1999 Minnesota Statutes

     204C.33 Canvass of state general elections. 

    Subdivision 1.    County canvass.  The county canvassing 
 board shall meet at the county auditor's office on or before the 
 seventh day following the state general election.  After taking 
 the oath of office, the board shall promptly and publicly 
 canvass the general election returns delivered to the county 
 auditor.  Upon completion of the canvass, the board shall 
 promptly prepare and file with the county auditor a report which 
 states:  

    (a) The number of individuals voting at the election in the 
 county and in each precinct; 

    (b) The number of individuals registering to vote on 
 election day and the number of individuals registered before 
 election day in each precinct; 

    (c) The names of the candidates for each office and the 
 number of votes received by each candidate in the county and in 
 each precinct; 

    (d) The number of votes counted for and against a proposed 
 change of county lines or county seat; and 

    (e) The number of votes counted for and against a 
 constitutional amendment or other question in the county and in 
 each precinct.  

    The result of write-in votes cast on the general election 
 ballots must be compiled by the county auditor before the county 
 canvass.  The county auditor shall arrange for each municipality 
 to provide an adequate number of election judges to perform this 
 duty or the county auditor may appoint additional election 
 judges for this purpose.  The county auditor may open the 
 envelopes or containers in which the voted ballots have been 
 sealed in order to count and record the write-in votes and must 
 reseal the voted ballots at the conclusion of this process. 

    Upon completion of the canvass, the county canvassing board 
 shall declare the candidate duly elected who received the 
 highest number of votes for each county and state office voted 
 for only within the county.  The county auditor shall transmit 
 one of the certified copies of the county canvassing board 
 report for state and federal offices to the secretary of state 
 by express mail or similar service immediately upon conclusion 
 of the county canvass. 

    Subd. 2.    County canvassing board reports; public 
 availability.  The county auditor of each county shall provide 
 a certified copy of the county canvassing board report to anyone 
 who requests it upon payment to the auditor of costs of 
 reproduction actually incurred by the auditor's office.  The 
 auditor shall not take into account the general office expenses 
 or other expenses.  

    Subd. 3.    State canvass.  The state canvassing board 
 shall meet at the secretary of state's office on the second 
 Tuesday following the state general election to canvass the 
 certified copies of the county canvassing board reports received 
 from the county auditors and shall prepare a report that states: 

    (a) The number of individuals voting in the state and in 
 each county; 

    (b) The number of votes received by each of the candidates, 
 specifying the counties in which they were cast; and 

    (c) The number of votes counted for and against each 
 constitutional amendment, specifying the counties in which they 
 were cast.  

    All members of the state canvassing board shall sign the 
 report and certify its correctness.  The state canvassing board 
 shall declare the result within three days after completing the 
 canvass.  

    HIST: 1981 c 29 art 5 s 33; 1983 c 303 s 15; 1997 c 147 s 41