1999 Minnesota Statutes

     204B.19 Election judges; qualifications. 

    Subdivision 1.    Individuals qualified to be election 
 judges.  Except as provided in subdivision 6, any individual 
 who is eligible to vote in an election precinct is qualified to 
 be appointed as an election judge for that precinct subject to 
 this section.  If the files of the appointing authority do not 
 contain sufficient voters within a precinct who are qualified 
 and willing to serve as election judges, election judges may be 
 appointed who reside in another precinct in the same 
 municipality, or for school district elections, in the same 
 school district, whether or not the precinct where they reside 
 is in the same county as the precinct where they will serve.  If 
 there are not sufficient voters within the municipality or 
 school district who are qualified and willing to serve as 
 election judges, election judges may be appointed who reside in 
 the county where the precinct is located. 

    Subd. 2.    Individuals not qualified to be election 
 judges.  No individual shall be appointed as an election judge 
 for any precinct if that individual:  

    (a) Is unable to read, write or speak the English language; 

    (b) Is the spouse, parent, child or sibling of any election 
 judge serving in the same precinct or of any candidate at that 
 election; or 

    (c) Is a candidate at that election. 

    Subd. 3. Repealed, 1985 c 248 s 37 

    Subd. 4.    Additional qualifications permitted; 
 examination.  The appointing authority may establish 
 additional qualifications which are not inconsistent with the 
 provisions of this section and which relate to the ability of an 
 individual to perform the duties of an election judge.  The 
 appointing authority may examine any individual who seeks 
 appointment as an election judge to determine whether the 
 individual meets any qualification established under this 
 section.  

    Subd. 5.    Party balance requirement.  No more than 
 half of the election judges in a precinct may be members of the 
 same major political party unless the election board consists of 
 an odd number of election judges, in which case the number of 
 election judges who are members of the same major political 
 party may be one more than half the number of election judges in 
 that precinct.  

    Subd. 6.    High school students.  Notwithstanding any 
 other requirements of this section, a student enrolled in a high 
 school in Minnesota who has attained the age of 16 is eligible 
 to be appointed as a without party affiliation trainee election 
 judge in the municipality in which the student resides.  The 
 student must meet qualifications for trainee election judges 
 specified in rules of the secretary of state.  A student 
 appointed as a trainee election judge may be excused from school 
 attendance during the hours that the student is serving as a 
 trainee election judge if the student submits a written request 
 signed and approved by the student's parent or guardian to be 
 absent from school and a certificate from the appointing 
 authority stating the hours during which the student will serve 
 as a trainee election judge to the principal of the school at 
 least ten days prior to the election.  Students shall not serve 
 as trainee election judges after 10:00 p.m.  Notwithstanding 
 section 177.24 to the contrary, trainee election judges may be 
 paid not less than two-thirds of the minimum wage for a large 
 employer.  The principal of the school may approve a request to 
 be absent from school conditioned on acceptable academic 
 performance and the requirement that the student must have 
 completed or be enrolled in a course of study in government at 
 the time of service as a trainee election judge.  

    HIST: 1981 c 29 art 4 s 19; 1983 c 126 s 1; 1983 c 303 s 7; 
 1985 c 39 s 1; 1987 c 266 art 1 s 27; 1991 c 237 s 1,2; 1995 c 
 34 s 1