League of MN Cities 2017 Law Change Summaries

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Page 6 League of Minnesota Cities ing requirements of various status changes and combines them in a new section, Minn. Stat. § 201.145. • Write-in candidates. Section 13 amends Minn. Stat. § 204B.09, subd. 3 to clarify the write-in candidate regis- tration deadline is 5 p.m. on the last day of registration. • Notice to voters. Section 14 amends Minn. Stat. § 204B.16, subd. 1a to correct a cross reference. • Appointment of election judges. Sections 15 and 16 amend Minn. Stat. §§ 204B.21 and 204B.31, subd. 2 to require that political party election judge lists indi- cate which individuals are willing to travel to a precinct outside of their home jurisdiction and to which jurisdic- tions. The Office of the Secretary of State will provide county auditors with a separate list of individuals willing to travel. A jurisdiction is not required to pay mileage or other travel reimbursement to election judges included on this list. Individuals not on party election judge lists must provide their party affiliation or a statement that they do not affiliate with a major party. This information may be shared with other election judges in the polling place to verify party balance compliance but may not be disclosed or used for any other purpose. • “I Voted” stickers. Section 17 creates new language, Minn. Stat. § 204B.49, clarifying that individuals vot- ing by mail and absentee may be provided an “I Voted’ sticker. • Permanent registration; verification of registra- tion. Section 18 amends Minn. Stat. § 204C.10 to require that an election judge conceal a roster challenge from the view of any voter other than the voter whose status is challenged. • Manner of challenging. Section 19 amends Minn. Stat. § 204C.12, subd. 1 to clarify that a challenge must be based on personal knowledge. • State canvass. Sections 20 and 21 amend Minn. Stat. §§ 204C.32, subd. 2 and 204C.33, subd. 3 to clarify that the state canvass board meetings may be held in the Capitol complex area instead of at the Office of the Secretary of State. • Results. Section 22 amends Minn. Stat. § 205.065, subd. 5 to allow municipalities to canvass election returns on either the second or third day after the primary. • Date of election. Section 23 amends Minn. Stat. § 205.07, subd. 1 clarifying the timeline for a municipal- ity to change from an odd- to an even-year election. The governing body may, by ordinance passed at a regular meeting held at least 180 calendar days before the first day to file for candidacy in the next municipal election, decide to hold the election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in either an even- or odd- numbered year. • Vacancies in school district offices. Section 24 amends Minn. Stat. § 205A.05, subd. 2 to fix a cross reference. • Contracts required. Section 25 amends Minn. Stat. § 206.805, subd. 1 to require the Office of the Secretary of State to establish state contracts for the purchase of assis- tive voting technology, automatic tabulating equipment and electronic roster equipment. • Form of presidential ballots. Section 26 amends Minn. Stat. § 208.04, subd. 1 to alter the form of presi- dential ballots to conform with optical scan systems. • Soliciting near polling places. Section 27 amends Minn. Stat. §211B.11, subd. 1 to conform with changes made in section 17 regarding “I Voted” stickers. • Establishment and repealer. Sections 28 and 29 make conforming changes for changes made in section 12 regarding data sharing statutes and reporting require- ments. Effective July 1, 2017. Article 2: Uniform Election Dates This article requires that special elections conducted by counties, cities, towns, and school districts be held on one of five possible dates: the second Tuesday in February, the second Tuesday in April, the second Tuesday in May, the second Tuesday in August (the current state primary date in even years), or the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (the standard state general election date in even years). An exception to this requirement applies for special elections held in response to an emergency or disaster. By Dec. 31 of each year, each municipality and each county with unorganized territory must designate precinct polling places for the following year by ordinance or resolution. Exceptions for polling place changes are allowed for emer- gencies or if a polling place becomes unavailable. A vari- ety of related conforming and implementing changes are included throughout this article. Effective Jan. 1, 2018 and applies to any special election held on or after that date. Article 3: County Offices This article allows for the appointment of the following county offices and outlines the process for doing so: • Morrison County Recorder • Benton County Recorder • Pine County Auditor-Treasurer • Stearns County Recorder • Marshall County Recorder • Rice County Auditor-Treasurer and Recorder Each section is effective the day after the respective county board of commissioners and its chief clerical officer comply in a timely man- ner with Minn. Stat. § 645.021, subds. 2 and 3. (AL) Election equipment grant funding First Special Session Chapter 4 (no HF/SF 1*) is the omnibus state government finance bill. Article 1, section 6 appropriates $7 million to the election equipment grant