HF993

The bill in question, H.F. No., introduced by Gordon and Sexton, focuses on the administration of elections and particularly addresses the establishment of temporary polling locations. The following key amendments are being proposed to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.081 subdivision 4:

1. Designation of Additional Polling Places: County auditors or municipal clerks, already authorized to oversee early voting, can set up extra polling sites with varying open days and hours compared to the norm. These must be designated at least 47 days before the election and reported to the Secretary of State upon designation.

2. Polling Places for Indian Reservations: Upon request from a federally recognized Indian Tribe, county auditors are compelled to establish a polling place on the reservation for at least a day if the site is accessible by a public road and mutually agreed upon by the Tribe and the auditor.

3. Polling Places for Postsecondary Institutions: If requested by a postsecondary institution or its student government (with at least 100 students in on-campus housing), the county auditor or municipal clerk must establish a temporary polling place for at least one day during state general elections or odd-year city general elections. This polling place should be on campus or within half a mile of it, accessible to the public and compliant with state and federal laws. The request for such a polling place must be submitted by May 31 of the election year.

4. Publication of Information: Once an additional polling place is designated, the county auditor or municipal clerk must post details like address and voting times on their respective website within five business days. Subsequently, the Secretary of State must also post this information on their website within the same timeframe.

These amendments aim to make voting more accessible, particularly for specific communities and students, and ensure better public awareness of polling location options.