2008 Minnesota Statutes

201.12 MS 1957 [Repealed, 1959 c 675 art 13 s 1]

201.12 PROPER REGISTRATION; VERIFICATION BY MAIL; CHALLENGES.

Subdivision 1. Notice of registration.

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

Subd. 2. Moved within state.

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

Subd. 3. Moved out of state.

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

Subd. 4. Challenges.

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

History:

1959 c 675 art 2 s 12; 1973 c 676 s 9; 1981 c 29 art 2 s 14; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 475 s 3; 1990 c 585 s 11; 1997 c 147 s 5; 1999 c 132 s 6; 2008 c 165 s 1

NOTE: The amendment to this section by Laws 2008, chapter 165, section 1, is effective the day following final enactment but not until the secretary of state has certified that the statewide voter registration system has been tested and shown to accurately update voters' records and properly prepare the appropriate notices to voters. Laws 2008, chapter 165, section 3.