SF5260

Purpose

• Clarify where voters can cast ballots for school district special elections when the district spans more than one county.
• Update notice requirements to inform voters about combined polling places and related costs.

Main provisions

• Polling place designations for multi-county districts

  • For a school district special election that crosses county lines, at least one polling place must be designated within each county in which more than 5,000 of the district’s registered voters reside (based on the district’s most recent general election).
  • This applies to the special election, while existing rules about voting in established precincts and precinct-level polling places still apply when other types of elections are held in part of a precinct.

• Notice requirements for combined polling places

  • The school district clerk must prepare a notice to voters who will participate in a combined polling place for the school district special election.
  • The notice must include: election date, voting hours, polling place location, the cost of conducting the special election, and the amount saved by using combined polling places.
  • The notice must be mailed by nonforwardable mail to every affected household in the district with at least one registered voter, no later than 14 days before the election.
  • The mailed notice is not required for certain elections: those held on the second Tuesday in August, the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, or elections conducted entirely by mail.
  • If a notice is returned as undeliverable, it must be forwarded to the county auditor immediately.
  • The notice must also be posted on the school district’s website.

Significant changes to existing law

• Adds a requirement that, for school district special elections crossing multiple counties, at least one polling place must be located in each county with more than 5,000 district voters, improving geographic accessibility.
• Establishes a detailed, proactive notice process for voters participating in combined polling places, including specific content, mailing method (nonforwardable), timing (14 days prior), and delivery/retention procedures (forward undeliverable notices to county auditor; website posting).

Practical implications

• Voters in multi-county school districts may have more convenient polling locations within their own county, potentially improving turnout.
• Districts must implement a formal notice process with targeted mailings and online posting, increasing transparency about polling locations and the cost savings of combining polling places.

Terminology and concepts emphasized

• polling place
• school district
• special election
• combined polling place
• multi-county district
• affected household
• registered voters
• nonforwardable mail
• mailed notice
• county auditor
• posted on district website
• most recent general election
• precincts and section 204B.14

Relevant Terms - polling place - combined polling place - multi-county - 5,000 (five thousand) - affected household - nonforwardable mail - county auditor - notices - district website - general election - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 205A.11 subdivisions 1 and 2a - precincts - hours of voting - cost of conducting the election - amount saved