Minnesota Session Laws - 1992, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1992 

                        CHAPTER 474-S.F.No. 1716 
           An act relating to local government; providing for 
          town election precincts; permitting the appointment of 
          the Olmsted county recorder; authorizing the 
          abolishment and reorganization of the office; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 204B.16, 
          subdivision 2.  
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 
204B.16, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [SINGLE POLLING PLACE PERMITTED.] The governing 
body of any city of the third or fourth class or any town having 
more than one precinct or of any city with territory in more 
than one county may by ordinance or resolution designate a 
single, accessible, centrally located polling place where all 
the voters of the city or town shall cast their ballots.  A 
single polling place may also be established for two or more 
precincts combined in the manner provided in section 204B.14, 
subdivision 6 8.  A single board of election judges may be 
appointed to serve at this polling place.  The number of 
election judges appointed shall be determined by considering the 
number of voters in the entire city or town as if they were 
voters in a single precinct.  Separate ballot boxes shall be 
provided and separate returns made for each precinct in the city 
or town. 
    Sec. 2.  [APPOINTMENT OF RECORDER.] 
    Upon adoption of a resolution by the Olmsted county board 
of commissioners, the office of county recorder in the county 
shall not be elective but shall be filled by appointment by the 
county board as provided in this act, unless the office is 
abolished as provided in section 3. 
    Sec. 3.  [REORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE OF COUNTY RECORDER.] 
    Upon adoption of a resolution by the Olmsted county board 
of commissioners and subject to sections 4 and 5, the duties of 
the recorder required by statute shall be discharged by the 
board of commissioners of Olmsted county acting through a 
department head or heads appointed by the board for that 
purpose.  The appointed department head shall serve at the 
pleasure of the board.  The board may reorganize, reallocate, or 
delegate the duties to promote efficiency in county government.  
It may make other administrative changes, including abolishing 
the office of recorder.  A reorganization, reallocation, or 
delegation or other administrative change or transfer shall not 
diminish, prohibit, or avoid the discharge of duties of the 
county recorder required by statute. 
    Sec. 4.  [SCHEDULE.] 
    The person elected at the November 1990 general election to 
the office of recorder shall serve in that capacity and perform 
the duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute, 
until the completion of the term of office to which the person 
was elected, or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever 
occurs earlier. 
    Sec. 5.  [REFERENDUM.] 
    The county board, before action as permitted by section 3 
and before any appointment as permitted by section 2 or 3, but 
after adopting a resolution permitted by section 2 or 3, shall 
publish the resolution once each week for two consecutive weeks 
in the official publication of the county.  The resolution may 
be implemented without the submission of the question to the 
voters of the county, unless within 30 days after the second 
publication of the resolution a petition requesting a 
referendum, signed by at least ten percent of the registered 
voters of the county, is filed with the county auditor.  If a 
petition is filed, the resolution may be implemented unless 
disapproved by a majority of the voters of the county, voting on 
the question at a regular or special election. 
    Sec. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Sections 2 to 5 take effect the day after the filing of a 
certificate of local approval by the Olmsted county board in 
compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 
3. 
    Presented to the governor April 14, 1992 
    Signed by the governor April 17, 1992, 10:53 a.m.