1998 Minnesota Statutes

     204B.40 Ballots; election records and other materials; 
  disposition; inspection of ballots. 

    The county auditors and municipal clerks shall retain all 
 election materials returned to them after any election for at 
 least one year from the date of that election.  The county 
 auditor may also retain election materials from school district 
 elections.  All election materials involved in a contested 
 election shall be retained for one year or until the contest has 
 been finally determined, whichever is later.  Abstracts filed by 
 canvassing boards shall be retained permanently by any officer 
 with whom those abstracts are filed.  Election materials no 
 longer required to be retained pursuant to this section shall be 
 disposed of in accordance with sections 138.163 to 138.21.  
 Sealed envelopes containing voted ballots must be retained 
 unopened, except as provided in this section, in a secure 
 location.  The county auditor, municipal clerk, or school 
 district clerk shall not permit any voted ballots to be tampered 
 with or defaced. 

    After the time for filing a notice of contest for an 
 election has passed, the secretary of state may open the sealed 
 ballot envelopes and inspect the ballots for that election 
 maintained by the county auditors, municipal clerks, or school 
 district clerks for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating 
 election procedures.  No inspected ballot may be marked or 
 identified in any manner.  After inspection, all ballots must be 
 returned to the ballot envelope and the ballot envelope must be 
 securely resealed. 

    HIST: 1981 c 29 art 4 s 40; 1987 c 175 s 7; 1989 c 291 art 1 s 
 10; 1995 c 8 s 4