1999 Minnesota Statutes

     203B.04 Application for ballots. 

    Subdivision 1.    Application procedures.  Except as 
 otherwise allowed by subdivision 2, an application for absentee 
 ballots for any election may be submitted at any time not less 
 than one day before the day of that election.  The county 
 auditor shall prepare absentee ballot application forms in the 
 format provided in the rules of the secretary of state and shall 
 furnish them to any person on request.  An application submitted 
 pursuant to this subdivision shall be in writing and shall be 
 submitted to:  

    (a) the county auditor of the county where the applicant 
 maintains residence; or 

    (b) the municipal clerk of the municipality, or school 
 district if applicable, where the applicant maintains residence. 

    An application shall be accepted if it is signed and dated 
 by the applicant, contains the applicant's name and residence 
 and mailing addresses, and states that the applicant is eligible 
 to vote by absentee ballot for one of the reasons specified in 
 section 203B.02.  The application may contain a request for the 
 voter's date of birth, which must not be made available for 
 public inspection.  An application may be submitted to the 
 county auditor or municipal clerk by an electronic facsimile 
 device, at the discretion of the auditor or clerk.  An 
 application mailed or returned in person to the county auditor 
 or municipal clerk on behalf of a voter by a person other than 
 the voter must be deposited in the mail or returned in person to 
 the county auditor or municipal clerk within ten days after it 
 has been dated by the voter and no later than six days before 
 the election.  The absentee ballot applications or a list of 
 persons applying for an absentee ballot may not be made 
 available for public inspection until the close of voting on 
 election day.  

    Subd. 2.    Health care patient.  An eligible voter who 
 on the day before an election becomes a resident or patient in a 
 health care facility or hospital located in the municipality in 
 which the eligible voter maintains residence may apply for 
 absentee ballots on election day if the voter:  

    (a) Requests an application form by telephone from the 
 municipal clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before 
 election day; or 

    (b) Submits an absentee ballot application to the election 
 judges engaged in delivering absentee ballots pursuant to 
 section 203B.11.  

    Subd. 3.    Delivery of application forms.  The election 
 judges designated to deliver absentee ballots pursuant to 
 section 203B.11 shall deliver a blank application form for 
 absentee ballots to any individual who requests one in order to 
 apply for absentee ballots pursuant to subdivision 2.  

    Subd. 4.    Registration at time of application.  An 
 eligible voter who is not registered to vote but who is 
 otherwise eligible to vote by absentee ballot may register by 
 including a completed voter registration card with the absentee 
 ballot.  The individual shall present proof of residence as 
 required by section 201.061, subdivision 3, to the individual 
 who witnesses the marking of the absentee ballots.  

    Subd. 5.    Permanent illness or disability.  An 
 eligible voter who reasonably expects to be permanently unable 
 to go to the polling place on election day because of illness or 
 disability may apply to a county auditor or municipal clerk 
 under this section to automatically receive an absentee ballot 
 application before each election and to have the status as a 
 permanent absentee voter indicated on the voter's registration 
 record.  The secretary of state shall adopt rules governing 
 procedures under this subdivision. 

    HIST: 1981 c 29 art 3 s 4; 1983 c 303 s 3; 1984 c 560 s 4; 
 1987 c 266 art 1 s 13; 1990 c 585 s 19; 1991 c 227 s 10; 1997 c 
 147 s 14; 1999 c 132 s 9