Minnesota Session Laws - 2008, Regular Session

CHAPTER 165--H.F.No. 1546

An act

relating to elections; providing for automatic updating of voter registration;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 201.12; 201.13, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 201.12, is amended to read:

201.12 PROPER REGISTRATION; VERIFICATION BY MAIL; CHALLENGES.

Subdivision 1.

Notice of registration.

To prevent fraudulent voting and to eliminate excess names, the county auditor may mail to any registered voter a notice stating the voter's name and address as they appear in the registration files. The notice shall request the voter to notify the county auditor if there is any mistake in the information.

Subd. 2.

deleted text begin Challenges deleted text end new text begin Moved within state new text end .

new text begin If any nonforwardable mailing from an election official is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address in this state, the county auditor may change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration system and shall notify the auditor of the county in which the new address is located. Upon receipt of the notice, the county auditor shall update the voter's address in the statewide registration system and mail to the voter a notice stating the voter's name, address, precinct, and polling place. The notice must advise the voter that the voter's voting address has been changed and that the voter must notify the county auditor within 21 days if the new address is not the voter's address of residence. The notice must state that it must be returned if it is not deliverable to the voter at the named address. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Moved out of state. new text end

new text begin If any nonforwardable mailing from an election official is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address outside this state, the county auditor shall promptly mail to the voter at the voter's new address a notice advising the voter that the voter's status in the statewide registration system will be changed to "inactive" unless the voter notifies the county auditor within 21 days that the voter is retaining the former address as the voter's address of residence. If the notice is not received by the deadline, the county auditor shall change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration system. new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Challenges. new text end

deleted text begin Upon return of any nonforwardable mailing from an election official, the county auditor or the auditor's staff shall ascertain the name and address of that individual. If the individual is no longer at the address recorded in the statewide registration system deleted text end new text begin If any nonforwardable mailing from an election official is returned as undeliverable but with no forwarding address new text end , the county auditor shall change the registrant's status to "challenged" in the statewide registration system. An individual challenged in accordance with this subdivision shall comply with the provisions of section 204C.12, before being allowed to vote. If a notice mailed at least 60 days after the return of the first nonforwardable mailing is also returned by the postal service, the county auditor shall change the registrant's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration system.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 201.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Use of change of address system.

deleted text begin The county auditor may delete the records in the statewide registration system of voters whose change of address can be confirmed by the United States Postal Service. The secretary of state may provide the county auditors with periodic reports on voters whose change of address can be confirmed by the United States Postal Service. deleted text end new text begin (a) At least once each month the secretary of state shall obtain a list of individuals registered to vote in this state who have filed with the United States Postal Service a change of their permanent address. If the address is changed to another address in this state, the secretary of state shall transmit the information about the changed address by electronic means to the county auditor of the county in which the new address is located. Upon receipt of the information, the county auditor shall update the voter's address in the statewide registration system and mail to the voter a notice stating the voter's name, address, precinct, and polling place. The notice must advise the voter that the voter's voting address has been changed and that the voter must notify the county auditor within 21 days if the new address is not the voter's address of residence. The notice must state that it must be returned if it is not deliverable to the voter at the named address. new text end

new text begin (b) If the change of permanent address is to an address outside this state, the secretary of state shall notify by electronic means the auditor of the county where the voter formerly resided that the voter has moved to another state. The county auditor shall promptly mail to the voter at the voter's new address a notice advising the voter that the voter's status in the statewide registration system will be changed to "inactive" unless the voter notifies the county auditor within 21 days that the voter is retaining the former address as the voter's address of residence. If the notice is not received by the deadline, the county auditor shall change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration system. new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This act is effective the day following final enactment but not until the secretary of state has certified that the statewide voter registration system has been tested and shown to accurately update voters' records and properly prepare the appropriate notices to voters. new text end

Presented to the governor March 31, 2008

Signed by the governor April 3, 2008, 8:48 a.m.