1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; specifying a minimum polling
1.3 	place size and number of voting booths; requiring
1.4 	certain signs at polling places; requiring certain
1.5 	additional election judges; amending Minnesota
1.6 	Statutes 2004, sections 204B.16, subdivision 1;
1.7 	204B.18, subdivision 1; 204B.22, subdivision 3;
1.8 	204C.08, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes
1.9 	2004, section 204B.22, subdivision 2.
1.10 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.11 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204B.16,
1.12 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.13 		Subdivision 1.Authority; location. (a) The governing
1.14 	body of each municipality and of each county with precincts in
1.15 	unorganized territory shall designate by ordinance or resolution
1.16 	a polling place for each election precinct.  Polling places must
1.17 	be designated and ballots must be distributed so that no one is
1.18 	required to go to more than one polling place to vote in a
1.19 	school district and municipal election held on the same day.
1.20 	The polling place for a precinct in a city or in a school
1.21 	district located in whole or in part in the metropolitan area
1.22 	defined by section 473.121 shall be located within the
1.23 	boundaries of the precinct or within 3,000 feet of one of those
1.24 	boundaries unless a single polling place is designated for a
1.25 	city pursuant to section 204B.14, subdivision 2, or a school
1.26 	district pursuant to section 205A.11.  The polling place for a
1.27 	precinct in unorganized territory may be located outside the
2.1 	precinct at a place which is convenient to the voters of the
2.2 	precinct.  If no suitable place is available within a town or
2.3 	within a school district located outside the metropolitan area
2.4 	defined by section 473.121, then the polling place for a town or
2.5 	school district may be located outside the town or school
2.6 	district within five miles of one of the boundaries of the town
2.7 	or school district.
2.8 	(b) Each polling place serving precincts in which, in
2.9 	aggregate, there were more than 100 voters in the most recent
2.10 	similar election, must be at least 750 square feet, with an
2.11 	additional 60 square feet for each 150 voters in excess of 400
2.12 	that voted in the most recent similar election.

2.13 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204B.18,
2.14 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.15 		Subdivision 1.Booths.  Each polling place must contain ~~a~~
2.16 	~~number of voting booths in proportion to the number of~~
2.17 	~~individuals eligible to vote in the precinct~~ at least two voting
2.18 	booths plus one additional voting booth for each 150 voters
2.19 	registered in the precinct in excess of 200.  Each booth must be
2.20 	at least six feet high, three feet deep and two feet wide with a
2.21 	shelf at least two feet long and one foot wide placed at a
2.22 	convenient height for writing.  The booth shall be provided with
2.23 	a door or curtains.  Each ~~accessible~~ polling place must have at
2.24 	least one accessible voting booth or other accessible voting
2.25 	station and one voting system that conforms to the requirements
2.26 	of section 301(a)(3)(B) of the Help America Vote Act, Public Law
2.27 	107-252.  All booths or stations must be constructed so that a
2.28 	voter is free from observation while marking ballots.  In all
2.29 	other polling places every effort must be made to provide at
2.30 	least one accessible voting booth or other accessible voting
2.31 	station.  During the hours of voting, the booths or stations
2.32 	must have instructions, a pencil, and other supplies needed to
2.33 	mark the ballots.  If needed, a chair must be provided for
2.34 	elderly and handicapped voters to use while voting.  All ballot
2.35 	boxes, voting booths, voting stations, and election judges must
2.36 	be in open public view in the polling place.

3.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204B.22,
3.2 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.3 		Subd. 3.Minimum number ~~required in certain precincts~~ of
3.4 	election judges.  At each ~~state primary or state general~~ 
3.5 	election in precincts ~~using an electronic voting system with~~
3.6 	~~marking devices and~~ in which more than 400 votes were cast at
3.7 	the last similar election, the minimum number of election judges
3.8 	is three plus one judge to demonstrate the use of the voting
3.9 	machine or device, and the number of additional election judges
3.10 	to be appointed is one for every 200 votes cast in that precinct
3.11 	in the most recent similar general election.

3.12 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204C.08,
3.13 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.14 		Subdivision 1.Display of flag; "vote here" sign. (a) 
3.15 	Upon their arrival at the polling place on the day of election,
3.16 	the election judges shall cause the national flag to be
3.17 	displayed on a suitable staff at the entrance to the polling
3.18 	place.  The flag shall be displayed continuously during the
3.19 	hours of voting and the election judges shall attest to that
3.20 	fact by signing the flag certification statement on the precinct
3.21 	summary statement.  The election judges shall receive no
3.22 	compensation for any time during which they intentionally fail
3.23 	to display the flag as required by this subdivision.
3.24 	(b) The election judges shall, immediately after displaying
3.25 	the flag pursuant to paragraph (a), post the following:
3.26 	(1) a "Vote Here" sign conspicuously near the flag, which
3.27 	must be of a size not less than two feet high by four feet wide,
3.28 	with letters printed in red in a font size of no less than
3.29 	576-point type, against a white background;
3.30 	(2) a sign of the same size and design at one corner of
3.31 	each intersection for a distance of three intersections in all
3.32 	directions from the polling place, with each sign including an
3.33 	arrow pointing in the direction of the polling place; and 
3.34 	(3) within the building, if the polling place has more than
3.35 	one room, signs indicating by arrows the direction in which to
3.36 	proceed in order to reach the room containing the polling place.

4.1 	Sec. 5. REPEALER.
 4.2 	Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 204B.22, subdivision 2, is
4.3 	repealed.