1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; modifying various provisions related to election 
1.3 	administration, including provisions related to school districts, voters, ballots, 
1.4 	candidates, political party designation, military and overseas voting, and other 
1.5 	election-related provisions; establishing the Elections Emergency Planning Task 
1.6 	Force; enacting the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act; amending voter 
1.7 	registration procedures; restoring right to vote upon release from incarceration for 
1.8 	a felony offense; providing for early voting; requiring use of actual address for 
1.9 	redistricting purposes; making conforming changes; making technical changes; 
1.10 	appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 13.607, by 
1.11 	adding a subdivision; 103C.311, subdivision 2; 123B.09, subdivision 1, by adding 
1.12 	a subdivision; 200.02, subdivisions 7, 23, by adding subdivisions; 201.014, by 
1.13 	adding a subdivision; 201.022, subdivision 1; 201.054, subdivisions 1, 2; 201.061, 
1.14 	by adding a subdivision; 201.071, subdivision 1; 201.091, subdivision 4; 201.12, 
1.15 	subdivisions 2, 3; 201.13, subdivision 3; 201.14; 201.157; 201.158; 201.161; 
1.16 	203B.001; 203B.01, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 203B.03, subdivision 
1.17 	1; 203B.05, subdivision 1; 203B.07, subdivision 1; 203B.08, subdivisions 1, 
1.18 	3; 203B.081; 203B.085; 203B.121, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, by adding a 
1.19 	subdivision; 203B.16, subdivisions 1, 2; 203B.17, subdivisions 1, 2; 204B.06, 
1.20 	subdivision 1b; 204B.07, subdivision 2; 204B.145; 204B.19, subdivision 6; 
1.21 	204B.28, subdivision 2; 204B.36, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4; 204B.45, subdivisions 
1.22 	1, 2; 204C.04, subdivision 2; 204C.08, subdivision 1d; 204C.10; 204C.13, 
1.23 	subdivisions 2, 3, 5; 204C.15, subdivision 1; 204C.22, subdivisions 3, 4, 7, 10; 
1.24 	204C.35, subdivisions 1, 2; 204C.36, subdivisions 1, 2; 204C.40, subdivision 
1.25 	2; 204D.11, subdivision 4; 204D.27, subdivision 11; 205.13, subdivision 3; 
1.26 	205.84, subdivision 1; 206.82, subdivision 1; 206.83; 206.90, subdivision 6; 
1.27 	208.02; 208.03; 208.06; 209.01, subdivision 2; 209.021, subdivisions 2, 3; 
1.28 	209.09, subdivision 2; 365.22, subdivisions 2, 3; 367.31, subdivision 4; 368.85, 
1.29 	subdivision 4; 375.025, subdivision 1; 375A.09, subdivision 4; 376.04; 383B.68, 
1.30 	subdivision 4; 412.551, subdivision 2; 473.123, subdivision 3a; 609.165, 
1.31 	subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 
1.32 	123B; 201; 203B; 208; 241; 243; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 
1.33 	123B.09, subdivision 5; 201.155; 201.275; 204B.14, subdivision 6; 204C.13, 
1.34 	subdivision 4; 204C.30, subdivision 1; 208.07; 208.08; 383A.555.
1.35 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

2.1 	ARTICLE 1
2.2 	ELECTION ADMINISTRATION

2.3 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.4 		Subdivision 1.School board membership. The care, management, and control of 
2.5 	independent districts is vested in a board of directors, to be known as the school board. 
2.6 	The term of office of a member shall be four years commencing on the first Monday in 
2.7 	January and until a successor qualifies. The membership of the board shall consist of six 
2.8 	elected directors together with such ex officio member as may be provided by law. The 
2.9 	board may submit to the electors at any school election the question whether the board 
2.10 	shall consist of seven members. If a majority of those voting on the proposition favor a 
2.11 	seven-member board, a seventh member shall be elected at the next election of directors 
2.12 	for a four-year term and thereafter the board shall consist of seven members.
2.13 	Those districts with a seven-member board may submit to the electors at any school 
2.14 	election at least 150 days before the next election of three members of the board the 
2.15 	question whether the board shall consist of six members. If a majority of those voting on 
2.16 	the proposition favor a six-member board instead of a seven-member board, two three 
2.17 	members instead of three four members shall be elected at the next election of the board of 
2.18 	directors and thereafter the board shall consist of six members.

2.19 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 123B.09, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.20 	to read:
2.21 		Subd. 5a.Vacancies. A vacancy other than a vacancy described in subdivision 4 
2.22 	must be filled pursuant to section 123B.095.

2.23 	Sec. 3. [123B.095] VACANCY IN OFFICE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
2.24 		Subdivision 1.Option for filling vacancies; special election. (a) Except as 
2.25 	provided in section 123B.09, subdivision 4, a vacancy in the office of school board may be 
2.26 	filled as provided in this subdivision and subdivision 2, or as provided in subdivision 3. If 
2.27 	the vacancy is to be filled under this subdivision and subdivision 2, it must be filled at a 
2.28 	special election. The school board may by resolution call for a special election to be held 
2.29 	according to the earliest of the following time schedules:
2.30 	(1) not less than 120 days following the date the vacancy is declared, but no later 
2.31 	than 12 weeks prior to the date of the next regularly scheduled primary election;
2.32 	(2) concurrently with the next regularly scheduled primary election and general 
2.33 	election; or
3.1 	(3) no sooner than 120 days following the next regularly scheduled general election.
3.2 	(b) The person elected at the special election shall take office immediately after 
3.3 	receipt of the certificate of election and upon filing the bond and taking the oath of office 
3.4 	and shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
3.5 		Subd. 2.When victor seated immediately. If a vacancy for which a special 
3.6 	election is required occurs less than 120 days before the general election preceding the 
3.7 	end of the term, the vacancy shall be filled by the person elected at that election for the 
3.8 	ensuing term who shall take office immediately after receiving the certificate of election, 
3.9 	filing the bond and taking the oath of office.
3.10 		Subd. 3.Vacancies of less than one year; appointment option. Except as provided 
3.11 	in section 123B.09, subdivision 4, and as an alternative to the procedure provided in 
3.12 	subdivisions 1 and 2, any other vacancy in the office of school board member may be 
3.13 	filled by board appointment at a regular or special meeting. The appointment shall be 
3.14 	evidenced by a resolution entered in the minutes and shall continue until an election is 
3.15 	held under this subdivision. All elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term. 
3.16 	If one year or more remains in the unexpired term, a special election must be held under 
3.17 	subdivision 1. If less than one year remains in the unexpired term, the school board may 
3.18 	appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term, unless the 
3.19 	vacancy occurs within 90 days of the next school district general election, in which case 
3.20 	an appointment shall not be made and the vacancy must be filled at the general election. 
3.21 	The person elected to fill a vacancy at the general election takes office immediately in the 
3.22 	same manner as for a special election under subdivision 1, and serves the remainder of the 
3.23 	unexpired term and the new term for which the election was otherwise held.
3.24 		Subd. 4.School board vacancy appointment; public hearing. Before making an 
3.25 	appointment to fill a vacancy under subdivision 3, the school board must hold a public 
3.26 	hearing not more than 30 days after the vacancy occurs with public notice given in the 
3.27 	same manner as for a special meeting of the school board. At the public hearing, the board 
3.28 	must invite public testimony from persons residing in the district in which the vacancy 
3.29 	occurs relating to the qualifications of prospective appointees to fill the vacancy. Before 
3.30 	making an appointment, the board also must notify public officials in the school district 
3.31 	on the appointment, including county commissioners, town supervisors, and city council 
3.32 	members, and must enter into the record at the board meeting in which the appointment is 
3.33 	made the names and addresses of the public officials notified. If, after the public hearing, 
3.34 	the board is unable or decides not to make an appointment under subdivision 3, it must 
3.35 	hold a special election under subdivision 1, but the time period in which the election must 
3.36 	be held begins to run from the date of the public hearing.

4.1 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 200.02, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
4.2 		Subd. 7.Major political party. (a) "Major political party" means a political party 
4.3 	that maintains a party organization in the state, political division or precinct in question 
4.4 	and that has presented at least one candidate for election to the office of:
4.5 	(1) governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, or attorney 
4.6 	general at the last preceding state general election for those offices; or
4.7 	(2) presidential elector or U.S. senator at the last preceding state general election for 
4.8 	presidential electors; and
4.9 	whose candidate received votes in each county in that election and received votes 
4.10 	from not less than five percent of the total number of individuals who voted in that election.
4.11 	(b) "Major political party" also means a political party that maintains a party 
4.12 	organization in the state, political subdivision, or precinct in question and that has 
4.13 	presented at least 45 candidates for election to the office of state representative, 23 
4.14 	candidates for election to the office of state senator, four candidates for election to 
4.15 	the office of representative in Congress, and one candidate for election to each of the 
4.16 	following offices: governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, 
4.17 	and state auditor, at the last preceding state general election for those offices.
4.18 	(c) "Major political party" also means a political party that maintains a party 
4.19 	organization in the state, political subdivision, or precinct in question and whose members 
4.20 	present to the secretary of state at any time before the close of filing for the state partisan 
4.21 	primary ballot a petition for a place on the state partisan primary ballot, which petition 
4.22 	contains valid signatures of a number of the party members equal to at least five percent 
4.23 	of the total number of individuals who voted in the preceding state general election. A 
4.24 	signature is valid only if signed no more than one year prior to the date the petition was filed.
4.25 	(d) A political party whose candidate receives a sufficient number of votes at a state 
4.26 	general election described in paragraph (a) or a political party that presents candidates at 
4.27 	an election as required by paragraph (b) becomes a major political party as of January 
4.28 	1 following that election and retains its major party status for at least two state general 
4.29 	elections even if the party fails to present a candidate who receives the number and 
4.30 	percentage of votes required under paragraph (a) or fails to present candidates as required 
4.31 	by paragraph (b) at subsequent state general elections.
4.32 	(e) A major political party whose candidates fail to receive the number and 
4.33 	percentage of votes required under paragraph (a) and that fails to present candidates as 
4.34 	required by paragraph (b) at each of two consecutive state general elections described by 
4.35 	paragraph (a) or (b), respectively, loses major party status as of December 31 following 
4.36 	the later of the two consecutive state general elections.

5.1 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 200.02, subdivision 23, is amended to read:
5.2 		Subd. 23.Minor political party. (a) "Minor political party" means a political party 
5.3 	that has adopted a state constitution, designated a state party chair, held a state convention 
5.4 	in the last two years, filed with the secretary of state no later than December 31 following 
5.5 	the most recent state general election a certification that the party has met the foregoing 
5.6 	requirements, and met the requirements of paragraph (b) or (e), as applicable.
5.7 	(b) To be considered a minor party in all elections statewide, the political party must 
5.8 	have presented at least one candidate for election to the office of:
5.9 	(1) governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, or attorney 
5.10 	general, at the last preceding state general election for those offices; or
5.11 	(2) presidential elector or U.S. senator at the preceding state general election for 
5.12 	presidential electors; and
5.13 	(3) who received votes in each county that in the aggregate equal at least one percent 
5.14 	of the total number of individuals who voted in the election, or its members must have 
5.15 	presented to the secretary of state at any time before the close of filing for the state 
5.16 	partisan primary ballot a nominating petition in a form prescribed by the secretary of state 
5.17 	containing the valid signatures of party members in a number equal to at least one percent 
5.18 	of the total number of individuals who voted in the preceding state general election. A 
5.19 	signature is valid only if signed no more than one year prior to the date the petition was filed.
5.20 	(c) A political party whose candidate receives a sufficient number of votes at a 
5.21 	state general election described in paragraph (b) becomes a minor political party as of 
5.22 	January 1 following that election and retains its minor party status for at least two state 
5.23 	general elections even if the party fails to present a candidate who receives the number 
5.24 	and percentage of votes required under paragraph (b) at subsequent state general elections.
5.25 	(d) A minor political party whose candidates fail to receive the number and 
5.26 	percentage of votes required under paragraph (b) at each of two consecutive state general 
5.27 	elections described by paragraph (b) loses minor party status as of December 31 following 
5.28 	the later of the two consecutive state general elections.
5.29 	(e) A minor party that qualifies to be a major party loses its status as a minor party 
5.30 	at the time it becomes a major party. Votes received by the candidates of a major party 
5.31 	must be counted in determining whether the party received sufficient votes to qualify as a 
5.32 	minor party, notwithstanding that the party does not receive sufficient votes to retain its 
5.33 	major party status. To be considered a minor party in an election in a legislative district, 
5.34 	the political party must have presented at least one candidate for a legislative office in that 
5.35 	district who received votes from at least ten percent of the total number of individuals 
5.36 	who voted for that office, or its members must have presented to the secretary of state a 
6.1 	nominating petition in a form prescribed by the secretary of state containing the valid 
6.2 	signatures of party members in a number equal to at least ten percent of the total number of 
6.3 	individuals who voted in the preceding state general election for that legislative office. A 
6.4 	signature is valid only if signed no more than one year prior to the date the petition was filed.

6.5 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 200.02, is amended by adding a subdivision 
6.6 	to read:
6.7 		Subd. 27.Partisan offices. "Partisan offices" means federal offices, presidential 
6.8 	electors, constitutional offices, and legislative offices.

6.9 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 200.02, is amended by adding a subdivision 
6.10 	to read:
6.11 		Subd. 28.Nonpartisan offices. "Nonpartisan offices" means all judicial, county, 
6.12 	municipal, school district, and special district offices.

6.13 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.158, is amended to read:
6.14 	201.158 USE OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DATA.
6.15 	As required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252, the 
6.16 	commissioner of public safety shall make electronic data on citizenship available to the 
6.17 	secretary of state. The secretary of state must determine whether the data newly indicates 
6.18 	that any individuals who have active records in the statewide voter registration system 
6.19 	are not citizens. The secretary of state shall prepare a list of those voters for each county 
6.20 	auditor at least monthly. The county auditor shall change the status of those registrants in 
6.21 	the statewide voter registration system to reflect that they are challenged based upon their 
6.22 	citizenship and must notify the county attorney.
6.23 	In 2010, the secretary of state must make the determination and provide lists 
6.24 	to the county auditors between 30 and 60 days before the general election and again 
6.25 	between six and ten weeks after the election. In 2011, the secretary of state must make 
6.26 	this determination again as part of the annual list maintenance. By August 1, 2012, the 
6.27 	secretary of state must provide electronic lists to the counties at least monthly.

6.28 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.01, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
6.29 		Subd. 3.Military. "Military" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, 
6.30 	Coast Guard or Merchant Marine of the United States, and all other uniformed services as 
6.31 	defined in United States Code, title 42, section 1973ff-6 52, section 20310, and military 
6.32 	forces as defined by section 190.05, subdivision 3.

7.1 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7.2 		Subdivision 1.Delivery of envelopes, directions. The county auditor or the 
7.3 	municipal clerk shall prepare, print, and transmit a return envelope, a ballot envelope, and 
7.4 	a copy of the directions for casting an absentee ballot to each applicant whose application 
7.5 	for absentee ballots is accepted pursuant to section 203B.04. The county auditor or 
7.6 	municipal clerk shall provide first class postage for the return envelope. The directions 
7.7 	for casting an absentee ballot shall be printed in at least 14-point bold type with heavy 
7.8 	leading and may be printed on the ballot envelope. When a person requests the directions 
7.9 	in Braille or on cassette tape audio file, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall provide 
7.10 	them in the form requested. The secretary of state shall prepare Braille and cassette audio 
7.11 	file copies and make them available.
7.12 	When a voter registration application is sent to the applicant as provided in section 
7.13 	203B.06, subdivision 4, the directions or registration application shall include instructions 
7.14 	for registering to vote.

7.15 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.08, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7.16 		Subdivision 1.Marking and return by voter. An eligible voter who receives 
7.17 	absentee ballots as provided in this chapter shall mark them in the manner specified in the 
7.18 	directions for casting the absentee ballots. The return envelope containing marked ballots 
7.19 	may be mailed as provided in the directions for casting the absentee ballots or may be 
7.20 	left with the county auditor or municipal clerk who transmitted the absentee ballots to the 
7.21 	voter. If delivered in person by an agent, the return envelope must be submitted to the 
7.22 	county auditor or municipal clerk by 3:00 p.m. on election day.
7.23 	The voter may designate an agent to deliver in person the sealed absentee ballot 
7.24 	return envelope to the county auditor or municipal clerk or to deposit the return envelope 
7.25 	in the mail. An agent may deliver or mail the return envelopes of not more than three 
7.26 	voters in any election. Any person designated as an agent who tampers with either the 
7.27 	return envelope or the voted ballots or does not immediately mail or deliver the return 
7.28 	envelope to the county auditor or municipal clerk is guilty of a misdemeanor.

7.29 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.08, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
7.30 		Subd. 3.Procedures on receipt of ballots. When absentee ballots are returned to a 
7.31 	county auditor or municipal clerk, that official shall stamp or initial and date the return 
7.32 	envelope and place it in a secure location with other return envelopes received by that 
7.33 	office. Within five days after receipt, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall deliver to 
7.34 	the ballot board all ballots received, except that during the 14 days immediately preceding 
8.1 	an election, the county auditor or municipal clerk shall deliver all ballots received to the 
8.2 	ballot board within three days. Ballots received on election day either (1) after 3:00 p.m., 
8.3 	if delivered by an agent in person; or (2) after the last mail delivery8 p.m., if delivered by 
8.4 	another method mail or a package delivery service, shall be marked as received late by the 
8.5 	county auditor or municipal clerk, and must not be delivered to the ballot board.

8.6 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
8.7 		Subd. 2.Duties of ballot board; absentee ballots. (a) The members of the ballot 
8.8 	board shall take possession of all return envelopes delivered to them in accordance with 
8.9 	section 203B.08. Upon receipt from the county auditor, municipal clerk, or school district 
8.10 	clerk, two or more members of the ballot board shall examine each return envelope and 
8.11 	shall mark it accepted or rejected in the manner provided in this subdivision. Election 
8.12 	judges performing the duties in this section must be of different major political parties, 
8.13 	unless they are exempt from that requirement under section 205.075, subdivision 4, or 
8.14 	section 205A.10, subdivision 2.
8.15 	(b) The members of the ballot board shall mark the return envelope "Accepted" and 
8.16 	initial or sign the return envelope below the word "Accepted" if a majority of the members 
8.17 	of the ballot board examining the envelope are satisfied that:
8.18 	(1) the voter's name and address on the return envelope are the same as the 
8.19 	information provided on the absentee ballot application;
8.20 	(2) the voter signed the certification on the envelope;
8.21 	(3) the voter's Minnesota driver's license, state identification number, or the last four 
8.22 	digits of the voter's Social Security number are the same as the a number provided on the 
8.23 	voter's absentee ballot application for ballots or voter record. If the number does not 
8.24 	match the number as submitted on the application, or if a number was not submitted on 
8.25 	the application, the election judges must compare the signature provided by the applicant 
8.26 	to determine whether the ballots were returned by the same person to whom they were 
8.27 	transmitted;
8.28 	(4) the voter is registered and eligible to vote in the precinct or has included a 
8.29 	properly completed voter registration application in the return envelope;
8.30 	(5) the certificate has been completed as prescribed in the directions for casting an 
8.31 	absentee ballot; and
8.32 	(6) the voter has not already voted at that election, either in person or, if it is after the 
8.33 	close of business on the seventh day before the election, by absentee ballot.
8.34 	The return envelope from accepted ballots must be preserved and returned to the 
8.35 	county auditor.
9.1 	(c)(1) If a majority of the members of the ballot board examining a return envelope 
9.2 	find that an absentee voter has failed to meet one of the requirements provided in 
9.3 	paragraph (b), they shall mark the return envelope "Rejected," initial or sign it below the 
9.4 	word "Rejected," list the reason for the rejection on the envelope, and return it to the 
9.5 	county auditor. There is no other reason for rejecting an absentee ballot beyond those 
9.6 	permitted by this section. Failure to place the ballot within the security envelope before 
9.7 	placing it in the outer white envelope is not a reason to reject an absentee ballot.
9.8 	(2) If an envelope has been rejected at least five days before the election, the 
9.9 	envelope must remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board shall provide the 
9.10 	voter with a replacement absentee ballot and return envelope in place of the rejected ballot.
9.11 	(3) If an envelope is rejected within five days of the election, the envelope must 
9.12 	remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board must attempt to contact the 
9.13 	voter by telephone or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's ballot has been rejected. 
9.14 	The official must document the attempts made to contact the voter.
9.15 	(d) The official in charge of the absentee ballot board must mail the voter a written 
9.16 	notice of absentee ballot rejection between six and ten weeks following the election. If the 
9.17 	official determines that the voter has otherwise cast a ballot in the election, no notice is 
9.18 	required. If an absentee ballot arrives after the deadline for submission provided by this 
9.19 	chapter, the notice must be provided between six to ten weeks after receipt of the ballot. A 
9.20 	notice of absentee ballot rejection must contain the following information:
9.21 	(1) the date on which the absentee ballot was rejected or, if the ballot was received 
9.22 	after the required deadline for submission, the date on which the ballot was received;
9.23 	(2) the reason for rejection; and
9.24 	(3) the name of the appropriate election official to whom the voter may direct further 
9.25 	questions, along with appropriate contact information.
9.26 	(e) An absentee ballot return envelope marked "Rejected" may not be opened or 
9.27 	subject to further review except in an election contest filed pursuant to chapter 209.

9.28 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.16, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
9.29 		Subdivision 1.Military service; temporary residence outside United States.
 9.30 	Sections 203B.16 to 203B.27 provide alternative voting procedures for eligible voters who 
9.31 	are absent from the precinct where they maintain residence because they are:
9.32 	(1) either in the military or the spouses or dependents of individuals serving in 
9.33 	the military; or
9.34 	(2) temporarily outside the territorial limits of the United States.
10.1 	Sections 203B.16 to 203B.27 are intended to implement the federal Uniformed and 
10.2 	Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1973ff 52, 
10.3 	sections 20301 to 20310.

10.4 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.16, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
10.5 		Subd. 2.Indefinite residence outside United States. Sections 203B.16 to 
10.6 	203B.27 provide the exclusive voting procedure for United States citizens who are living 
10.7 	indefinitely outside the territorial limits of the United States who meet all the qualifications 
10.8 	of an eligible voter except residence in Minnesota, but who are authorized by federal law 
10.9 	to vote in Minnesota because they or, if they have never resided in the United States, 
10.10 	a parent maintained residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days immediately prior to 
10.11 	their departure from the United States. Individuals described in this subdivision shall be 
10.12 	permitted to vote only for the offices of president, vice-president, senator in Congress, 
10.13 	and representative in Congress.

10.14 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.17, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.15 		Subdivision 1.Submission of application. (a) An application for absentee ballots 
10.16 	for a voter described in section 203B.16 must be in writing and may be submitted in 
10.17 	person, by mail, by electronic facsimile device, by electronic mail, or electronically 
10.18 	through a secure Web site that shall be maintained by the secretary of state for this 
10.19 	purpose, upon determination by the secretary of state that security concerns have been 
10.20 	adequately addressed. An application for absentee ballots for a voter described in section 
10.21 	203B.16 may be submitted by that voter or by that voter's parent, spouse, sister, brother, or 
10.22 	child over the age of 18 years. For purposes of an application under this subdivision, a 
10.23 	person's Social Security number, no matter how it is designated, qualifies as the person's 
10.24 	military identification number if the person is in the military.
10.25 	(b) An application for a voter described in section 203B.16, subdivision 1, shall be 
10.26 	submitted to the county auditor of the county where the voter maintains residence or 
10.27 	through the secure Web site maintained by the secretary of state.
10.28 	(c) An application for a voter described in section 203B.16, subdivision 2, shall be 
10.29 	submitted to the county auditor of the county where the voter or the voter's parent last 
10.30 	maintained residence in Minnesota or through the secure Web site maintained by the 
10.31 	secretary of state.
10.32 	(d) An application for absentee ballots shall be valid for any primary, special 
10.33 	primary, general election, or special election from the time the application is received 
10.34 	through the end of that calendar year.
11.1 	(e) There shall be no limitation of time for filing and receiving applications for 
11.2 	ballots under sections 203B.16 to 203B.27.

11.3 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.17, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11.4 		Subd. 2.Required information. An application shall be accepted if it contains the 
11.5 	following information stated under oath:
11.6 	(a) the voter's name, birthdate, and present address of residence in Minnesota, or 
11.7 	former address of residence or parent's former address of residence in Minnesota if the 
11.8 	voter is living permanently outside the United States;
11.9 	(b) a statement indicating that the voter is in the military, or is the spouse or 
11.10 	dependent of an individual serving in the military, or is temporarily outside the territorial 
11.11 	limits of the United States, or is living permanently outside the territorial limits of the 
11.12 	United States and voting under federal law;
11.13 	(c) a statement that the voter expects to be absent from the precinct at the time 
11.14 	of the election;
11.15 	(d) the address to which absentee ballots are to be mailed;
11.16 	(e) the voter's signature or the signature and relationship of the individual authorized 
11.17 	to apply on the voter's behalf;
11.18 	(f) the voter's passport number, Minnesota driver's license or state identification card 
11.19 	number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; if the voter does not 
11.20 	have access to any of these documents, the voter or other individual requesting absentee 
11.21 	ballots may attest to the truthfulness of the contents of the application under penalty 
11.22 	of perjury; and
11.23 	(g) the voter's e-mail address, if the application was submitted electronically through 
11.24 	the secure Web site maintained by the secretary of state.
11.25 	Notwithstanding paragraph (f), an application submitted through the secretary of state's 
11.26 	Web site must include the voter's verifiable Minnesota driver's license number, Minnesota 
11.27 	state identification card number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security 
11.28 	number, and may only be transmitted to the county auditor for processing if the secretary 
11.29 	of state has verified the application information matches the information in a government 
11.30 	database associated with the applicant's driver's license number, state identification card 
11.31 	number, or Social Security number. The secretary of state must review all unverifiable 
11.32 	applications for evidence of suspicious activity and must forward any such application to 
11.33 	an appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation.

11.34 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.06, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:
12.1 		Subd. 1b.Address and telephone number. (a) An affidavit of candidacy must 
12.2 	state a telephone number where the candidate can be contacted. An affidavit must also 
12.3 	state the candidate's address of residence as determined under section 200.031, or at the 
12.4 	candidate's request in accordance with paragraph (c), the candidate's campaign contact 
12.5 	address. The form for the affidavit of candidacy must allow the candidate to request, if 
12.6 	eligible, that the candidate's address of residence be classified as private data, and to 
12.7 	provide the certification required under paragraph (c) for classification of that address.
12.8 	(b) For an office whose residency requirement must be satisfied by the close of the 
12.9 	filing period, a registered voter in this state may request in writing that the filing officer 
12.10 	receiving the affidavit of candidacy review the address as provided in this paragraph, at 
12.11 	any time up to one day after the last day for filing for office. If requested, the filing officer 
12.12 	must determine whether the address provided in the affidavit of candidacy is within the 
12.13 	area represented by the office the candidate is seeking. If the filing officer determines 
12.14 	that the address is not within the area represented by the office, the filing officer must 
12.15 	immediately notify the candidate and the candidate's name must be removed from the 
12.16 	ballot for that office. A determination made by a filing officer under this paragraph is 
12.17 	subject to judicial review under section 204B.44.
12.18 	(c) If the candidate requests that the candidate's address of residence be classified 
12.19 	as private data, the candidate must list the candidate's address of residence on a separate 
12.20 	form to be attached to the affidavit. The candidate must also certify on the affidavit that 
12.21 	a police report has been submitted or an order for protection has been issued in regard 
12.22 	to the safety of the candidate or the candidate's family, or that the candidate's address is 
12.23 	otherwise private pursuant to Minnesota law. The address of residence provided by a 
12.24 	candidate who makes a request for classification on the candidate's affidavit of candidacy 
12.25 	and provides the certification required by this paragraph is classified as private data, 
12.26 	as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, but may be reviewed by the filing officer 
12.27 	as provided in this subdivision.
12.28 	(d) The requirements of this subdivision do not apply to affidavits of candidacy for a 
12.29 	candidate for: (1) judicial office; (2) the office of county attorney; or (3) county sheriff.

12.30 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.19, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
12.31 		Subd. 6.High school students. Notwithstanding any other requirements of this 
12.32 	section, a student enrolled in a high school in Minnesota or who is in a home school 
12.33 	in compliance with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24, who has attained the age of 16 is 
12.34 	eligible to be appointed as a without party affiliation trainee election judge in the county in 
12.35 	which the student resides. The student must meet qualifications for trainee election judges 
13.1 	specified in rules of the secretary of state. A student appointed as a trainee election judge 
13.2 	may be excused from school attendance during the hours that the student is serving as a 
13.3 	trainee election judge if the student submits a written request signed and approved by the 
13.4 	student's parent or guardian to be absent from school and a certificate from the appointing 
13.5 	authority stating the hours during which the student will serve as a trainee election judge 
13.6 	to the principal of the school at least ten days prior to the election. Students shall not 
13.7 	serve as trainee election judges after 10:00 p.m. Notwithstanding section 177.24 to the 
13.8 	contrary, trainee election judges may be paid not less than two-thirds of the minimum 
13.9 	wage for a large employer. The principal of the school may approve a request to be absent 
13.10 	from school conditioned on acceptable academic performance at the time of service as 
13.11 	a trainee election judge.

13.12 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
13.13 		Subdivision 1.Type. All ballots shall be printed with black ink on paper of sufficient 
13.14 	thickness to prevent the printing from being discernible from the back. All ballots shall be 
13.15 	printed in easily readable type with suitable lines dividing candidates, offices, instructions 
13.16 	and other matter printed on ballots. The name of each candidate shall be printed in capital 
13.17 	letters. The same type shall be used for the names of all candidates on the same ballot.

13.18 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.36, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
13.19 		Subd. 2.Candidates and offices. The name of each candidate shall be printed at a 
13.20 	right angle to the length of the ballot. At a general election the name of the political party 
13.21 	or the political principle of each candidate for partisan office shall be printed above or 
13.22 	below the name of the candidate. The name of a political party or a political principle 
13.23 	shall be printed in capital and lowercase letters of the same type, with the capital letters 
13.24 	at least one-half the height of the capital letters used for names of the candidates. At a 
13.25 	general election, blank lines containing the words "write-in, if any" shall be printed below 
13.26 	the name of the last candidate for each office, or below the title of the office if no candidate 
13.27 	has filed for that office, so that a voter may write in the names of individuals whose names 
13.28 	are not on the ballot. One blank line shall be printed for each officer of that kind to be 
13.29 	elected. At a primary election, no blank lines shall be provided for writing in the names of 
13.30 	individuals whose names do not appear on the primary ballot.
13.31 	On the left side of the ballot at the same level with the name of each candidate and 
13.32 	each blank line shall be printed a squarean oval or similar target shape in which the 
13.33 	voter may designate a vote by a mark (X) filling in the oval or similar mark if a different 
13.34 	target shape is used. Each square shall be the same size. Above the first name on each 
14.1 	ballot shall be printed the words, "Put an (X) in the square opposite the name of each 
14.2 	candidate you wish to vote for." At the same level with these words and directly above 
14.3 	the squares shall be printed a small arrow pointing downward instructions for voting. 
14.4 	Directly underneath the official title of each office shall be printed the words "Vote for 
14.5 	one" or "Vote for up to ..." (any greater number to be elected).

14.6 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.36, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
14.7 		Subd. 3.Question; form of ballot. When a question is to be submitted to a vote, a 
14.8 	concise statement of the nature of the question shall be printed on the ballot. The words, 
14.9 	"YES""Yes" and "NO""No" shall be printed to the left of this statement, with a square 
14.10 	an oval or similar target shape to the left of each word so that the voter may indicate by 
14.11 	a mark (X) either a negative or affirmative vote. The ballot shall include instructions 
14.12 	directing the voter to put an (X) in the squarefill in the oval or similar mark if a different 
14.13 	target shape is used, before the word "YES""Yes" if the voter desires to vote for the 
14.14 	question, or to put an (X)fill in the oval or similar mark if a different target shape is used, 
14.15 	before the word "NO""No" if the voter desires to vote against the question.

14.16 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.36, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
14.17 		Subd. 4.Judicial candidates. The official ballot shall contain the names of all 
14.18 	candidates for each judicial office and shall state the number of those candidates for 
14.19 	whom a voter may vote. Each seat for an associate justice, associate judge, or judge of 
14.20 	the district court must be numbered. The words "SUPREME COURT," "COURT OF 
14.21 	APPEALS,""Supreme Court," "Court of Appeals," and "(number) DISTRICT COURT" 
14.22 	"(number) District Court" must be printed above the respective judicial office groups on 
14.23 	the ballot. The title of each judicial office shall be printed on the official primary and 
14.24 	general election ballot as follows:
14.25 	(a) In the case of the Supreme Court:
14.26 	"Chief justice";
14.27 	"Associate justice (number)";
14.28 	(b) In the case of the Court of Appeals:
14.29 	"Judge (number)"; or
14.30 	(c) In the case of the district court:
14.31 	"Judge (number)."

14.32 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.45, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
15.1 		Subdivision 1.Authorization. A town of any size not located in a metropolitan 
15.2 	county as defined by section 473.121,in any location or a city having fewer than 400 
15.3 	1,000 registered voters on June 1 of an election year and not located in a metropolitan 
15.4 	county as defined by section 473.121, may provide balloting by mail at any municipal, 
15.5 	county, or state election with no polling place other than the office of the auditor or clerk 
15.6 	or other locations designated by the auditor or clerk. The governing body may apply to the 
15.7 	county auditor for permission to conduct balloting by mail. The county board may provide 
15.8 	for balloting by mail in unorganized territory. The governing body of any municipality 
15.9 	may designate for mail balloting any precinct having fewer than 100 registered voters, 
15.10 	subject to the approval of the county auditor.
15.11 	Voted ballots may be returned in person to any location designated by the county 
15.12 	auditor or municipal clerk.

15.13 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
15.14 		Subd. 2.Procedure. Notice of the election and the special mail procedure must 
15.15 	be given at least ten weeks prior to the election. Not more than 46 days nor later than 14 
15.16 	days before a regularly scheduled election and not more than 30 days nor later than 14 
15.17 	days before any other election, the auditor shall mail ballots by nonforwardable mail to 
15.18 	all voters registered in the town or unorganized territory. No later than 14 days before 
15.19 	the election, the auditor must make a subsequent mailing of ballots to those voters who 
15.20 	register to vote after the initial mailing but before the 20th day before the election. 
15.21 	Eligible voters not registered at the time the ballots are mailed may apply for ballots as 
15.22 	provided in chapter 203B. Ballot return envelopes, with return postage provided, must 
15.23 	be preaddressed to the auditor or clerk and the voter may return the ballot by mail or in 
15.24 	person to the office of the auditor or clerk. The auditor or clerk must appoint a ballot board 
15.25 	to examine the mail and absentee ballot return envelopes and mark them "accepted" or 
15.26 	"rejected" within three days of receipt if there are 14 or fewer days before election day, or 
15.27 	within five days of receipt if there are more than 14 days before election day. The board 
15.28 	may consist of deputy county auditors or deputy municipal clerks who have received 
15.29 	training in the processing and counting of mail ballots, who need not be affiliated with 
15.30 	a major political party. Election judges performing the duties in this section must be of 
15.31 	different major political parties, unless they are exempt from that requirement under 
15.32 	section 205.075, subdivision 4, or section 205A.10. If an envelope has been rejected at 
15.33 	least five days before the election, the ballots in the envelope must remain sealed and the 
15.34 	auditor or clerk shall provide the voter with a replacement ballot and return envelope in 
15.35 	place of the spoiled ballot. If the ballot is rejected within five days of the election, the 
16.1 	envelope must remain sealed and the official in charge of the ballot board must attempt to 
16.2 	contact the voter by telephone or e-mail to notify the voter that the voter's ballot has been 
16.3 	rejected. The official must document the attempts made to contact the voter.
16.4 	If the ballot is accepted, the county auditor or municipal clerk must mark the roster to 
16.5 	indicate that the voter has already cast a ballot in that election. After the close of business 
16.6 	on the fourth seventh day before the election, the ballots from return envelopes marked 
16.7 	"Accepted" may be opened, duplicated as needed in the manner provided by section 206.86, 
16.8 	subdivision 5, initialed by the members of the ballot board, and deposited in the ballot box.
16.9 	In all other respects, the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law governing 
16.10 	deposit and counting of ballots apply.
16.11 	The mail and absentee ballots for a precinct must be counted together and reported 
16.12 	as one vote total. No vote totals from mail or absentee ballots may be made public before 
16.13 	the close of voting on election day.
16.14 	The costs of the mailing shall be paid by the election jurisdiction in which the voter 
16.15 	resides. Any ballot received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election must be counted.

16.16 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
16.17 		Subd. 2.Elections covered. For purposes of this section, "election" means a 
16.18 	regularly scheduled state primary or general election, an election to fill a vacancy in the 
16.19 	office of United States senator or United States representative, an election to fill a vacancy 
16.20 	in nomination for a constitutional office, or an election to fill a vacancy in the office of 
16.21 	state senator or state representative.

16.22 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.13, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
16.23 		Subd. 2.Voting booths. One of the election judges shall explain to the voter the 
16.24 	proper method of marking and folding the ballots and, during a primary election, the effect 
16.25 	of attempting to vote in more than one party's primary. Except as otherwise provided in 
16.26 	section 204C.15, the voter shall retire alone to an unoccupied voting booth or, at the 
16.27 	voter's discretion, the voter may choose to use another writing surface. The voter shall 
16.28 	mark the ballots without undue delay. The voter may take sample ballots into the booth to 
16.29 	assist in voting. The election judges may adopt and enforce reasonable rules governing the 
16.30 	amount of time a voter may spend in the voting booth marking ballots.

16.31 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
16.32 		Subd. 3.Marking ballots. The voter shall mark each ballot in the following manner:
17.1 	(a) A mark (X) shall be placed in the squareThe voter shall fill in the oval or similar 
17.2 	mark if a different target shape is used, opposite the printed name of each candidate for 
17.3 	whom the individual desires to vote, and in the squareoval or other target shape before the 
17.4 	"YES" "Yes" or "NO" "No" if the individual desires to vote for or against a question.
17.5 	(b) The voter may write in other names on the lines provided under the printed 
17.6 	names of the candidates, except that no names shall be written in on primary ballots.
17.7 	(c) At a state primary an individual may vote for candidates of only one major 
17.8 	political party on the partisan primary ballot. If a partisan primary ballot contains votes 
17.9 	for the candidates of more than one major political party, the ballot is totally defective and 
17.10 	no vote on the partisan section of the ballot shall be counted.
17.11 	(d) An individual who spoils a ballot may return it to the election judges and receive 
17.12 	another.

17.13 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.13, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
17.14 		Subd. 5.Deposit of ballots in ballot boxes box. The voter shall then withdraw 
17.15 	from the voting booth with the ballots and hand them to the election judge in charge of the 
17.16 	ballot boxes. That election judge shall and immediately deposit each ballot in the proper 
17.17 	ballot box. Ballots that have not been initialed by the election judges as provided in 
17.18 	section 204C.09, shall not be deposited in the ballot box.

17.19 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
17.20 		Subdivision 1. Physical assistance in marking ballots. A voter who claims a need 
17.21 	for assistance because of inability to read English or physical inability to mark a ballot 
17.22 	may obtain the aid of two election judges who are members of different major political 
17.23 	parties. The election judges shall mark the ballots as directed by the voter and in as secret 
17.24 	a manner as circumstances permit. A voter in need of assistance may alternatively obtain 
17.25 	the assistance of any individual the voter chooses. Only the following persons may not 
17.26 	provide assistance to a voter: the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, an 
17.27 	officer or agent of the voter's union, or a candidate for election. The person who assists the 
17.28 	voter shall, unaccompanied by an election judge, retire with that voter to a booth and mark 
17.29 	the ballot as directed by the voter. No person who assists another voter as provided in 
17.30 	the preceding sentence shall mark the ballots of more than three voters at one election. 
17.31 	Before the ballots are deposited, the voter may show them privately to an election judge to 
17.32 	ascertain that they are marked as the voter directed. An election judge or other individual 
17.33 	assisting a voter shall not in any manner request, persuade, induce, or attempt to persuade 
17.34 	or induce the voter to vote for any particular political party or candidate. The election 
18.1 	judges or other individuals who assist the voter shall not reveal to anyone the name of any 
18.2 	candidate for whom the voter has voted or anything that took place while assisting the voter.

18.3 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.22, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
18.4 		Subd. 3.Votes for too many candidates. If a voter places a mark (X) beside the 
18.5 	names of more candidates for an office than are to be elected or nominated, the ballot is 
18.6 	defective with respect only to that office. No vote shall be counted for any candidate for 
18.7 	that office, but the rest of the ballot shall be counted if possible. At a primary, if a voter 
18.8 	has not indicated a party preference and places a mark (X) beside the names of candidates 
18.9 	of more than one party on the partisan ballot, the ballot is totally defective and no votes on 
18.10 	it shall be counted. If a voter has indicated a party preference at a primary, only votes cast 
18.11 	for candidates of that party shall be counted.

18.12 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.22, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
18.13 		Subd. 4.Name written in proper place. If a voter has written the name of an 
18.14 	individual in the proper place on a general or special election ballot a vote shall be counted 
18.15 	for that individual whether or not the voter makes a mark (X) in the squareoval or other 
18.16 	target shape opposite the blank.

18.17 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.22, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
18.18 		Subd. 7.All written names or marks counted up to limit. If a number of 
18.19 	individuals are to be elected to the same office, the election judges shall count all names 
18.20 	written in and all printed names with (X) marks in squares oval or other target shape 
18.21 	opposite them, not exceeding the whole number to be elected. When fewer names than the 
18.22 	number to be elected are marked with an (X) or written in, only the marked or written in 
18.23 	names shall be counted. When more names than the number to be elected are marked or 
18.24 	written in, the ballot is defective with respect to that office and no vote shall be counted 
18.25 	for that office.

18.26 	Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.22, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
18.27 		Subd. 10.Different marks. If a voter uniformly uses a mark other than (X) which  
18.28 	that clearly indicates an intent to mark a name or to mark yes or no on a question, and the 
18.29 	voter does not use (X) the more standard mark anywhere else on the ballot, a vote shall 
18.30 	be counted for each candidate or response to a question marked. If a voter uses two or 
18.31 	more distinct marks, such as (X) and some other mark, a vote shall be counted for each 
19.1 	candidate or response to a question marked, unless the ballot is marked by distinguishing 
19.2 	characteristics that make the entire ballot defective as provided in subdivision 13.

19.3 	Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.35, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
19.4 		Subdivision 1.Publicly funded recounts. (a) In a state primary when the difference 
19.5 	between the votes cast for the candidates for nomination to:
19.6 	(1) a state legislative office is less than one-half of one percent of the total number of 
19.7 	votes counted for that nomination or is ten votes or less and the total number of votes cast 
19.8 	for the nomination is 400 votes or less; or
19.9 	(2) a statewide federal office, state constitutional office, statewide judicial office, 
19.10 	congressional office, or district judicial office is less than one-quarter of one percent of 
19.11 	the total number of votes counted for that nomination or is ten votes or less and the total 
19.12 	number of votes cast for the nomination is 400 votes or less;
19.13 	and the difference determines the nomination, the canvassing board with responsibility 
19.14 	for declaring the results for that office shall manually recount the vote upon receiving a 
19.15 	written request from the candidate whose nomination is in question.
19.16 	Immediately following the meeting of the board that has responsibility for 
19.17 	canvassing the results of the nomination, the filing officer must notify the candidate that 
19.18 	the candidate has the option to request a recount of the votes at no cost to the candidate. 
19.19 	This written request must be received by the filing officer no later than 48 hours 5:00 p.m. 
19.20 	on the second day  after the canvass of the primary for which the recount is being sought.
19.21 	(b) In a state general election when the difference between the votes of a candidate 
19.22 	who would otherwise be declared elected to:
19.23 	(1) a state legislative office is less than one-half of one percent of the total number of 
19.24 	votes counted for that office or is ten votes or less and the total number of votes cast for 
19.25 	the office is 400 votes or less; or
19.26 	(2) a statewide federal office, state constitutional office, statewide judicial office, 
19.27 	congressional office, or district judicial office and the votes of any other candidate for that 
19.28 	office is less than one-quarter of one percent of the total number of votes counted for that 
19.29 	office or is ten votes or less if the total number of votes cast for the office is 400 votes or less,
19.30 	the canvassing board shall manually recount the votes upon receiving a written request 
19.31 	from the candidate whose election is in question.
19.32 	Immediately following the meeting of the board that has responsibility for canvassing 
19.33 	the results of the general election, the filing officer must notify the candidate that the 
19.34 	candidate has the option to request a recount of the votes at no cost to the candidate. This 
20.1 	written request must be received by the filing officer no later than 48 hours 5:00 p.m. on 
20.2 	the second day  after the canvass of the election for which the recount is being sought.
20.3 	(c) A recount must not delay any other part of the canvass. The results of the recount 
20.4 	must be certified by the canvassing board as soon as possible.
20.5 	(d) Time for notice of a contest for an office which is recounted pursuant to this section 
20.6 	shall begin to run upon certification of the results of the recount by the canvassing board.

20.7 	Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.35, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
20.8 		Subd. 2.Discretionary candidate recounts. (a) A losing candidate whose 
20.9 	name was on the ballot for nomination or election to a statewide federal office, state 
20.10 	constitutional office, statewide judicial office, congressional office, state legislative office, 
20.11 	or district judicial office may request a recount in a manner provided in this section at the 
20.12 	candidate's own expense when the vote difference is greater than the difference required 
20.13 	by this section. The votes shall be manually recounted as provided in this section if the 
20.14 	candidate files a request during the time for filing notice of contest of the primary or 
20.15 	election for which a recount is sought.
20.16 	(b) The requesting candidate shall file with the filing officer a bond, cash, or surety in 
20.17 	an amount set by the filing officer for the payment of the recount expenses. The requesting 
20.18 	candidate is responsible for the following expenses: the compensation of the secretary of 
20.19 	state, or designees, and any election judge, municipal clerk, county auditor, administrator, 
20.20 	or other personnel who participate in the recount; necessary supplies and travel related to 
20.21 	the recount; the compensation of the appropriate canvassing board and costs of preparing 
20.22 	for the canvass of recount results; and any attorney fees incurred in connection with the 
20.23 	recount by the governing body responsible for the recount.
20.24 	(c) A discretionary recount of a primary must not delay delivery of the notice of 
20.25 	nomination to the winning candidate under section 204C.32.
20.26 	(d) The requesting candidate may provide the filing officer with a list of up to three 
20.27 	precincts that are to be recounted first and may waive the balance of the recount after these 
20.28 	precincts have been counted. If the candidate provides a list, the recount official must 
20.29 	determine the expenses for those precincts in the manner provided by paragraph (b).
20.30 	(e) The results of the recount must be certified by the canvassing board as soon as 
20.31 	possible.
20.32 	(d) (f) If the winner of the race is changed by the optional recount, the cost of the 
20.33 	recount must be paid by the jurisdiction conducting the recount.
20.34 	(e) (g) If a result of the vote counting in the manual recount is different from the 
20.35 	result of the vote counting reported on election day by a margin greater than the standard 
21.1 	for acceptable performance of voting systems provided in section 206.89, subdivision 4, 
21.2 	the cost of the recount must be paid by the jurisdiction conducting the recount.

21.3 	Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.36, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
21.4 		Subdivision 1.Publicly funded recounts. (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) 
21.5 	and (c), a losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school 
21.6 	district office may request a recount of the votes cast for the nomination or election to 
21.7 	that office if the difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for a winning 
21.8 	candidate for nomination or election is less than one-quarter of one percent of the total 
21.9 	votes counted for that office. In case of offices where two or more seats are being filled 
21.10 	from among all the candidates for the office, the one-quarter of one percent difference 
21.11 	is between the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with the most 
21.12 	votes from among the candidates who were not elected.
21.13 	(b) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school 
21.14 	district office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election to that 
21.15 	office if the difference between the votes cast for that candidate and for a winning 
21.16 	candidate for nomination or election is less than one-half of one percent, and the total 
21.17 	number of votes cast for the nomination or election of all candidates is more than 400 
21.18 	but less than 50,000. In cases of offices where two or more seats are being filled from 
21.19 	among all the candidates for the office, the one-half of one percent difference is between 
21.20 	the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with the most votes from 
21.21 	among the candidates who were not elected.
21.22 	(c) A losing candidate for nomination or election to a county, municipal, or school 
21.23 	district office may request a recount of the votes cast for nomination or election to that 
21.24 	office if the difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for a winning candidate 
21.25 	for nomination or election is ten votes or less, and the total number of votes cast for the 
21.26 	nomination or election of all candidates is no more than 400. In cases of offices where two 
21.27 	or more seats are being filled from among all the candidates for the office, the ten vote 
21.28 	difference is between the elected candidate with the fewest votes and the candidate with 
21.29 	the most votes from among the candidates who were not elected.
21.30 	(d) Candidates for county offices shall file a written request for the recount with the 
21.31 	county auditor. Candidates for municipal or school district offices shall file a written 
21.32 	request with the municipal or school district clerk as appropriate. All requests shall be 
21.33 	filed during the time for notice of contest of the primary or by 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day 
21.34 	after the canvass of a primary or special primary or by 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day of the 
21.35 	canvass of a special or general election for which a recount is sought.
22.1 	(e) Upon receipt of a request made pursuant to this section, the county auditor shall 
22.2 	recount the votes for a county office at the expense of the county, the governing body 
22.3 	of the municipality shall recount the votes for a municipal office at the expense of the 
22.4 	municipality, and the school board of the school district shall recount the votes for a 
22.5 	school district office at the expense of the school district.

22.6 	Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.36, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
22.7 		Subd. 2.Discretionary candidate recounts. (a) A losing candidate for nomination 
22.8 	or election to a county, municipal, or school district office may request a recount in the 
22.9 	manner provided in this section at the candidate's own expense when the vote difference is 
22.10 	greater than the difference required by subdivision 1, paragraphs (a) to (e). The votes shall 
22.11 	be manually recounted as provided in this section if the requesting candidate files with 
22.12 	the county auditor, municipal clerk, or school district clerk a bond, cash, or surety in an 
22.13 	amount set by the governing body of the jurisdiction or the school board of the school 
22.14 	district for the payment of the recount expenses.
22.15 	(b) The requesting candidate may provide the filing officer with a list of up to three 
22.16 	precincts that are to be recounted first and may waive the balance of the recount after these 
22.17 	precincts have been counted. If the candidate provides a list, the recount official must 
22.18 	determine the expenses for those precincts in the manner provided by paragraph (b).
22.19 	(c) A discretionary recount of a primary must not delay delivery of the notice of 
22.20 	nomination to the winning candidate under section 204C.32.
22.21 	(d) The results of the recount must be certified by the canvassing board as soon as 
22.22 	possible. 
22.23 	(e) If the winner of the race is changed by the optional recount, the cost of the 
22.24 	recount must be paid by the jurisdiction conducting the recount.
22.25 	(d) (f) If a result of the vote counting in the manual recount is different from the 
22.26 	result of the vote counting reported on election day by a margin greater than the standard 
22.27 	for acceptable performance of voting systems provided in section 206.89, subdivision 4, 
22.28 	the cost of the recount must be paid by the jurisdiction conducting the recount.

22.29 	Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.40, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
22.30 		Subd. 2.Time of issuance; certain offices. No certificate of election shall be issued 
22.31 	until seven days after the canvassing board has declared the result of the election. In case 
22.32 	of a contest, an election certificate shall not be issued until a court of proper jurisdiction 
22.33 	has finally determined the contest. This subdivision shall not apply to candidates elected 
22.34 	to the office of state senator or representative.

23.1 	Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204D.11, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
23.2 		Subd. 4.Special federal ballot. (a) The names of all candidates for the offices 
23.3 	of president and vice-president of the United States and senator and representative in 
23.4 	Congress shall be placed on a ballot that shall be known as the "special federal ballot."
23.5 	(b) This ballot shall be prepared by the county auditor in the same manner as the 
23.6 	state general election ballot and shall be subject to the rules adopted by the secretary of 
23.7 	state pursuant to subdivision 1. This ballot must be prepared and furnished in accordance 
23.8 	with the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, United States 
23.9 	Code, title 42, section 1973ff 52, sections 20301 to 20310.
23.10 	(c) The special federal ballot shall be the only ballot sent to citizens of the United 
23.11 	States who are eligible to vote by absentee ballot for federal candidates in Minnesota.

23.12 	Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204D.27, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
23.13 		Subd. 11.Certificate of legislative election. A certificate of election in a special 
23.14 	election for state senator or state representative shall be issued by the secretary of state to 
23.15 	the individual declared elected by the county or state canvassing board chief clerk of the 
23.16 	house or the secretary of the senate two days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, after 
23.17 	the appropriate canvassing board finishes canvassing the returns for the election.
23.18 	In case of a contest the certificate shall not be issued until the district court 
23.19 	determines the contest.

23.20 	Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 205.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
23.21 		Subd. 3.Filing fees. Unless the charter of a city provides the amount of the fee 
23.22 	for filing an application or affidavit of candidacy for city office (a) Except as otherwise 
23.23 	provided in this section, the filing fee for a municipal office is as follows:
23.24 	(a) (1) in first class cities, $20;
23.25 	(b)(2) in second and third class cities, $5; and
23.26 	(c)(3) in fourth class cities and towns, $2.
23.27 	(b) A home rule charter or statutory city may adopt, by ordinance, a filing fee of a 
23.28 	different amount not to exceed the following:
23.29 	(1) in first class cities, $80;
23.30 	(2) in second and third class cities, $40; and
23.31 	(3) in fourth class cities, $15.
23.32 	(c) A home rule charter city that sets filing fees by authority provided in city charter 
23.33 	is not subject to the fee limits in this section.

24.1 	Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 206.90, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
24.2 		Subd. 6.Ballots. In precincts using optical scan voting systems, a single ballot card 
24.3 	on which all ballot information is included must be printed in black ink on white colored 
24.4 	material except that marks not to be read by the automatic tabulating equipment may be 
24.5 	printed in another color ink. In state elections, a single ballot title must be used, as provided 
24.6 	in sections 204D.08, subdivision 6, and 204D.11, subdivision 1. In odd-numbered years 
24.7 	when both municipal and school district offices or questions appear on the ballot, the 
24.8 	single ballot title "City (or Town) and School District Ballot" must be used.
24.9 	On the front of the ballot must be printed the words "Official Ballot" and the date of 
24.10 	the election and lines for the initials of at least two election judges.
24.11 	When optical scan ballots are used, the offices to be elected must appear in the 
24.12 	following order: federal offices; state legislative offices; constitutional offices; proposed 
24.13 	constitutional amendments; county offices and questions; municipal offices and questions; 
24.14 	school district offices and questions; special district offices and questions; and judicial 
24.15 	offices.
24.16 	On optical scan ballots, the names of candidates and the words "yes" and "no" for 
24.17 	ballot questions must be printed as close to their corresponding vote targets as possible.
24.18 	The line on an optical scan ballot for write-in votes must contain the words "write-in, 
24.19 	if any."
24.20 	If a primary ballot contains both a partisan ballot and a nonpartisan ballot, the 
24.21 	instructions to voters must include a statement that reads substantially as follows: "THIS 
24.22 	BALLOT CARD CONTAINS A PARTISAN BALLOT AND A NONPARTISAN 
24.23 	BALLOT. ON THE PARTISAN BALLOT YOU ARE PERMITTED TO VOTE FOR 
24.24 	CANDIDATES OF ONE POLITICAL PARTY ONLY.""This ballot card contains a 
24.25 	partisan ballot and a nonpartisan ballot. On the partisan ballot you are permitted to vote for 
24.26 	candidates of one political party only." If a primary ballot contains political party columns 
24.27 	on both sides of the ballot, the instructions to voters must include a statement that reads 
24.28 	substantially as follows: "ADDITIONAL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE PRINTED ON 
24.29 	THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS BALLOT. VOTE FOR ONE POLITICAL PARTY ONLY." 
24.30 	"Additional political parties are printed on the other side of this ballot. Vote for one 
24.31 	political party only." At the bottom of each political party column on the primary ballot, 
24.32 	the ballot must contain a statement that reads substantially as follows: "CONTINUE 
24.33 	VOTING ON THE NONPARTISAN BALLOT.""Continue voting on the nonpartisan 
24.34 	ballot." The instructions in section 204D.08, subdivision 4, do not apply to optical scan 
24.35 	partisan primary ballots. Electronic ballot displays and audio ballot readers must follow 
25.1 	the order of offices and questions on the optical scan or paper ballot used in the same 
25.2 	precinct, or the sample ballot posted for that precinct.

25.3 	Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 209.021, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
25.4 		Subd. 2.Notice filed with court. If the contest relates to a nomination or 
25.5 	election for statewide office, the contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court 
25.6 	administrator of District Court in Ramsey County. For contests relating to any other office, 
25.7 	the contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court administrator of district court 
25.8 	in the county where the contestee resides.
25.9 	If the contest relates to a constitutional amendment or other question voted on 
25.10 	statewide, the contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court administrator 
25.11 	of District Court in Ramsey County. If the contest relates to any other question, the 
25.12 	contestant shall file the notice of contest with the court administrator of district court for 
25.13 	the county or any one of the counties where the question appeared on the ballot.

25.14 	Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 209.021, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
25.15 		Subd. 3.Notice served on parties. In all contests relating to the nomination or 
25.16 	election of a candidate, the notice of contest must be served on the candidate who is 
25.17 	the contestee, a copy of the notice must be sent to the contestee's last known address 
25.18 	by certified mail, and a copy must be furnished to the official authorized to issue the 
25.19 	certificate of election. If personal or substituted service on the contestee cannot be made, 
25.20 	an affidavit of the attempt by the person attempting to make service and the affidavit of 
25.21 	the person who sent a copy of the notice to the contestee by certified mail is sufficient to 
25.22 	confer jurisdiction upon the court to decide the contest.
25.23 	If the contest relates to a constitutional amendment or other question voted on 
25.24 	statewide or voted on in more than one county, notice of contest must be served on the 
25.25 	secretary of state, who is the contestee. If a contest relates to a question voted on within 
25.26 	only one county, school district, or municipality, a copy of the notice of contest must be 
25.27 	served on the county auditor, clerk of the school district, or municipal clerk, respectively, 
25.28 	who is the contestee. If the contest is upon the question of consolidation or reorganization 
25.29 	of a school district, a copy of the notice of contest must be served on the county auditor 
25.30 	authorized by law to issue the order.

25.31 	Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 209.09, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
25.32 		Subd. 2.Statewide offices and questions. Section 209.10, subdivision 4, applies to 
25.33 	a contest regarding a statewide office,or a constitutional amendment, or other question 
26.1 	voted on statewide. A copy of the Supreme Court's decision must be forwarded to the 
26.2 	contestant and the contestee.

26.3 	Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 365.22, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
26.4 		Subd. 2.Questions, ballot details. The questions to be voted on must be separately 
26.5 	stated on the ballots, as worded in section 365.21. Two squares ovals or similar target 
26.6 	shapes, one above the other, must be put just below each question with the word "yes" 
26.7 	beside the upper square target shape and the word "no" beside the lower square target shape.

26.8 	Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 365.22, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
26.9 		Subd. 3.Voting. An elector must vote separately on each question for the elector's 
26.10 	vote to be counted on that question. To vote "yes" on a question, the elector shall mark an 
26.11 	"X" in the square fill in the oval or similar target shape beside the word "yes" just below 
26.12 	the question. To vote "no" on a question, the elector shall mark an "X" in the square fill in 
26.13 	the oval or similar target shape beside the word "no" just below the question.

26.14 	Sec. 49. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 367.31, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
26.15 		Subd. 4.Election; form of ballot. The proposals for adoption of the options shall 
26.16 	be stated on the ballot substantially as follows:
26.17 	"Shall option A, providing for a five-member town board of supervisors, be adopted 
26.18 	for the government of the town?"
26.19 	"Shall option B, providing for the appointment of the clerk and treasurer by the town 
26.20 	board, be adopted for the government of the town?"
26.21 	"Shall option C, providing for the appointment of a town administrator by the town 
26.22 	board, be adopted for the government of the town?"
26.23 	"Shall option D, providing for combining the offices of clerk and treasurer, be 
26.24 	adopted for the government of the town?"
26.25 	If a proposal under option B is to appoint only the clerk or only the treasurer, or if it 
26.26 	is to appoint the combined clerk-treasurer following the adoption of option D or when 
26.27 	submitted simultaneously with the ballot question for option D, the ballot question shall be 
26.28 	varied to read appropriately. If an option B ballot question is submitted for the combined 
26.29 	clerk-treasurer office at the same election in which option D is also on the ballot, the 
26.30 	ballot must note that the approval of option B is contingent on the simultaneous approval 
26.31 	of option D. In any of these cases, the question shall be followed by the words "Yes" 
26.32 	and "No" with an appropriate square oval or similar target shape before each in which 
26.33 	an elector may record a choice.

27.1 	Sec. 50. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 368.85, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
27.2 		Subd. 4.Ballot. The town board shall provide ballots which shall read "Shall 
27.3 	the territory described in the resolution adopted by the town board on the ......... day of 
27.4 	............., ......., constitute a special fire protection district?" The question shall be followed 
27.5 	with a line with the word "Yes" and a square an oval or similar target shape after it and 
27.6 	another line with the word "No" and a square an oval or similar target shape after it. The 
27.7 	voters shall indicate their choice by placing a cross mark in one of the squares target 
27.8 	shapes, and a direction to so indicate their choice shall be printed on the ballot.

27.9 	Sec. 51. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 376.04, is amended to read:
27.10 	376.04 ELECTION, SEPARATE BALLOT.
27.11 	The question of purchasing and constructing hospital buildings shall be submitted 
27.12 	to the voters of any county at a general election and placed upon a separate ballot. This 
27.13 	election must be called by a resolution of the county board. The resolution must state the 
27.14 	time of the election, that a county hospital is proposed to be established, the proposed 
27.15 	location, and the cost, including equipment, for not more than the amount stated in the 
27.16 	resolution. When the resolutions are passed, the county auditor shall immediately notify 
27.17 	each town or city clerk in the county that the question of constructing hospital buildings 
27.18 	will be voted upon at the time stated in the resolution, in the manner provided under the 
27.19 	state election laws.
27.20 	The ballot must be in the following form:
27.21 	"For the purchase and construction of hospital buildings, including equipment, to 
27.22 	be located at ............... (state location), at a cost not more than .............. (state amount), 
27.23 	pursuant to the resolution of the board of county commissioners passed .................. (state 
27.24 	date).

27.25		Yes 
........		
27.26		No 
........	"
	
27.27 	To the left of each of the last two words, "yes" and "no," shall be followed by a 
27.28 	square in which the voter may indicate by a mark (X) either a negative or affirmative vote 
27.29 	printed an oval or similar target shape so that the voter may indicate by a mark either a 
27.30 	negative or affirmative vote. These votes shall be cast in the same manner as votes cast at 
27.31 	the general election and counted by the same officers. Returns must be made to the county 
27.32 	auditor, and canvassed in the same manner as the returns on county officers.

27.33 	Sec. 52. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 412.551, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
28.1 		Subd. 2.Form of ballot. The proposals for the adoption of optional plans shall be 
28.2 	stated on the ballot substantially as follows:
28.3 	"Shall Optional Plan A, modifying the standard plan of city government by 
28.4 	providing for the appointment by the council of the clerk and treasurer be adopted for the 
28.5 	government of the city?"
28.6 	"Shall Optional Plan B, providing for the council-manager form of city government, 
28.7 	be adopted for the government of the city?"
28.8 	If the city has combined the offices of clerk and treasurer, the word "clerk-treasurer" 
28.9 	shall be substituted for the words "clerk and treasurer" in the question on the ballot on 
28.10 	adoption of Optional Plan A. In any of these cases, the question shall be followed by the 
28.11 	words, "Yes" and "No" with an appropriate square before each in which a voter may 
28.12 	record a choice oval or similar target shape to the left of each word so that the voter may 
28.13 	indicate by a mark either a negative or affirmative vote.

28.14 	Sec. 53. ELECTIONS EMERGENCY PLANNING TASK FORCE.
 28.15 		Subdivision 1.Membership. (a) The Elections Emergency Planning Task Force 
28.16 	consists of the following members:
28.17 	(1) the director of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security 
28.18 	and Emergency Management, or designee;
28.19 	(2) the secretary of state, or designee;
28.20 	(3) one individual designated by the secretary of state, from the elections division in 
28.21 	the Office of the Secretary of State;
28.22 	(4) one individual appointed by the Minnesota State Council on Disability;
28.23 	(5) the Minnesota Adjutant General, or designee;
28.24 	(6) one county auditor, appointed by the Minnesota Association of County Officers;
28.25 	(7) one local professional emergency manager, appointed by the Association of 
28.26 	Minnesota Emergency Managers;
28.27 	(8) one town election official, appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships;
28.28 	(9) one city election official, appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities;
28.29 	(10) one school district election official, appointed by the Minnesota School Boards 
28.30 	Association;
28.31 	(11) one representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
28.32 	(12) one representative appointed by the minority leader of the house of 
28.33 	representatives;
28.34 	(13) one senator appointed by the senate majority leader; and
28.35 	(14) one senator appointed by the senate minority leader.
29.1 	(b) Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the appointing authority for the 
29.2 	vacating member.
29.3 	(c) Members shall be appointed by July 1, 2015.
29.4 		Subd. 2.Duties. The task force must research the following issues:
29.5 	(1) potential emergency scenarios that could impact elections;
29.6 	(2) current capacity and authority to address emergency situations;
29.7 	(3) potential direct and indirect costs of an emergency that disrupts elections;
29.8 	(4) maintaining ballot security in event of an emergency;
29.9 	(5) continuity of operations procedures; and
29.10 	(6) communications plans and key emergency contacts.
29.11 		Subd. 3.First meeting; chair. The secretary of state, or the secretary's designee, 
29.12 	must convene the initial meeting of the task force by August 1, 2015. The members of 
29.13 	the task force must elect a chair and vice-chair from the members of the task force at the 
29.14 	first meeting.
29.15 		Subd. 4.Compensation. Public members of the task force shall be compensated 
29.16 	pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.
29.17 		Subd. 5.Staff. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide staff 
29.18 	support, as needed, to facilitate the task force's work.
29.19 		Subd. 6.Report. The task force must submit a report by January 1, 2016, to the 
29.20 	chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the senate and house of 
29.21 	representatives with primary jurisdiction over elections, summarizing its findings and 
29.22 	listing recommendations for the development of elections emergency plans statewide. The 
29.23 	report shall include draft legislation to implement the recommendations of the task force.
29.24 		Subd. 7.Sunset. The task force shall sunset the day following the submission of the 
29.25 	report under subdivision 6, or January 1, 2016, whichever is earlier.

29.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

29.27 	Sec. 54.  REPEALER.
 29.28 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 123B.09, subdivision 5; 204B.14, subdivision 6; 
29.29 	204C.13, subdivision 4; 204C.30, subdivision 1; and 383A.555, are repealed.

29.30 	ARTICLE 2
29.31 	UNIFORM FAITHFUL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS ACT

29.32 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
30.1 		Subd. 2.Petitions for presidential electors and alternates. This subdivision 
30.2 	does not apply to candidates for presidential elector or alternate nominated by major 
30.3 	political parties. Major party candidates for presidential elector or alternate are certified 
30.4 	under section 208.03. Other presidential electors or alternates are nominated by petition 
30.5 	pursuant to this section. On petitions nominating presidential electors or alternates, the 
30.6 	names of the candidates for president and vice-president shall be added to the political 
30.7 	party or political principle stated on the petition. One petition may be filed to nominate a 
30.8 	slate of presidential electors equal in number to the number of electors to which the state 
30.9 	is entitled and an alternate for each elector nominee.

30.10 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 208.02, is amended to read:
30.11 	208.02 ELECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS AND ALTERNATES.
30.12 	Presidential electors and alternates shall be chosen at the state general election held 
30.13 	in the year preceding the expiration of the term of the president of the United States.

30.14 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 208.03, is amended to read:
30.15 	208.03 NOMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS AND 
30.16 	ALTERNATES.
30.17 	Presidential electors and alternates for the major political parties of this state shall be 
30.18 	nominated by delegate conventions called and held under the supervision of the respective 
30.19 	state central committees of the parties of this state. At least 71 days before the general 
30.20 	election day the chair of the major political party shall certify to the secretary of state 
30.21 	the names of the persons nominated as presidential electors, the names of eight persons 
30.22 	nominated as alternate presidential electors, and the names of the party candidates for 
30.23 	president and vice president. The chair shall also certify that the party candidates for 
30.24 	president and vice president have no affidavit on file as a candidate for any office in 
30.25 	this state at the ensuing general election.

30.26 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 208.06, is amended to read:
30.27 	208.06 ELECTORS AND ALTERNATES TO MEET AT STATE CAPITOL; 
30.28 	FILLING OF VACANCIES.
30.29 	The presidential electors and alternate presidential electors, before 12:00 M. on the 
30.30 	day before that fixed by Congress for the electors to vote for president and vice president 
30.31 	of the United States, shall notify the governor that they are at the State Capitol and ready 
30.32 	at the proper time to fulfill their duties as electors. The governor shall deliver to the 
31.1 	electors present a certificate of the names of all the electors. If any elector named therein 
31.2 	fails to appear before 9:00 a.m. on the day, and at the place, fixed for voting for president 
31.3 	and vice president of the United States, an alternate, chosen from among the alternates by 
31.4 	lot, shall be appointed to act for that elector. If more than eight alternates are necessary, 
31.5 	the electors present shall, in the presence of the governor, immediately elect by ballot a 
31.6 	person to fill the vacancy. If more than the number of persons required have the highest 
31.7 	and an equal number of votes, the governor, in the presence of the electors attending, shall 
31.8 	decide by lot which of those persons shall be elected The electors shall meet at 12:00 p.m. 
31.9 	in the executive chamber of the State Capitol and shall perform all the duties imposed 
31.10 	upon them as electors by the Constitution and laws of the United States and this state 
31.11 	in the manner provided in section 208.46.

31.12 	Sec. 5. [208.40] SHORT TITLE.
31.13 	Sections 208.40 to 208.48 may be cited as the "Uniform Faithful Presidential 
31.14 	Electors Act."

31.15 	Sec. 6. [208.41] DEFINITIONS.
31.16 	(a) The definitions in this section apply to sections 208.40 to 208.48.
31.17 	(b) "Cast" means accepted by the secretary of state in accordance with section 
31.18 	208.46, paragraph (b).
31.19 	(c) "Elector" means an individual selected as a presidential elector under this chapter.
31.20 	(d) "President" means the president of the United States.
31.21 	(e) "Unaffiliated presidential candidate" means a candidate for president who 
31.22 	qualifies for the general election ballot in this state by means other than nomination by a 
31.23 	political party.
31.24 	(f) "Vice president" means the vice president of the United States.

31.25 	Sec. 7. [208.42] DESIGNATION OF STATE'S ELECTORS.
31.26 	For each elector position in this state, a political party contesting the position, or 
31.27 	an unaffiliated presidential candidate, shall submit to the secretary of state the names of 
31.28 	two qualified individuals. One of the individuals must be designated "elector nominee" 
31.29 	and the other "alternate elector nominee."
31.30 	Except as otherwise provided in sections 208.44 to 208.47, this state's electors are 
31.31 	the winning elector nominees under the laws of this state.

31.32 	Sec. 8. [208.43] PLEDGE.
32.1 	Each elector nominee and alternate elector nominee of a political party shall execute 
32.2 	the following pledge: "If selected for the position of elector, I agree to serve and to mark 
32.3 	my ballots for president and vice president for the nominees for those offices of the party 
32.4 	that nominated me." Each elector nominee and alternate elector nominee of an unaffiliated 
32.5 	presidential candidate shall execute the following pledge: "If selected for the position 
32.6 	of elector as a nominee of an unaffiliated presidential candidate, I agree to serve and 
32.7 	to mark my ballots for that candidate and for that candidate's vice-presidential running 
32.8 	mate." The executed pledges must accompany the submission of the corresponding names 
32.9 	to the secretary of state.

32.10 	Sec. 9. [208.44] CERTIFICATION OF ELECTORS.
32.11 	In submitting this state's certificate of ascertainment as required by United States 
32.12 	Code, title 3, section 6, the governor shall certify this state's electors and state in the 
32.13 	certificate that:
32.14 	(1) the electors will serve as electors unless a vacancy occurs in the office of elector 
32.15 	before the end of the meeting at which elector votes are cast, in which case a substitute 
32.16 	elector will fill the vacancy; and
32.17 	(2) if a substitute elector is appointed to fill a vacancy, the governor will submit an 
32.18 	amended certificate of ascertainment stating the names on the final list of this state's 
32.19 	electors.

32.20 	Sec. 10. [208.45] PRESIDING OFFICER; ELECTOR VACANCY.
32.21 	(a) The secretary of state shall preside at the meeting of electors described in section 
32.22 	208.06.
32.23 	(b) The position of an elector not present to vote is vacant. The secretary of state 
32.24 	shall appoint an individual as a substitute elector to fill a vacancy as follows:
32.25 	(1) if the alternate elector is present to vote, by appointing the alternate elector 
32.26 	for the vacant position;
32.27 	(2) if the alternate elector for the vacant position is not present to vote, by appointing 
32.28 	an elector chosen by lot from among the alternate electors present to vote who were 
32.29 	nominated by the same political party or unaffiliated presidential candidate;
32.30 	(3) if the number of alternate electors present to vote is insufficient to fill any 
32.31 	vacant position pursuant to clauses (1) and (2), by appointing any immediately available 
32.32 	individual who is qualified to serve as an elector and chosen through nomination by a 
32.33 	plurality vote of the remaining electors, including nomination and vote by a single elector 
32.34 	if only one remains;
33.1 	(4) if there is a tie between at least two nominees for substitute elector in a vote 
33.2 	conducted under clause (3), by appointing an elector chosen by lot from among those 
33.3 	nominees; or
33.4 	(5) if all elector positions are vacant and cannot be filled pursuant to clauses (1) to 
33.5 	(4), by appointing a single presidential elector, with remaining vacant positions to be filled 
33.6 	under clause (3) and, if necessary, clause (4).
33.7 	(c) To qualify as a substitute elector under paragraph (b), an individual who has not 
33.8 	executed the pledge required under section 208.43 shall execute the following pledge: "I 
33.9 	agree to serve and to mark my ballots for president and vice president consistent with the 
33.10 	pledge of the individual to whose elector position I have succeeded."

33.11 	Sec. 11. [208.46] ELECTOR VOTING.
33.12 	(a) At the time designated for elector voting in section 208.06, and after all vacant 
33.13 	positions have been filled under section 208.45, the secretary of state shall provide each 
33.14 	elector with a presidential and a vice-presidential ballot. The elector shall mark the 
33.15 	elector's presidential and vice-presidential ballots with the elector's votes for the offices 
33.16 	of president and vice president, respectively, along with the elector's signature and the 
33.17 	elector's legibly printed name.
33.18 	(b) Except as otherwise provided by law of this state other than this chapter, each 
33.19 	elector shall present both completed ballots to the secretary of state, who shall examine 
33.20 	the ballots and accept as cast all ballots of electors whose votes are consistent with their 
33.21 	pledges executed under section 208.43 or 208.45, paragraph (c). Except as otherwise 
33.22 	provided by law of this state other than this chapter, the secretary of state may not accept 
33.23 	and may not count either an elector's presidential or vice-presidential ballot if the elector 
33.24 	has not marked both ballots or has marked a ballot in violation of the elector's pledge.
33.25 	(c) An elector who refuses to present a ballot, presents an unmarked ballot, or 
33.26 	presents a ballot marked in violation of the elector's pledge executed under section 208.43 
33.27 	or 208.45, paragraph (c), vacates the office of elector, creating a vacant position to be 
33.28 	filled under section 208.45.
33.29 	(d) The secretary of state shall distribute ballots to and collect ballots from a 
33.30 	substitute elector and repeat the process under this section of examining ballots, declaring 
33.31 	and filling vacant positions as required, and recording appropriately completed ballots from 
33.32 	the substituted electors, until all of this state's electoral votes have been cast and recorded.

33.33 	Sec. 12. [208.47] ELECTOR REPLACEMENT; ASSOCIATED CERTIFICATES.
34.1 	(a) After the vote of this state's electors is completed, if the final list of electors 
34.2 	differs from any list that the governor previously included on a certificate of ascertainment 
34.3 	prepared and transmitted under United States Code, title 3, section 6, the secretary of state 
34.4 	immediately shall prepare an amended certificate of ascertainment and transmit it to 
34.5 	the governor for the governor's signature.
34.6 	(b) The governor immediately shall deliver the signed amended certificate of 
34.7 	ascertainment to the secretary of state and a signed duplicate original of the amended 
34.8 	certificate of ascertainment to all individuals entitled to receive this state's certificate of 
34.9 	ascertainment, indicating that the amended certificate of ascertainment is to be substituted 
34.10 	for the certificate of ascertainment previously submitted.
34.11 	(c) The secretary of state shall prepare a certificate of vote. The electors on the final 
34.12 	list shall sign the certificate. The secretary of state shall process and transmit the signed 
34.13 	certificate with the amended certificate of ascertainment under United States Code, title 
34.14 	3, sections 9, 10, and 11.

34.15 	Sec. 13. [208.48] UNIFORMITY OF APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
34.16 	In applying and construing sections 208.40 to 208.48, consideration must be given 
34.17 	to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to their subject matter among 
34.18 	states that enact the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act or similar law.

34.19 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 209.01, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
34.20 		Subd. 2.Statewide office. For purposes of this chapter, "statewide office" means the 
34.21 	office of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor, secretary of state, 
34.22 	chief justice or associate justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, 
34.23 	United States senator, or presidential elector or alternate.

34.24 	Sec. 15.  REPEALER.
 34.25 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 208.07; and 208.08, are repealed.

34.26 	ARTICLE 3
34.27 	VOTER REGISTRATION

34.28 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 13.607, is amended by adding a 
34.29 	subdivision to read:
34.30 		Subd. 9.Data derived from driver's license applications. Data on an application 
34.31 	for a driver's license, a Minnesota identification card, or an instruction permit transferred 
35.1 	to the secretary of state that are provided by a person whom the secretary of state 
35.2 	determines is not eligible to vote are governed by section 201.161.

35.3 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.054, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
35.4 		Subdivision 1.Registration. (a) An individual may register to vote:
35.5 	(1) at any time before the 20th day preceding any election as provided in section 
35.6 	201.061, subdivision 1;
35.7 	(2) on the day of an election as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 3; or
35.8 	(3) when submitting an absentee ballot, by enclosing a completed registration 
35.9 	application as provided in section 203B.04, subdivision 4.
35.10 	(b) An individual who is under the age of 18, but who is at least 16 years of age and 
35.11 	otherwise eligible, may submit an application to register to vote as provided in section 
35.12 	201.061, subdivisions 1 and 1b.

35.13 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.054, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
35.14 		Subd. 2.Prohibitions; penalty. No individual shall intentionally:
35.15 	(a) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered in any precinct if 
35.16 	the individual is not eligible to vote, except as permitted by section 201.061, subdivisions 
35.17 	1 and 1b;
35.18 	(b) cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered for the purpose of 
35.19 	voting in more than one precinct;
35.20 	(c) misrepresent the individual's identity when attempting to register to vote; or
35.21 	(d) aid, abet, counsel, or procure any other individual to violate this subdivision.
35.22 	A violation of this subdivision is a felony.

35.23 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.061, is amended by adding a subdivision 
35.24 	to read:
35.25 		Subd. 1b.Preregistration. An individual who is under the age of 18, but who is 
35.26 	at least 16 years of age and meets all requirements for eligibility contained in section 
35.27 	201.014, except for age, may submit an application to register in which the voter maintains 
35.28 	residence by completing a voter registration pursuant to subdivision 1. Nothing in this 
35.29 	section shall be construed to entitle an individual to cast a ballot at an election if the 
35.30 	individual does not meet all eligibility requirements for voting, including age.

35.31 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
36.1 		Subdivision 1.Form. Both paper and electronic voter registration applications must 
36.2 	contain the same information unless otherwise provided by law. A voter registration 
36.3 	application must contain spaces for the following required information: voter's first name, 
36.4 	middle name, and last name; voter's previous name, if any; voter's current address; voter's 
36.5 	previous address, if any; voter's date of birth; voter's municipality and county of residence; 
36.6 	voter's telephone number, if provided by the voter; date of registration; current and valid 
36.7 	Minnesota driver's license number or Minnesota state identification number, or if the voter 
36.8 	has no current and valid Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota state identification, the 
36.9 	last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; and voter's signature. The paper 
36.10 	registration application may include the voter's e-mail address, if provided by the voter. 
36.11 	The electronic voter registration application must include the voter's e-mail address. The 
36.12 	registration application may include the voter's interest in serving as an election judge, 
36.13 	if indicated by the voter. The application must also contain the following certification 
36.14 	of voter eligibility:
36.15 	"I certify that I:
36.16 	(1) will be at least 18 years old onelection day am at least sixteen years old and 
36.17 	understand that I must be at least eighteen years old to be eligible to vote;
36.18 	(2) am a citizen of the United States;
36.19 	(3) will have resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding election day;
36.20 	(4) maintain residence at the address given on the registration form;
36.21 	(5) am not under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes my 
36.22 	right to vote;
36.23 	(6) have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote;
36.24 	(7) have the right to vote because, if I have been convicted of a felony, my felony 
36.25 	sentence has expired (been completed) or I have been discharged from my sentence am 
36.26 	not currently incarcerated for a felony offense; and
36.27 	(8) have read and understand the following statement: that giving false information 
36.28 	is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more 
36.29 	than $10,000, or both."
36.30 	The certification must include boxes for the voter to respond to the following 
36.31 	questions:
36.32 	"(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?" and
36.33 	"(2) Will you be 18 years old on or before election day?"
36.34 	"(2) Are you at least 16 years of age and will you be at least 18 years of age on the 
36.35 	day of the election in which you intend to vote?"
36.36 	And the instruction:
37.1 	"If you checked 'no' to either of these questions, do not complete this form."
37.2 	A paper voter registration application must be of suitable size and weight for 
37.3 	mailing. The form of the voter registration application and the certification of voter 
37.4 	eligibility must be as provided in this subdivision and approved by the secretary of state. 
37.5 	Voter registration forms authorized by the National Voter Registration Act must also be 
37.6 	accepted as valid. The federal postcard application form must also be accepted as valid if 
37.7 	it is not deficient and the voter is eligible to register in Minnesota.
37.8 	An individual may use a voter registration application to apply to register to vote in 
37.9 	Minnesota or to change information on an existing registration.

37.10 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.091, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
37.11 		Subd. 4.Public information lists. The county auditor shall make available for 
37.12 	inspection a public information list which must contain the name, address, year of birth, 
37.13 	and voting history of each registered voter in the county who is at least 18 years of age. 
37.14 	The telephone number must be included on the list if provided by the voter. The public 
37.15 	information list may also include information on voting districts. The county auditor 
37.16 	may adopt reasonable rules governing access to the list. No individual inspecting the 
37.17 	public information list shall tamper with or alter it in any manner. No individual who 
37.18 	inspects the public information list or who acquires a list of registered voters prepared 
37.19 	from the public information list may use any information contained in the list for purposes 
37.20 	unrelated to elections, political activities, or law enforcement. The secretary of state may 
37.21 	provide copies of the public information lists and other information from the statewide 
37.22 	registration system for uses related to elections, political activities, or in response to a 
37.23 	law enforcement inquiry from a public official concerning a failure to comply with any 
37.24 	criminal statute or any state or local tax statute.
37.25 	Before inspecting the public information list or obtaining a list of voters or other 
37.26 	information from the list, the individual shall provide identification to the public official 
37.27 	having custody of the public information list and shall state in writing that any information 
37.28 	obtained from the list will not be used for purposes unrelated to elections, political 
37.29 	activities, or law enforcement. Requests to examine or obtain information from the public 
37.30 	information lists or the statewide registration system must be made and processed in the 
37.31 	manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state.
37.32 	Upon receipt of a statement signed by the voter that withholding the voter's name 
37.33 	from the public information list is required for the safety of the voter or the voter's family, 
37.34 	the secretary of state and county auditor must withhold from the public information list the 
37.35 	name of a registered voter.

38.1 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.161, is amended to read:
38.2 	201.161 AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION OF DRIVER'S LICENSE, 
38.3 	INSTRUCTION PERMIT, AND IDENTIFICATION CARD APPLICATIONS 
38.4 	APPLICANTS.
38.5 		Subdivision 1.Automatic registration. An individual who properly completes 
38.6 	an application for a new or renewed Minnesota driver's license, instruction permit, or 
38.7 	identification card, and who is eligible to vote under section 201.014, must be registered to 
38.8 	vote as provided in this section, unless the applicant declines to be registered.
38.9 		Subd. 2.Applications. The Department commissioner of public safety, in 
38.10 	consultation with the secretary of state, shall change its the applications for an original, 
38.11 	duplicate, or change of address driver's license, instruction permit, or identification card so 
38.12 	that the forms may also serve as voter registration applications. The forms must contain 
38.13 	spaces for all information collected by voter registration applications prescribed by the 
38.14 	secretary of state and a box for the applicant to decline to be registered to vote. Applicants 
38.15 	for driver's licenses or identification cards must be asked if they want to register to vote at 
38.16 	the same time and that Unless the applicant has declined to be registered to vote or has 
38.17 	provided an address other than the applicant's address of residence under section 171.12, 
38.18 	subdivision 7, paragraph (d), the commissioner shall transmit the information must be 
38.19 	transmitted at least weekly daily by electronic means to the secretary of state. Pursuant 
38.20 	to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252, the computerized driver's 
38.21 	license record containing the voter's name, address, date of birth, citizenship, driver's 
38.22 	license number or state identification number, county, town, and city or town must be 
38.23 	made available for access by the secretary of state and interaction with the statewide 
38.24 	voter registration system.
38.25 		Subd. 3.Registration. (a) The secretary of state shall determine whether the 
38.26 	applicant is currently registered in the statewide voter registration system. For each 
38.27 	currently registered voter whose registration is not changed, the secretary of state shall 
38.28 	update the voter's registration date in the statewide voter registration system. For each 
38.29 	currently registered voter whose registration is changed, the secretary of state shall 
38.30 	transmit the registration daily by electronic means to the county auditor of the county 
38.31 	where the voter resides.
38.32 	(b) If the applicant is not currently registered in the statewide voter registration 
38.33 	system, the secretary of state shall determine whether the applicant is 18 years of age or 
38.34 	older and a citizen of the United States and compare the voter registration information 
38.35 	received from the commissioner of public safety with the information on wards, 
38.36 	incompetents, and felons received from the state court administrator under section 201.15, 
39.1 	and with data received from the commissioner of corrections under section 201.157, to 
39.2 	determine whether the applicant is eligible to vote. If an applicant is less than 18 years 
39.3 	of age, the secretary of state shall wait until the applicant has turned 18 years of age to 
39.4 	determine whether the applicant is eligible to vote. For each applicant the secretary of 
39.5 	state determines is an eligible voter, the secretary of state shall transmit the registration 
39.6 	daily by electronic means to the county auditor of the county where the voter resides.
39.7 	(c) Any data on applicants who the secretary determines are not eligible to vote are 
39.8 	private data on individuals, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12.
39.9 		Subd. 4.Notice. Upon receipt of the registration, the county auditor shall mail to 
39.10 	the voter the notice of registration required by section 201.121, subdivision 2.
39.11 		Subd. 5.Effective date.  An application for registration that is dated during the 20 
39.12 	days before an election in any jurisdiction within which the voter resides is not effective 
39.13 	until the day after the election.

39.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. An applicant for a Minnesota driver's license, instruction 
39.15 	permit, or identification card must not be registered to vote under this section until the 
39.16 	commissioner of public safety has certified that the department's systems have been tested 
39.17 	and can accurately provide the necessary data, and the secretary of state has certified that 
39.18 	the system for automatic registration of those applicants has been tested and is capable of 
39.19 	properly determining whether an applicant is eligible to vote.

39.20 	ARTICLE 4
39.21 	RESTORATION OF RIGHT TO VOTE

39.22 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.014, is amended by adding a 
39.23 	subdivision to read:
39.24 		Subd. 2a.Felony conviction; restoration of civil right to vote. An individual 
39.25 	convicted of a felony has the civil right to vote restored when the individual completes 
39.26 	any incarceration imposed and executed by the court for the offense, and during any other 
39.27 	period following conviction in which the individual is not incarcerated. If the individual 
39.28 	is later incarcerated for the same offense, the individual's civil right to vote is lost only 
39.29 	during the period of incarceration.

39.30 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.12, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
39.31 		Subd. 2.Moved within state. If any nonforwardable mailing from an election 
39.32 	official is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address in this state, 
39.33 	the county auditor may change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide registration 
40.1 	system and shall transmit a copy of the mailing to the auditor of the county in which the 
40.2 	new address is located. If an election is scheduled to occur in the precinct in which the voter 
40.3 	resides in the next 47 days, the county auditor shall promptly update the voter's address in 
40.4 	the statewide voter registration system. If there is not an election scheduled, the auditor 
40.5 	may wait to update the voter's address until after the next list of address changes is received 
40.6 	from the secretary of state. Once updated, the county auditor shall mail to the voter a notice 
40.7 	stating the voter's name, address, precinct, and polling place, except that if the voter's 
40.8 	record is challenged due to incarceration for a felony conviction offense, noncitizenship, 
40.9 	name change, incompetence, or a court's revocation of voting rights of individuals under 
40.10 	guardianship, the auditor must not mail the notice. The notice must advise the voter that 
40.11 	the voter's voting address has been changed and that the voter must notify the county 
40.12 	auditor within 21 days if the new address is not the voter's address of residence. The notice 
40.13 	must state that it must be returned if it is not deliverable to the voter at the named address.

40.14 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.12, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
40.15 		Subd. 3.Moved out of state. If any nonforwardable mailing from an election 
40.16 	official is returned as undeliverable but with a permanent forwarding address outside this 
40.17 	state, the county auditor shall promptly mail to the voter at the voter's new address a 
40.18 	notice advising the voter that the voter's status in the statewide voter registration system 
40.19 	will be changed to "inactive" unless the voter notifies the county auditor within 21 days 
40.20 	that the voter is retaining the former address as the voter's address of residence. If the 
40.21 	voter's record is challenged due to incarceration for a felony conviction offense, lack of 
40.22 	United States citizenship, legal incompetence, or court-ordered revocation of voting rights 
40.23 	of persons under guardianship, the county auditor must not mail this notice. If the notice is 
40.24 	not received by the deadline, the county auditor shall change the voter's status to "inactive" 
40.25 	in the statewide voter registration system.

40.26 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
40.27 		Subd. 3.Use of change of address system. (a) At least once each month the 
40.28 	secretary of state shall obtain a list of individuals registered to vote in this state who have 
40.29 	filed with the United States Postal Service a change of their permanent address. The 
40.30 	secretary of state may also periodically obtain a list of individuals with driver's licenses or 
40.31 	state identification cards to identify those who are registered to vote who have applied to 
40.32 	the Department of Public Safety for a replacement driver's license or state identification 
40.33 	card with a different address, and a list of individuals for whom the Department of Public 
40.34 	Safety received notification of a driver's license or state identification card cancellation 
41.1 	due to a change of residency out of state. However, the secretary of state shall not load 
41.2 	data derived from these lists into the statewide voter registration system within the 47 days 
41.3 	before the state primary or 47 days before a November general election.
41.4 	(b) If the address is changed to another address in this state, the secretary of state 
41.5 	shall locate the precinct in which the voter resides, if possible. If the secretary of state 
41.6 	is able to locate the precinct in which the voter resides, the secretary must transmit the 
41.7 	information about the changed address by electronic means to the county auditor of the 
41.8 	county in which the new address is located. For addresses for which the secretary of 
41.9 	state is unable to determine the precinct, the secretary may forward information to the 
41.10 	appropriate county auditors for individual review. If the voter has not voted or submitted a 
41.11 	voter registration application since the address change, upon receipt of the information, the 
41.12 	county auditor shall update the voter's address in the statewide voter registration system. 
41.13 	The county auditor shall mail to the voter a notice stating the voter's name, address, 
41.14 	precinct, and polling place, unless the voter's record is challenged due to incarceration 
41.15 	for a felony conviction offense, noncitizenship, name change, incompetence, or a court's 
41.16 	revocation of voting rights of individuals under guardianship, in which case the auditor 
41.17 	must not mail the notice. The notice must advise the voter that the voter's voting address 
41.18 	has been changed and that the voter must notify the county auditor within 21 days if the 
41.19 	new address is not the voter's address of residence. The notice must state that it must be 
41.20 	returned if it is not deliverable to the voter at the named address.
41.21 	(c) If the change of permanent address is to an address outside this state, the secretary 
41.22 	of state shall notify by electronic means the auditor of the county where the voter formerly 
41.23 	resided that the voter has moved to another state. If the voter has not voted or submitted a 
41.24 	voter registration application since the address change, the county auditor shall promptly 
41.25 	mail to the voter at the voter's new address a notice advising the voter that the voter's status 
41.26 	in the statewide voter registration system will be changed to "inactive" unless the voter 
41.27 	notifies the county auditor within 21 days that the voter is retaining the former address 
41.28 	as the voter's address of residence, except that if the voter's record is challenged due to 
41.29 	incarceration for a felony conviction offense, noncitizenship, name change, incompetence, 
41.30 	or a court's revocation of voting rights of individuals under guardianship, the auditor must 
41.31 	not mail the notice. If the notice is not received by the deadline, the county auditor shall 
41.32 	change the voter's status to "inactive" in the statewide voter registration system.
41.33 	(d) If, in order to maintain voter registration records, the secretary of state enters 
41.34 	an agreement to share information or data with an organization governed exclusively by 
41.35 	a group of states, the secretary must first determine that the data security protocols are 
41.36 	sufficient to safeguard the information or data shared. If required by such an agreement, 
42.1 	the secretary of state may share the following data from the statewide voter registration 
42.2 	system and data released to the secretary of state under section 171.12, subdivision 7a:
42.3 	(1) name;
42.4 	(2) date of birth;
42.5 	(3) address;
42.6 	(4) driver's license or state identification card number;
42.7 	(5) the last four digits of an individual's Social Security number; and
42.8 	(6) the date that an individual's record was last updated.
42.9 	If the secretary of state enters into such an agreement, the secretary and county auditors 
42.10 	must process changes to voter records based upon that data in accordance with this section. 
42.11 	Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, when data is shared with the secretary of 
42.12 	state by another state, the secretary of state must maintain the same data classification that 
42.13 	the data had while it was in the possession of the state providing the data.

42.14 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.14, is amended to read:
42.15 	201.14 COURT ADMINISTRATOR OF DISTRICT COURT; REPORT 
42.16 	CHANGES OF NAMES.
42.17 	The state court administrator shall regularly report by electronic means to the 
42.18 	secretary of state the name, address, and, if available, driver's license or state identification 
42.19 	card number of each individual, 18 years of age or over, whose name was changed since 
42.20 	the last report, by marriage, divorce, or any order or decree of the court. The secretary of 
42.21 	state shall determine if any of the persons in the report are registered to vote under their 
42.22 	previous name and shall prepare a list of those registrants for each county auditor. Upon 
42.23 	receipt of the list, the county auditor shall make the change in the voter's record and mail 
42.24 	to the voter the notice of registration required by section 201.121, subdivision 2. A notice 
42.25 	must not be mailed if the voter's record is challenged due to incarceration for a felony 
42.26 	conviction offense, lack of United States citizenship, legal incompetence, or court-ordered 
42.27 	revocation of voting rights of persons under guardianship.

42.28 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.157, is amended to read:
42.29 	201.157 USE OF DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS DATA.
42.30 	(a) The commissioner of corrections shall make electronic data available to the 
42.31 	secretary of state on individuals 18 years of age or older who are currently: incarcerated in 
42.32 	a state correctional facility.
42.33 	(1) serving felony sentences under the commissioner's jurisdiction; or
43.1 	(2) on probation for felony offenses that would result in the loss of civil rights, as 
43.2 	indicated by the statewide supervision system established under section 241.065.
43.3 	The data must include the name, date of birth, last known residential address that is 
43.4 	not a correctional facility, and, if available, corrections' state identification number, and 
43.5 	the driver's license or state identification card number, and, if an individual has completed 
43.6 	the sentence, the date of discharge.
43.7 	(b) The secretary of state must determine if any data newly indicates that:
43.8 	(1) an individual with an active voter registration in the statewide voter registration 
43.9 	system is currently serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction or is 
43.10 	on probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil rights incarcerated 
43.11 	in a state correctional facility and the individual's voter record does not already have a 
43.12 	challenged status due to a felony conviction;
43.13 	(2) an individual with an active voter registration in the statewide voter registration 
43.14 	system who is currently serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction 
43.15 	or who is on probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil rights 
43.16 	incarcerated in a state correctional facility appears to have registered to vote or to have 
43.17 	voted during a period when the individual's civil rights were revoked; and
43.18 	(3) an individual with a voter record that has a challenged status due to a felony 
43.19 	conviction who was serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction 
43.20 	or who has been on probation for a felony offense that would result in the loss of civil 
43.21 	rights has been discharged from a sentence.
43.22 	The secretary of state shall prepare a list of the registrants included under clause (1), 
43.23 	(2), or (3) for each county auditor. For individuals under clause (1), the county auditor 
43.24 	shall challenge the individual's record in the statewide voter registration system. The 
43.25 	county auditor must provide information to the county attorney about individuals under 
43.26 	clause (2) for the county attorney's investigation. For individuals under clause (3), the 
43.27 	county auditor must determine if the challenge status should be removed from the voter 
43.28 	record for the individual, and if so, must remove the challenge.
43.29 	The secretary of state must make the required determinations and provide the 
43.30 	required lists to the county auditors at least monthly.
43.31 	For each state general election that occurs prior to the statewide voter registration 
43.32 	system being programmed to generate lists as required by this section, the secretary of 
43.33 	state must make the determination and provide lists to the county auditors between 30 and 
43.34 	60 days before the election and again between six and ten weeks after the election. In the 
43.35 	year following that state election, the secretary of state must make this determination and 
43.36 	provide lists to the county auditors again as part of the annual list maintenance.

44.1 	Sec. 7. [201.276] DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF STATE; INFORMATION 
44.2 	ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS.
44.3 	The secretary of state shall develop accurate and complete information in a single 
44.4 	publication about the voting rights of people who have been charged with or convicted of 
44.5 	a crime. The secretary of state must make this publication available electronically to the 
44.6 	state court administrator for distribution to judges, court personnel, probation officers, 
44.7 	and the Department of Corrections for distribution to corrections officials, parole and 
44.8 	supervised release agents, and the public. The secretary of state must make the publication 
44.9 	available to the public on the Office of the Secretary of State's Web site.

44.10 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.08, subdivision 1d, is amended to read:
44.11 		Subd. 1d.Voter's Bill of Rights. The county auditor shall prepare and provide to 
44.12 	each polling place sufficient copies of a poster setting forth the Voter's Bill of Rights as set 
44.13 	forth in this section. Before the hours of voting are scheduled to begin, the election judges 
44.14 	shall post it in a conspicuous location or locations in the polling place. The Voter's Bill 
44.15 	of Rights is as follows:
44.16 	"VOTER'S BILL OF RIGHTS
44.17 	For all persons residing in this state who meet federal voting eligibility requirements:
44.18 	(1) You have the right to be absent from work for the purpose of voting in a state 
44.19 	or, federal, or regularly scheduled election without reduction to your pay, personal leave, 
44.20 	or vacation time on election day for the time necessary to appear at your polling place, 
44.21 	cast a ballot, and return to work.
44.22 	(2) If you are in line at your polling place any time before 8:00 p.m., you have the 
44.23 	right to vote.
44.24 	(3) If you can provide the required proof of residence, you have the right to register 
44.25 	to vote and to vote on election day.
44.26 	(4) If you are unable to sign your name, you have the right to orally confirm your 
44.27 	identity with an election judge and to direct another person to sign your name for you.
44.28 	(5) You have the right to request special assistance when voting.
44.29 	(6) If you need assistance, you may be accompanied into the voting booth by a 
44.30 	person of your choice, except by an agent of your employer or union or a candidate.
44.31 	(7) You have the right to bring your minor children into the polling place and into 
44.32 	the voting booth with you.
44.33 	(8) If you have been convicted of a felony but your felony sentence has expired 
44.34 	(been completed) or you have been discharged from your sentence, You have the right to 
45.1 	vote, even if you have been convicted of a felony, if you are not currently incarcerated for 
45.2 	the felony offense.
45.3 	(9) If you are under a guardianship, you have the right to vote, unless the court 
45.4 	order revokes your right to vote.
45.5 	(10) You have the right to vote without anyone in the polling place trying to 
45.6 	influence your vote.
45.7 	(11) If you make a mistake or spoil your ballot before it is submitted, you have the 
45.8 	right to receive a replacement ballot and vote.
45.9 	(12) You have the right to file a written complaint at your polling place if you are 
45.10 	dissatisfied with the way an election is being run.
45.11 	(13) You have the right to take a sample ballot into the voting booth with you.
45.12 	(14) You have the right to take a copy of this Voter's Bill of Rights into the voting 
45.13 	booth with you."

45.14 	Sec. 9. [243.205] NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF RIGHT TO VOTE.
45.15 		Subdivision 1.Correctional facilities; designation of official. The chief executive 
45.16 	officer of each state and local correctional facility shall designate an official within the 
45.17 	facility to provide the notice required under this section to persons to whom the civil right to 
45.18 	vote is restored by reason of the persons' release from actual incarceration. The official shall 
45.19 	maintain an adequate supply of voter registration informational materials for this purpose.
45.20 		Subd. 2.Notice requirement. A notice of restoration of the civil right to vote must 
45.21 	be provided as follows:
45.22 	(1) the chief executive officer of each state and local correctional facility shall 
45.23 	provide the notice to a person being released from the facility following incarceration for a 
45.24 	felony-level offense; and
45.25 	(2) a probation officer or supervised release agent shall provide the notice to all 
45.26 	individuals under correctional supervision for a felony-level offense.
45.27 		Subd. 3.Form of notice. The notice required by subdivision 2 must appear 
45.28 	substantially as follows:
45.29 	"NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
45.30 	Your receipt of this notice today means that your right to vote in Minnesota has been 
45.31 	restored. Before you can vote on election day, you still need to register to vote and you 
45.32 	must satisfy all other voter eligibility criteria. To register, you may complete a voter 
45.33 	registration application and return it to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. You 
45.34 	may also register to vote in your polling place on election day. You will not be permitted 
46.1 	to cast a ballot until you register to vote. The first time you appear at your polling place to 
46.2 	cast a ballot, you may be required to provide proof of your current residence."
46.3 		Subd. 4.Failure to provide notice. A failure to provide proper notice as required 
46.4 	by this section does not prevent the restoration of the person's civil right to vote.

46.5 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 609.165, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
46.6 		Subdivision 1.Restoration. (a) When a person has been deprived of civil rights by 
46.7 	reason of conviction of a crime and is thereafter discharged, such discharge shall restore the 
46.8 	person to all civil rights and to full citizenship, with full right to vote and hold office, the 
46.9 	same as if such conviction had not taken place, and the order of discharge shall so provide.
46.10 	(b) Section 201.014, subdivision 2a, governs the restoration of voting rights for 
46.11 	persons whose right to vote has been lost due to a felony conviction.

46.12 	Sec. 11.  REPEALER.
 46.13 	Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 201.155; and 201.275, are repealed.

46.14 	Sec. 12. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 46.15 	This article is effective August 1, 2015, and applies to elections held on or after that 
46.16 	date. Notices required to be provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 243.205, must be 
46.17 	provided to individuals released from incarceration on or after August 1, 2015.

46.18 	ARTICLE 5
46.19 	EARLY VOTING

46.20 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 201.022, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
46.21 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The secretary of state shall maintain a statewide 
46.22 	voter registration system to facilitate voter registration and to provide a central database 
46.23 	containing voter registration information from around the state. The system must be 
46.24 	accessible to the county auditor of each county in the state. The system must also:
46.25 	(1) provide for voters to submit their voter registration applications to any county 
46.26 	auditor, the secretary of state, or the Department of Public Safety;
46.27 	(2) provide for the definition, establishment, and maintenance of a central database 
46.28 	for all voter registration information;
46.29 	(3) provide for entering data into the statewide registration system;
46.30 	(4) provide for electronic transfer of completed voter registration applications from 
46.31 	the Department of Public Safety to the secretary of state or the county auditor;
46.32 	(5) assign a unique identifier to each legally registered voter in the state;
47.1 	(6) provide for the acceptance of the Minnesota driver's license number, Minnesota 
47.2 	state identification number, and last four digits of the Social Security number for each 
47.3 	voter record;
47.4 	(7) coordinate with other agency databases within the state;
47.5 	(8) allow county auditors and the secretary of state to add or modify information in 
47.6 	the system to provide for accurate and up-to-date records;
47.7 	(9) allow county auditors, municipal and school district clerks, and the secretary 
47.8 	of state to have electronic access to the statewide registration system for review and 
47.9 	search capabilities;
47.10 	(10) provide security and protection of all information in the statewide registration 
47.11 	system and ensure that unauthorized access is not allowed;
47.12 	(11) provide access to municipal clerks to use the system;
47.13 	(12) provide a system for each county to identify the precinct to which a voter 
47.14 	should be assigned for voting purposes;
47.15 	(13) provide daily reports accessible by county auditors on the driver's license 
47.16 	numbers, state identification numbers, or last four digits of the Social Security numbers 
47.17 	submitted on voter registration applications that have been verified as accurate by the 
47.18 	secretary of state; and
47.19 	(14) provide reports on the number of absentee ballots transmitted to and returned 
47.20 	and cast by voters under section 203B.16.; and
47.21 	(15) provide reports necessary for early voting.
47.22 	The appropriate state or local official shall provide security measures to prevent 
47.23 	unauthorized access to the computerized list established under section 201.021.

47.24 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.001, is amended to read:
47.25 	203B.001 ELECTION LAW APPLICABILITY.
47.26 	The Minnesota Election Law is applicable to voting by absentee ballot and early 
47.27 	voting unless otherwise provided in this chapter.

47.28 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.01, is amended by adding a subdivision 
47.29 	to read:
47.30 		Subd. 5.Early voting. "Early voting" means voting in person before election 
47.31 	day at a polling place designated as provided in section 203B.33 during the time period 
47.32 	provided in section 203B.31.

47.33 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
48.1 		Subdivision 1.Violation. No individual shall intentionally:
48.2 	(a) (1) make or sign any false certificate required by this chapter;
48.3 	(b) (2) make any false or untrue statement in any application for absentee ballots;
48.4 	(c) (3) apply for absentee ballots or cast an early ballot more than once in any 
48.5 	election with the intent to cast an illegal ballot;
48.6 	(d) (4) exhibit a ballot marked by that individual to any other individual;
48.7 	(e) (5) do any act in violation of the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of 
48.8 	casting an illegal vote in any precinct or for the purpose of aiding another to cast an 
48.9 	illegal vote;
48.10 	(f) (6) use information from absentee ballot or early voting materials or records for 
48.11 	purposes unrelated to elections, political activities, or law enforcement;
48.12 	(g) (7) provide assistance to an absentee or early voter except in the manner provided 
48.13 	by section 204C.15, subdivision 1;
48.14 	(h) (8) solicit the vote of an absentee or early voter while in the immediate presence 
48.15 	of the voter during the time the individual knows the absentee or early voter is voting; or
48.16 	(i) (9) alter an absentee ballot application after it has been signed by the voter, 
48.17 	except by an election official for administrative purposes.
48.18 	Before inspecting information from absentee ballot or early voting materials or 
48.19 	records, an individual shall provide identification to the public official having custody of 
48.20 	the material or information.

48.21 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
48.22 		Subdivision 1.Generally. The full-time clerk of any city or town shall administer 
48.23 	the provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 if:
48.24 	(1) the county auditor of that county has designated the clerk to administer them; or
48.25 	(2) the clerk has given the county auditor of that county notice of intention to 
48.26 	administer them.
48.27 	The designation or notice must specify whether the clerk will be responsible for the 
48.28 	administration of a ballot board as provided in section 203B.121.
48.29 	A clerk of a city that is located in more than one county may only administer the 
48.30 	provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 and 203B.30 to 203B.35 if the clerk has been 
48.31 	designated by each of the county auditors or has provided notice to each of the county 
48.32 	auditors that the city will administer absentee voting. A clerk may only administer 
48.33 	the provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15and 203B.30 to 203B.35 if the clerk 
48.34 	has technical capacity to access the statewide voter registration system in the secure 
48.35 	manner prescribed by the secretary of state. The secretary of state must identify hardware, 
49.1 	software, security, or other technical prerequisites necessary to ensure the security, 
49.2 	access controls, and performance of the statewide voter registration system. A clerk 
49.3 	must receive training approved by the secretary of state on the use of the statewide voter 
49.4 	registration system before administering this section. A clerk may not use the statewide 
49.5 	voter registration system until the clerk has received the required training. The county 
49.6 	auditor must notify the secretary of state of any municipal clerk who will be administering 
49.7 	the provisions of this section and the duties that the clerk will administer.

49.8 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.081, is amended to read:
49.9 	203B.081 LOCATIONS FOR ABSENTEE VOTING IN PERSON.
49.10 	(a) An eligible voter may vote by absentee ballot in the office of the county auditor 
49.11 	and at any other polling place designated by the county auditor during the 46 days before 
49.12 	the election, except as provided in this section.
49.13 	(b) Voters casting absentee ballots in person for a town election held in March 
49.14 	may do so during the 30 days before the election. The county auditor shall make such 
49.15 	designations at least 14 weeks before the election. At least one voting booth in each 
49.16 	polling place must be made available by the county auditor for this purpose. The county 
49.17 	auditor must also make available at least one electronic ballot marker in each polling place 
49.18 	that has implemented a voting system that is accessible for individuals with disabilities 
49.19 	pursuant to section 206.57, subdivision 5.
49.20 	(c) No voter may vote by absentee ballot in person during the period designated for 
49.21 	early voting, as provided in section 203B.31.

49.22 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.085, is amended to read:
49.23 	203B.085 COUNTY AUDITOR'S AND MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICES TO 
49.24 	REMAIN OPEN DURING CERTAIN HOURS PRECEDING ELECTION.
49.25 	The county auditor's office in each county and the clerk's office in each city or 
49.26 	town authorized under section 203B.05 to administer absentee balloting must be open 
49.27 	for acceptance of absentee ballot applications and casting of absentee ballots from 8:00 
49.28 	a.m. to 12:00 noon on the day immediately preceding a federal, state, or county election, 
49.29 	unless that day falls on a Sunday. When performing the duties of the county auditor in 
49.30 	an election not held in conjunction with a federal, state, or county election, the clerk's 
49.31 	office must be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on the 
49.32 	day immediately preceding a primary, special, or general election unless that day falls 
49.33 	on a Saturday or Sunday. Town clerks' offices must be open for absentee voting from 
49.34 	10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on the Saturday before a town general election held in March. 
50.1 	The school district clerk, when performing the county auditor's election duties, need not 
50.2 	comply with this section.

50.3 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
50.4 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; applicable laws. (a) The governing body of each 
50.5 	county, municipality, and school district with responsibility to accept and reject absentee 
50.6 	ballots or to administer early voting must, by ordinance or resolution, establish a ballot 
50.7 	board. The board must consist of a sufficient number of election judges trained in the 
50.8 	handling of absentee ballots and, administration of early voting, and the use of the statewide 
50.9 	voter registration system. The members must be appointed as provided in sections 204B.19
50.10 	to 204B.22. The board may include deputy county auditors or deputy city clerks who have 
50.11 	received training in the processing and counting of absentee and early voting ballots.
50.12 	(b) Each jurisdiction must pay a reasonable compensation to each member of that 
50.13 	jurisdiction's ballot board for services rendered during an election.
50.14 	(c) Except as otherwise provided by this section, all provisions of the Minnesota 
50.15 	Election Law apply to a ballot board.

50.16 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, is amended by adding a 
50.17 	subdivision to read:
50.18 		Subd. 2a.Duties of ballot board; early voting. The members of the ballot board 
50.19 	shall administer the process of early voting as prescribed in section 203B.35, and shall 
50.20 	make a record of voters who cast ballots early and count those ballots as provided in 
50.21 	subdivisions 3 and 5.

50.22 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
50.23 		Subd. 3.Record of voting. (a) When applicable, the county auditor or municipal 
50.24 	clerk must immediately record that a voter's absentee ballot has been accepted or that the 
50.25 	voter has cast a ballot pursuant to the early voting procedures provided in this chapter. A 
50.26 	voter whose record indicates that the voter has cast an early ballot must not be permitted 
50.27 	to cast another ballot in that election. After the close of business on the seventh day before 
50.28 	the election day prior to the beginning of the early voting period as provided in section 
50.29 	203B.31, a voter whose record indicates that an absentee ballot has been accepted must 
50.30 	not be permitted to cast another ballot at that election. In a state primary, general, or state 
50.31 	special election for federal or,  state, or county office, the auditor or clerk must also record 
50.32 	this information in the statewide voter registration system.
51.1 	(b) The roster must be marked, and a supplemental report of absentee and early 
51.2 	voters who submitted a voter registration application with their ballot must be created, no 
51.3 	later than the start of voting on election day to indicate the voters that have already cast a 
51.4 	ballot at the election. The roster may be marked either:
51.5 	(1) by the county auditor or municipal clerk before election day;
51.6 	(2) by the ballot board before election day; or
51.7 	(3) by the election judges at the polling place on election day.
51.8 	The record of a voter whose absentee ballot was received after the close of business 
51.9 	on the seventh day before the election is not required to be marked on the roster or 
51.10 	contained in a supplemental report as required by this paragraph.

51.11 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
51.12 		Subd. 4.Opening of envelopes. After the close of business on the seventh day 
51.13 	before the election day prior to the beginning of the early voting period as provided in 
51.14 	section 203B.31, the ballots from return envelopes marked "Accepted" may be opened, 
51.15 	duplicated as needed in the manner provided in section 206.86, subdivision 5, initialed by 
51.16 	the members of the ballot board, and deposited in the appropriate ballot box. If more than 
51.17 	one ballot is enclosed in the ballot envelope, the ballots must be returned in the manner 
51.18 	provided by section 204C.25 for return of spoiled ballots, and may not be counted.

51.19 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 203B.121, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
51.20 		Subd. 5.Storage and counting of absentee and early voting ballots. (a) On a 
51.21 	day on which absentee  or early voting ballots are inserted into a ballot box, two members 
51.22 	of the ballot board must:
51.23 	(1) remove the ballots from the ballot box at the end of the day;
51.24 	(2) without inspecting the ballots, ensure that the number of ballots removed from 
51.25 	the ballot box is equal to the number of voters  who cast early votes and whose absentee 
51.26 	ballots were accepted that day; and
51.27 	(3) seal and secure all voted and unvoted ballots present in that location at the end 
51.28 	of the day.
51.29 	(b) After the polls have closed on election day, two members of the ballot board 
51.30 	must count the ballots, tabulating the vote in a manner that indicates each vote of the voter 
51.31 	and the total votes cast for each candidate or question. In state primary and state general 
51.32 	elections, the results must indicate the total votes cast for each candidate or question in 
51.33 	each precinct and report the vote totals tabulated for each precinct. The count must be 
51.34 	recorded on a summary statement in substantially the same format as provided in section 
52.1 	204C.26. The ballot board shall submit at least one completed summary statement to the 
52.2 	county auditor or municipal clerk. The county auditor or municipal clerk may require 
52.3 	the ballot board to submit a sufficient number of completed summary statements to 
52.4 	comply with the provisions of section 204C.27, or the county auditor or municipal clerk 
52.5 	may certify reports containing the details of the ballot board summary statement to the 
52.6 	recipients of the summary statements designated in section 204C.27.
52.7 	In state primary and state general elections, these vote totals shall be added to the 
52.8 	vote totals on the summary statements of the returns for the appropriate precinct. In other 
52.9 	elections, these vote totals may be added to the vote totals on the summary statement of 
52.10 	returns for the appropriate precinct or may be reported as a separate total.
52.11 	The count shall be public. No vote totals from ballots may be made public before the 
52.12 	close of voting on election day.
52.13 	(c) In addition to the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b), if the task has not been 
52.14 	completed previously, the members of the ballot board must verify as soon as possible, but 
52.15 	no later than 24 hours after the end of the hours for voting, that voters whose absentee 
52.16 	ballots arrived after the rosters were marked or supplemental reports were generated 
52.17 	and whose ballots were accepted did not vote in person on election day. An absentee 
52.18 	ballot submitted by a voter who has voted in person on election day must be rejected. All 
52.19 	other accepted absentee ballots must be opened, duplicated if necessary, and counted by 
52.20 	members of the ballot board. The vote totals from these ballots must be incorporated into 
52.21 	the totals with the other absentee ballots and handled according to paragraph (b).

52.22 	Sec. 13. [203B.30] EARLY VOTING; APPLICABILITY.
52.23 		Subdivision 1.Federal, state, and county elections. Any eligible voter may vote in 
52.24 	person for every primary, special, and general election for a federal, state, or county office 
52.25 	prior to the date of the election, in the manner provided in sections 203B.30 to 203B.35.
52.26 		Subd. 2.Municipal and school district elections. (a) Subject to the requirements 
52.27 	in paragraph (b), for municipal or school district elections not held in conjunction with a 
52.28 	federal, state, or county election, the municipality or school district may authorize eligible 
52.29 	voters to vote in the manner provided in sections 203B.30 to 203B.35 upon resolution of 
52.30 	the governing body of the municipality or school district. The resolution must be adopted 
52.31 	at least 74 days before the election. A home rule charter city may alternatively provide for 
52.32 	authorization pursuant to this subdivision in the city's charter.
52.33 	(b) A municipality or school district may only authorize voting under sections 
52.34 	203B.30 to 203B.35 if the municipal or school district clerk has the technical capacity 
52.35 	to access the statewide voter registration system in the secure manner prescribed by the 
53.1 	secretary of state. The secretary of state must identify hardware, software, security, 
53.2 	or other technical prerequisites necessary to ensure the security, access controls, and 
53.3 	performance of the statewide voter registration system. The clerk must receive training 
53.4 	approved by the secretary of state on the use of the statewide voter registration system 
53.5 	before administering voting authorized under this paragraph. The clerk may not use the 
53.6 	statewide voter registration system until the clerk has received the required training.

53.7 	Sec. 14. [203B.31] TIME PERIOD FOR EARLY VOTING.
53.8 	In elections where early voting is required or authorized under section 203B.30, early 
53.9 	voting must be available from 15 days before the election through 5:00 p.m. on the third 
53.10 	day before the election. All voters in line at 5:00 p.m. on the third day before the election 
53.11 	must be allowed to vote in the same manner as provided in section 204C.05, subdivision 2.

53.12 	Sec. 15. [203B.32] HOURS FOR EARLY VOTING.
53.13 	Early voting must be available between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on 
53.14 	each weekday during the time period provided in section 203B.31, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 
53.15 	p.m. on at least one weekday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the two Saturdays 
53.16 	before the election. For a primary election, early voting polling places are not required to 
53.17 	be open on the first Saturday of the early voting period.

53.18 	Sec. 16. [203B.33] LOCATIONS FOR EARLY VOTING; POLLING PLACE 
53.19 	REQUIREMENTS.
53.20 		Subdivision 1.Locations. Early voting must be made available at: (1) the county 
53.21 	auditor's office; (2) at the municipal clerk's office in every municipality that has been 
53.22 	delegated the responsibility to administer absentee voting as provided in section 203B.05; 
53.23 	and (3) at any other location designated by the county auditor or municipal clerk at least 
53.24 	90 days before the election.
53.25 		Subd. 2.Requirements for polling places. (a) At least one voting station and one 
53.26 	ballot marking device for disabled voters must be made available in each polling place.
53.27 	(b) The county auditor must make an electronic voting system available in each 
53.28 	polling place.
53.29 	(c) Each polling place must have access to the statewide voter registration system in 
53.30 	a manner that allows election judges to enter data into the system from the polling place.

53.31 	Sec. 17. [203B.34] NOTICE TO VOTERS.
54.1 	The county auditor must prepare a notice to the voters of the days, times, and 
54.2 	locations for early voting. At least 14 days before the first day for early voting, the 
54.3 	notice must be posted on the county's Web site and the Web site for each municipality in 
54.4 	the county where an early voting location is designated for the election. If a county or 
54.5 	municipality does not have a Web site, the county auditor or municipal clerk must publish 
54.6 	the notice at least once in the jurisdiction's official newspaper at least seven days and not 
54.7 	more than 14 days before the first day for early voting.

54.8 	Sec. 18. [203B.35] PROCEDURES FOR EARLY VOTING.
54.9 		Subdivision 1.Voting procedure. (a) Before an individual is allowed to sign the 
54.10 	polling place roster or a voter signature certificate, a ballot board member must access the 
54.11 	statewide voter registration system to determine if the individual has cast a ballot in the 
54.12 	election. If the individual has already cast a ballot in the election, the voter must not be 
54.13 	allowed to sign the polling place roster or a voter signature certificate, and the individual 
54.14 	must not be given a ballot. If the individual has not already cast a ballot in the election, 
54.15 	the voter shall sign the polling place roster or a voter signature certificate as provided in 
54.16 	section 204C.10. An individual who is not registered to vote must register in the manner 
54.17 	provided in section 201.061, subdivision 3.
54.18 	(b) After the voter has signed the polling place roster or a voter signature certificate, 
54.19 	a member of the ballot board must provide a ballot to the voter. As soon as possible, after 
54.20 	a ballot is provided to a voter, a ballot board member must indicate in the statewide voter 
54.21 	registration system that the voter has cast a ballot in the election. Ballots must be prepared 
54.22 	and distributed by members of the ballot board in the manner provided in section 204C.09. 
54.23 	The voter must mark the ballot and deposit it in either a precinct count voting system or a 
54.24 	sealed ballot box. A voter may not leave the polling place with the ballot.
54.25 		Subd. 2.Processing of ballots. Ballots cast pursuant to sections 203B.30 to 
54.26 	203B.35 must be processed and counted as provided in section 203B.121, subdivision 2a.

54.27 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.28, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
54.28 		Subd. 2.Election supplies; duties of county auditors and clerks. (a) Except as 
54.29 	otherwise provided for absentee ballots in this section and in section 204B.35, subdivision 
54.30 	4, the county auditor shall complete the preparation of the election materials for which 
54.31 	the auditor is responsible at least four days before every state primary and state general 
54.32 	election. At any time after all election materials are available from the county auditor 
54.33 	but not later than four days before the election each municipal clerk shall secure from 
54.34 	the county auditor:
55.1 	(a) (1) the forms that are required for the conduct of the election;
55.2 	(b) (2) any printed voter instruction materials furnished by the secretary of state;
55.3 	(c) (3) any other instructions for election officers; and
55.4 	(d) (4) a sufficient quantity of the official ballots, registration files, envelopes for 
55.5 	ballot returns, and other supplies and materials required for each precinct in order to 
55.6 	comply with the provisions of the Minnesota Election Law. The county auditor may 
55.7 	furnish the election supplies to the municipal clerks in the same manner as the supplies are 
55.8 	furnished to precincts in unorganized territory pursuant to section 204B.29, subdivision 1.
55.9 	(b) At least one day prior to the beginning of the early voting period, as provided in 
55.10 	section 203B.31, the county auditor must prepare and make available election materials 
55.11 	for early voting to city clerks designated to administer early voting under section 203B.05.

55.12 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204C.10, is amended to read:
55.13 	204C.10 PERMANENT REGISTRATION; VERIFICATION OF 
55.14 	REGISTRATION.
55.15 	(a) An individual seeking to vote shall sign a polling place roster or voter signature 
55.16 	certificate which states that the individual:
55.17 	(1)  is at least 18 years of age,;
55.18 	(2) a citizen of the United States,;
55.19 	(3) has resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election,;
55.20 	(4) maintains residence at the address shown,;
55.21 	(5) is not under a guardianship in which the court order revokes the individual's 
55.22 	right to vote,;
55.23 	(6)  has not been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent to vote or has 
55.24 	the right to vote because,;
55.25 	(7)if the individual was convicted of a felony, the felony sentence has expired or 
55.26 	been completed or the individual has been discharged from the sentence, is not currently 
55.27 	incarcerated for a felony offense;
55.28 	(8) is registered; and
55.29 	(9) has not already voted in the election. 
55.30 	The roster and voter signature certificate must also state: "I understand that deliberately 
55.31 	providing false information is a felony punishable by not more than five years 
55.32 	imprisonment and a fine of not more than $10,000, or both."
55.33 	(b)  An individual voting early under section 203B.30 must sign the roster or a voter 
55.34 	signature certificate that meets the additional requirements of this paragraph. In addition 
55.35 	to the content required under paragraph (a), the roster or voter signature certificate must 
56.1 	also state: "I understand that after I have cast my ballot today, I cannot vote again in 
56.2 	this election."
56.3 	(c) All of the text contained within the quotation marks in paragraphs (a) and (b) 
56.4 	must be in bold type on rosters or voter signature certificates provided to individuals 
56.5 	voting as provided in section 203B.30.
56.6 	(d) A judge may, before the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate, 
56.7 	confirm the applicant's name, address, and date of birth.
56.8 	(c) (e) After the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate, the judge 
56.9 	shall give the applicant a voter's receipt. The voter shall deliver the voter's receipt to the 
56.10 	judge in charge of ballots as proof of the voter's right to vote, and thereupon the judge 
56.11 	shall hand to the voter the ballot. The voters' receipts must be maintained during the 
56.12 	time for notice of filing an election contest.

56.13 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 206.82, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
56.14 		Subdivision 1.Program. A program or programs for use in an election conducted 
56.15 	by means of an electronic voting system or using an electronic ballot marker shall be 
56.16 	prepared at the direction of the county auditor or municipal clerk who is responsible for 
56.17 	the conduct of the election and shall be independently verified by a competent person 
56.18 	designated by that official. The term "competent person" as used in this section means a 
56.19 	person who can demonstrate knowledge as a computer programmer and who is other than 
56.20 	and wholly independent of any person operating or employed by the counting center or the 
56.21 	corporation or other preparer of the program. A test deck prepared by a competent person 
56.22 	shall be used for independent verification of the program; it shall test the maximum digits 
56.23 	used in totaling the returns and shall be usable by insertion during the tabulation process 
56.24 	as well as prior to tabulation. A test deck must also be prepared using the electronic ballot 
56.25 	marker program and must also be used to verify that all valid votes counted by the vote 
56.26 	tabulator may be selected using the electronic ballot marker. The computer program for 
56.27 	any election and an exact duplicate of the program for use as backup must be completed 
56.28 	and delivered to the election jurisdiction or the county auditor in charge of a common 
56.29 	central counting center at least 27 days prior to the election. The secretary of state shall 
56.30 	adopt rules further specifying test procedures.

56.31 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 206.83, is amended to read:
56.32 	206.83 TESTING OF VOTING SYSTEMS.
56.33 	Within 14 daysNo sooner than 22 days before election day and no later than 16 days 
56.34 	before election day, the official in charge of elections shall have the voting system tested 
57.1 	to ascertain that the system will correctly mark ballots using all methods supported by the 
57.2 	system, including through assistive technology, and count the votes cast for all candidates 
57.3 	and on all questions. Public notice of the time and place of the test must be given at least 
57.4 	two days in advance by publication once in official newspapers. The test must be observed 
57.5 	by at least two election judges, who are not of the same major political party, and must be 
57.6 	open to representatives of the political parties, candidates, the press, and the public. The 
57.7 	test must be conducted by (1) processing a preaudited group of ballots punched or marked 
57.8 	to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each question, 
57.9 	and must include for each office one or more ballot cards which have votes in excess of 
57.10 	the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the voting system tabulator and 
57.11 	electronic ballot marker to reject those votes; and (2) processing an additional test deck 
57.12 	of ballots marked using the electronic ballot marker for the precinct, including ballots 
57.13 	marked using the electronic ballot display, audio ballot reader, and any assistive voting 
57.14 	technology used with the electronic ballot marker. If any error is detected, the cause must 
57.15 	be ascertained and corrected and an errorless count must be made before the voting system 
57.16 	may be used in the election. After the completion of the test, the programs used and ballot 
57.17 	cards must be sealed, retained, and disposed of as provided for paper ballots.

57.18 	Sec. 23. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICABILITY.
 57.19 	(a) This article is effective when the secretary of state makes the certification 
57.20 	required in paragraph (b), and applies to elections held after the effective date or August 1, 
57.21 	2015, whichever is later.
57.22 	(b) The secretary of state shall certify that:
57.23 	(1) the statewide voter registration system has been tested and shown to properly 
57.24 	allow for the tracking of the information required to conduct early voting, and can handle 
57.25 	the expected volume of use; and
57.26 	(2) precinct count voting equipment that can tabulate at least 30 different ballot 
57.27 	styles has been certified for use in this state.

57.28 	ARTICLE 6
57.29 	REDISTRICTING

57.30 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 103C.311, subdivision 2, is amended to 
57.31 	read:
57.32 		Subd. 2.Supervisors elected by districts. (a) A district board in the seven-county 
57.33 	metropolitan area shall by resolution provide that supervisors will be elected by supervisor 
57.34 	districts as provided in this subdivision.
58.1 	(b) A district board outside of the seven-county metropolitan area, with the approval 
58.2 	of the state board, may by resolution provide that supervisors will be elected by supervisor 
58.3 	districts as provided in this subdivision.
58.4 	(c) The supervisor districts must be composed of precincts established by county 
58.5 	and municipal governing bodies under section 204B.14. The districts must be compact, 
58.6 	include only contiguous territory, and be substantially equal in population. The districts 
58.7 	must be numbered in a regular series. The districts must be drawn by the county board 
58.8 	of the county containing the largest area of the soil and water conservation district, 
58.9 	in consultation with the district board and with the approval of the state board. The 
58.10 	boundaries of the districts must be redrawn after each decennial federal census as provided 
58.11 	in section 204B.135. A certified copy of the resolution establishing supervisor districts 
58.12 	must be filed by the chair of the district board with the county auditor of the counties 
58.13 	where the soil and water conservation district is located, with the state board, and with 
58.14 	the secretary of state, and the filings must occur within 80 days of the time when the 
58.15 	legislature has been redistricted or at least 15 weeks before the state primary election in a 
58.16 	year ending in two, whichever comes first.
58.17 	(d) Each supervisor district is entitled to elect one supervisor. A supervisor must be 
58.18 	a resident of the district from which elected.
58.19 	(e) The district board shall provide staggered terms for supervisors elected by 
58.20 	district. After each redistricting, there shall be a new election of supervisors in all the 
58.21 	districts at the next general election, except that if the change made in the boundaries of a 
58.22 	district is less than five percent of the average population of all the districts, the supervisor 
58.23 	in office at the time of the redistricting shall serve for the full term for which elected. The 
58.24 	district board shall determine by lot the seats to be filled for a two-year term, a four-year 
58.25 	term, and a six-year term.
58.26 	(f) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
58.27 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

58.28 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 204B.145, is amended to read:
58.29 	204B.145 DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF STATE; REDISTRICTING.
58.30 		Subdivision 1.Exchange of information. Following the completion of legislative 
58.31 	redistricting, the secretary of state may coordinate and facilitate the exchange of 
58.32 	information between the legislative redistricting computer system, the statewide voter 
58.33 	registration system, and a computer system developed to assist the counties, municipalities, 
58.34 	and school districts in redrawing election districts and establishing election precincts.
59.1 		Subd. 2.Corrections information transfer. (a) In each year in which the federal 
59.2 	decennial census is taken but in which the United States Bureau of the Census allocates 
59.3 	incarcerated persons as residents of correctional facilities, the commissioner of corrections 
59.4 	shall by May 1 of that same year transfer to the secretary of state the following:
59.5 	(1) a unique identifier, not including the name, or Offender Identification (OID) 
59.6 	number for each incarcerated person subject to the jurisdiction of the department on the 
59.7 	date for which the decennial census reports population. The unique identifier shall enable 
59.8 	the secretary of state to address inquiries about specific address records to the Department 
59.9 	of Corrections, without making it possible for anyone outside of the Department of 
59.10 	Corrections to identify the inmate for whom the address record pertains;
59.11 	(2) the street address of the correctional facility in which the person was incarcerated 
59.12 	at the time of the report;
59.13 	(3) the last known address of the person prior to incarceration or other legal 
59.14 	residence, if known;
59.15 	(4) the person's race, whether the person is of Hispanic or Latino origin, and whether 
59.16 	the person is over the age of 18, if known; and
59.17 	(5) any additional information as the secretary of state may request pursuant to law.
59.18 	(b) The commissioner of corrections shall provide the information specified in 
59.19 	paragraph (a) in a form specified by the secretary of state.
59.20 	(c) The secretary of state must provide the information to the Legislative 
59.21 	Coordinating Commission.
59.22 	(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the information required to be 
59.23 	provided to the secretary of state and the Legislative Coordinating Commission pursuant 
59.24 	to this section shall not include the name or identification of any incarcerated person. The 
59.25 	information shall be treated as confidential, and shall not be disclosed by the secretary 
59.26 	of state or by the Legislative Coordinating Commission except as redistricting data 
59.27 	aggregated by census block for purposes specified in subdivision 4.
59.28 		Subd. 3.Federal facilities. The secretary of state shall request each agency that 
59.29 	operates a federal facility in this state that incarcerates persons convicted of a criminal 
59.30 	offense to provide the secretary of state with a report including the information listed 
59.31 	in subdivision 2, paragraph (a).
59.32 		Subd. 4.Redistricting population. The secretary of state shall work with the 
59.33 	Legislative Coordinating Commission to prepare redistricting population data to reflect 
59.34 	incarcerated persons at their residential address pursuant to subdivision 5. The data 
59.35 	prepared pursuant to subdivision 5 shall be the basis of state house of representatives 
59.36 	districts, state senate districts, and all local government districts that are based on 
60.1 	population. Incarcerated populations residing at unknown geographic locations within the 
60.2 	state, as determined under subdivision 5, paragraph (c), clause (2), shall not be used to 
60.3 	determine the ideal population of any set of districts, wards, or precincts.
60.4 		Subd. 5.Determinations and data publication by the secretary of state. (a) For 
60.5 	each person included in a report received under subdivisions 2 and 3, the secretary of state 
60.6 	shall work with the Legislative Coordinating Commission to determine the geographic 
60.7 	units for which population counts are reported in the federal decennial census that contain 
60.8 	the facility of incarceration and the legal residence as listed according to the report.
60.9 	(b) For each person included in a report received under subdivisions 2 and 3, if 
60.10 	the legal residence is known and in this state, the secretary of state shall work with the 
60.11 	Legislative Coordinating Commission to:
60.12 	(1) ensure that the person is not represented in any population counts reported by the 
60.13 	secretary of state or the Legislative Coordinating Commission for the geographic units 
60.14 	that include the facility at which the person was incarcerated, unless that geographic unit 
60.15 	also includes the person's legal residence; and
60.16 	(2) ensure that any population counts reported by the secretary of state and the 
60.17 	Legislative Coordinating Commission reflect the persons' residential address as reported 
60.18 	under subdivisions 2 and 3.
60.19 	(c) For each person included in a report received under subdivisions 2 and 3 for 
60.20 	whom a legal residence is unknown or not in this state, and for all persons reported in the 
60.21 	census as residing in a federal correctional facility for whom a report was not provided, 
60.22 	the secretary of state shall work with the Legislative Coordinating Commission to:
60.23 	(1) ensure that the person is not represented in any population counts reported by the 
60.24 	secretary of state or the Legislative Coordinating Commission for the geographic units 
60.25 	that include the facility at which the person was incarcerated; and
60.26 	(2) allocate the person to a state unit not tied to a specific determined geography, as 
60.27 	other state residents with unknown state addresses are allocated, including but not limited 
60.28 	to military and federal government personnel stationed overseas.
60.29 		Subd. 6.Data publishing. The data prepared by the secretary of state and the 
60.30 	Legislative Coordinating Commission pursuant to this section shall be completed and 
60.31 	published no later than 30 days from the date that federal decennial Public Law 94-171 
60.32 	data is published for the state of Minnesota.
60.33 		Subd. 7.Data use. (a) The secretary of state shall notify each county, home rule 
60.34 	charter and statutory city, soil and water conservation districts, Three Rivers Park District, 
60.35 	and the Metropolitan Council that subdivision 4 requires those governments to use the 
60.36 	data prepared by the secretary pursuant to this section for redistricting purposes.
61.1 	(b) The data prepared by the secretary of state in subdivision 5 shall not be used in 
61.2 	the distribution of any state or federal aid.

61.3 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 205.84, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
61.4 		Subdivision 1.General provisions. (a) In a city electing council members by wards, 
61.5 	wards shall be as equal in population as practicable and each ward shall be composed of 
61.6 	compact, contiguous territory. Each council member shall be a resident of the ward for 
61.7 	which elected, but, except as otherwise provided by paragraph (b), a change in ward 
61.8 	boundaries does not disqualify a council member from serving for the remainder of a term.
61.9 	(b) Notwithstanding any home rule charter provision to the contrary, in a city of the 
61.10 	first class where council members are elected by ward to serve for four years to terms that 
61.11 	are not staggered, if the population of any ward changes by five percent or more, all 
61.12 	council members must be elected to new terms at the first municipal general election 
61.13 	after ward boundaries are redefined under subdivision 2; provided, however, that if no 
61.14 	municipal general election would otherwise occur in the year ending in "2" or the year 
61.15 	ending in "3," a municipal general election must be held in one of those years.
61.16 	(c) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
61.17 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

61.18 	Sec. 4. [241.0241] LEGAL RESIDENCE OF PERSONS ENTERING CUSTODY.
61.19 	(a) The commissioner of corrections shall collect and maintain an electronic record 
61.20 	of the legal residence, presumptively outside of the facility, and other demographic data 
61.21 	for any person entering its custody. At a minimum, this record shall contain the last 
61.22 	known complete street address prior to incarceration, the person's race, whether the person 
61.23 	is of Hispanic or Latino origin, and whether the person is over the age of 18. To the 
61.24 	degree possible, the commissioner of corrections shall also allow the legal residence to be 
61.25 	updated as appropriate.
61.26 	(b) The commissioner shall transfer the data collected under this section to the 
61.27 	secretary of state as provided under section 204B.145, subdivision 2.

61.28 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 375.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
61.29 		Subdivision 1.Standards. (a) The redistricting plan in use in a county shall be 
61.30 	used until a new plan is adopted in accordance with this section. Each county shall be 
61.31 	divided into as many districts numbered consecutively as it has members of the county 
61.32 	board. Commissioner districts shall be bounded by town, municipal, ward, or precinct 
61.33 	lines. Each district shall be composed of contiguous territory as regular and compact in 
62.1 	form as practicable, depending upon the geography of the county involved and shall be as 
62.2 	nearly equal in population as possible. No district shall vary in population more than ten 
62.3 	percent from the average for all districts in the county, unless the result forces a voting 
62.4 	precinct to be split. A majority of the least populous districts shall contain not less than a 
62.5 	majority of the population of the county. A county may be redistricted by the county board 
62.6 	after each federal census. When it appears after a federal census that the districts of the 
62.7 	county are not in accord with the standards set forth in this subdivision, the county shall 
62.8 	be redistricted by the county board within the times set in section 204B.135, subdivision 
62.9 	2. Before acting to redistrict, the county board, or a redistricting commission if one is 
62.10 	appointed, shall publish three weeks' notice of its purpose, stating the time and place of 
62.11 	the meeting where the matter will be considered, in the newspaper having the contract to 
62.12 	publish the commissioners' proceedings for the county for the current year.
62.13 	(b) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
62.14 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

62.15 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 375A.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
62.16 		Subd. 4.Apportionment, redistricting, staggering, timing. (a) The county shall 
62.17 	be divided into the number of districts from which commissioners are nominated and 
62.18 	elected and the population of the county shall be apportioned to the several districts so that 
62.19 	each commissioner represents the same number of persons as nearly as may be possible. 
62.20 	When the number of commissioners has been changed, the county board shall proceed to 
62.21 	redistrict the county accordingly and it shall follow as nearly as possible the times and 
62.22 	procedures specified in section 375.025, including determining the two-year and four-year 
62.23 	terms first assigned to districts in order to provide as nearly as possible for an equal number 
62.24 	of overlapping four-year terms in the future. The resolution redistricting the county shall be 
62.25 	adopted not less than 30 days before the first day candidates may file for the office of county 
62.26 	commissioner. Commissioners to be elected pursuant to the modification of the county 
62.27 	board shall be elected at the general election following the adoption of the modification.
62.28 	(b) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
62.29 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

62.30 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 383B.68, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
62.31 		Subd. 4.Decennial redistricting. (a) After September 1, 1985, and after at least 
62.32 	30 days' notice and public hearing, the Board of Park District Commissioners of the 
62.33 	Three Rivers Park District shall divide the territory of Hennepin County outside the city 
62.34 	of Minneapolis into five districts, which constitute the Three Rivers Park District. Each 
63.1 	district shall be composed of contiguous territory as regular and compact in form as 
63.2 	practicable and as nearly equal in population as possible, provided that no district shall 
63.3 	vary in population more than ten percent from the average of all the districts, unless 
63.4 	compliance with this requirement requires division of a voting precinct. After each federal 
63.5 	census and by the date prescribed for redistricting of election districts in section 204B.135, 
63.6 	subdivision 2, after at least 30 days' notice and public hearing, the Board of Park District 
63.7 	Commissioners of the Three Rivers Park District shall redistrict the territory of the 
63.8 	Three Rivers Park District into new commissioner districts as necessary to comply with 
63.9 	the provisions of this subdivision. The districts established pursuant to this subdivision 
63.10 	shall remain effective until new districts are established. Any person aggrieved by a 
63.11 	districting plan established pursuant to this subdivision may challenge the plan in the same 
63.12 	manner as a county commissioner districting plan may be challenged pursuant to section 
63.13 	375.025. The district court in reviewing any challenge to a districting plan under this 
63.14 	subdivision shall proceed in the manner prescribed by section 375.025. Each districting 
63.15 	plan established pursuant to this subdivision shall be filed in the office of the director of 
63.16 	finance of Hennepin County or any successor office and shall be effective 31 days after its 
63.17 	publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
63.18 	(b) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
63.19 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

63.20 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 473.123, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
63.21 		Subd. 3a.Redistricting. (a) The legislature shall redraw the boundaries of the 
63.22 	council districts after each decennial federal census so that each district has substantially 
63.23 	equal population. Redistricting is effective in the year ending in the numeral "3." Within 
63.24 	60 days after a redistricting plan takes effect, the governor shall appoint members from the 
63.25 	newly drawn districts to serve terms as provided under subdivision 2a.
63.26 	(b) "Population" as referenced in this section includes the redistricting population 
63.27 	data prepared by the secretary of state pursuant to section 204B.145, subdivision 5.

63.28 	ARTICLE 7
63.29 	APPROPRIATIONS

63.30 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
 63.31 	(a) $22,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Legislative Coordinating 
63.32 	Commission in fiscal year 2016 for the purposes of the Elections Emergency Planning 
63.33 	Task Force established in article 1, section 52.
64.1 	(b) $77,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2016 from the general fund to the secretary 
64.2 	of state to implement early voting. The base for fiscal year 2018 is $47,000 and for fiscal 
64.3 	year 2019 is $6,000.