended to read: Subd. 4. [BOUNDARY CHANGE PROCEDURE.] Any change in the boundary of an election precinct shall be adopted at least 90 days before the date of the next election, and shall not take effect until notice of the change has been posted in the office of the municipal clerk or county auditor for at least 60 days. Except in the case of the combination or separation of municipalities for election purposes under subdivision 8, the municipal clerk or county auditor shall notify each affected registered voter of the change in election precinct boundaries at least 30 days prior to the first election held after the change takes effect. Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.14, subdivision 5, is amended to read: Subd. 5. [PRECINCT BOUNDARIES; DESCRIPTION; MAPS.] Each municipal clerk shall prepare and file with the county auditor of each county in which the municipality is located, with the secretary of state and with the state planning director maps showing the correct boundaries of each election precinct in the municipality. At least 30 days before any change in an election precinct or in a corporate boundary becomes effective, the municipal clerk shall prepare maps showing the new boundaries of the precincts and shall forward copies of these maps to the secretary of state, the appropriate county auditors and the state planning director. The clerk shall retain copies of the precinct maps for public inspection. The county auditor shall prepare and file precinct boundary maps for precincts in unorganized territories, and the municipal clerk designated in the combination agreement shall prepare and file precinct boundary maps in the case of municipalities combined for election purposes under subdivision 8, in the same manner as provided for precincts in municipalities. For every election held in the municipality the election judges shall be furnished precinct maps as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 6. Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.14, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: Subd. 8. [COMBINED PRECINCT.] (a) Up to four contiguous municipalities located entirely outside the metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, that are contained in the same legislative district, congressional district, and county commissioner district may enter into a combination agreement to form one precinct for state and county election purposes, upon the approval of the county auditor. The governing body of each municipality proposing to enter into a combination agreement must provide the inhabitants of the municipality with published and posted notice of the proposed agreement three weeks before the second Tuesday in March. A combination agreement must be approved by resolutions of all of the governing bodies of the combining municipalities on or before the second Tuesday in March of an election year. A copy of the combination agreement must be submitted to the county auditor for approval, on or before May 1 of an election year. (b) One or more of the municipalities in the combined precinct may withdraw from the combination by a resolution of the governing body of the withdrawing municipality, passed on or before the second Tuesday in March of an election year. The withdrawing municipality shall file the resolution with the county auditor no later than May 1 of an election year. The decision of any one municipality to withdraw from the combination agreement automatically dissolves the combination unless all the remaining municipalities continue to meet all the requirements of this subdivision. (c) The combination agreement must specify the designated polling place and the municipal election officials or governing bodies responsible for appointing election judges and the chair of the election board, posting notices, preparing precinct maps, and carrying out other election duties required by law. (d) In combining or separating, the municipalities must meet the time requirements specified in this section for changing precinct boundaries and in section 204B.16, subdivision 3, for designating a different polling place. Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.21, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [APPOINTING AUTHORITY; POWERS AND DUTIES.] Election judges for precincts in a municipality shall be appointed by the governing body of the municipality. Election judges for precincts in unorganized territory shall be appointed by the county board. Election judges for a precinct composed of two or more municipalities must be appointed by the governing body of the municipality or municipalities responsible for appointing election judges as provided in the agreement to combine for election purposes. Appointments shall be made from lists furnished pursuant to subdivision 1 subject to the eligibility requirements and other qualifications established or authorized under section 204B.19. If no lists have been furnished or if additional election judges are required after all listed names have been exhausted, the appointing authority may appoint any other individual to serve as an election judge subject to the same requirements and qualifications. The appointments shall be made at least 25 days before the election at which the election judges will serve. Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 204B.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [MINIMUM NUMBER REQUIRED.] A minimum of three election judges shall be appointed for each precinct. In a precinct of municipalities combined for election purposes under section 204B.14, subdivision 8, at least one judge must be appointed from each municipality in the combined precinct, provided that not less than three judges shall be appointed for each combined precinct. The appointing authorities may appoint election judges for any precinct in addition to the number required by this subdivision including additional election judges to count ballots after voting has ended. Sec. 7. [PRECINCT BOUNDARY CHANGES.] Notwithstanding section 204B.14, subdivision 3, municipalities may enter a combination agreement as provided in section 4 until April 1, 1988. Sec. 8. [204B.45] [MAIL BALLOTING.] Subdivision 1. [AUTHORIZATION.] Any town having fewer than 400 registered voters and not located in a metropolitan county as defined by section 473.121 may apply to the county auditor to provide balloting by mail at any county or state election with no polling place other than the office of the auditor or clerk. The county board may provide for balloting by mail in unorganized territory. Subd. 2. [PROCEDURE.] Notice of the election and the special mail procedure must be given at least six weeks prior to the election. No earlier than 20 days or later than 18 days prior to the election, the auditor shall mail ballots by nonforwardable mail to all voters registered in the town or unorganized territory. Eligible voters not registered at the time the ballots are mailed may apply for ballots as provided in chapter 203B. Ballot return envelopes, with return postage provided, must be preaddressed to the auditor or clerk and the voter may return the ballot by mail or in person to the office of the auditor or clerk. The costs of the mailing shall be paid by the election jurisdiction in which the voter resides. Any ballot received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election must be counted. Subd. 3. [ELECTION LAW APPLIED; RULES.] The Minnesota election law is applicable to mail balloting except as provided by this section or by rules adopted by the secretary of state, but only paper ballots may be used. The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the conduct of mail balloting, including instructions to voters, procedures for challenge of voters, public observation of the counting of ballots, and procedures for proper handling and safeguarding of ballots to ensure the integrity of the election. Approved May 26, 1987
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes