1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to elections; requiring voter verification before mail delivery of an absentee
1.3 ballot; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.04, subdivisions 1, 5.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.6 Subdivision 1.Application procedures.(a) Except as otherwise allowed by subdivision
1.72 or by section 203B.11, subdivision 4, an application for absentee ballots for any election
1.8may be submitted at any time not less than one day before the day of that election. The
1.9county auditor shall prepare absentee ballot application forms in the format provided by the
1.10secretary of state and shall furnish them to any person on request. By January 1 of each
1.11even-numbered year, the secretary of state shall make the forms to be used available to
1.12auditors through electronic means. An application submitted pursuant to this subdivision
1.13shall be in writing. An application may be submitted in person, by electronic facsimile
1.14device, by electronic mail, or by mail to:
1.15 (1) the county auditor of the county where the applicant maintains residence; or
1.16 (2) the municipal clerk of the municipality, or school district if applicable, where the
1.17applicant maintains residence.
1.18 (b) An absentee ballot application may alternatively be submitted electronically through
1.19a secure website that shall be maintained by the secretary of state for this purpose.
1.20Notwithstanding paragraph (d), the secretary of state must require applicants using the
1.21website to submit the applicant's email address and verifiable Minnesota driver's license
1Section 1.
REVISOR JFK/EE 25-0197502/19/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1496
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION 2.1number, Minnesota state identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's
2.2Social Security number. This paragraph does not apply to a town election held in March.
2.3 (c) An application submitted electronically under this paragraph may only be transmitted
2.4to the county auditor for processing if the secretary of state has verified the application
2.5information matches the information in a government database associated with the applicant's
2.6driver's license number, state identification card number, or Social Security number. The
2.7secretary of state must review all unverifiable applications for evidence of suspicious activity
2.8and must forward any such application to an appropriate law enforcement agency for
2.9investigation.
2.10 (d) Subject to paragraphs (e) and (f), an application shall be approved if it is timely
2.11received, signed and dated by the applicant, contains the applicant's name and residence
2.12and mailing addresses, date of birth, and at least one of the following:
2.13 (1) the applicant's Minnesota driver's license number;
2.14 (2) Minnesota state identification card number;
2.15 (3) the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number; or
2.16 (4) a statement that the applicant does not have any of these numbers.
2.17 (e) To be approved, the application must contain an oath that the information contained
2.18on the form is accurate, that the applicant is applying on the applicant's own behalf, and
2.19that the applicant is signing the form under penalty of perjury.
2.20 (f) An application that would result in an absentee ballot being mailed that meets the
2.21requirements of paragraphs (d) and (e) and has not already been verified under paragraph
2.22(c), must be electronically submitted by the county auditor or municipal clerk to the secretary
2.23of state to verify the application information matches the information in a government
2.24database associated with the applicant's driver's license number, state identification card
2.25number, or Social Security number. The secretary of state must maintain a secure website
2.26for use by county auditors and municipal clerks for this purpose. The secretary of state must
2.27review all unverifiable applications for evidence of suspicious activity and must forward
2.28any such application to an appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation.
2.29 (f) (g) An applicant's full date of birth, Minnesota driver's license or state identification
2.30number, and the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number must not be made
2.31available for public inspection. An application may be submitted to the county auditor or
2.32municipal clerk by an electronic facsimile device. An application mailed or returned in
2.33person to the county auditor or municipal clerk on behalf of a voter by a person other than
2Section 1.
REVISOR JFK/EE 25-0197502/19/25 3.1the voter must be deposited in the mail or returned in person to the county auditor or
3.2municipal clerk within ten days after it has been dated by the voter and no later than six
3.3days before the election.
3.4 (g) (h) An application under this subdivision may contain an application under subdivision
3.55 to automatically receive an absentee ballot.
3.6 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.04, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.7 Subd. 5.Permanent absentee voter status.(a) An eligible voter may apply to a county
3.8auditor or municipal clerk to automatically receive an absentee ballot before each election,
3.9other than an election by mail conducted under section 204B.45, and to have the status as
3.10a permanent absentee voter indicated on the voter's registration record. An eligible voter
3.11listed as an ongoing absentee voter as of July 31, 2013, pursuant to laws in effect on that
3.12date, shall be treated as if the voter applied for status as a permanent absentee voter pursuant
3.13to this subdivision.
3.14 (b) A voter who applies under paragraph (a) must automatically be provided an absentee
3.15ballot for each eligible election. A voter's permanent absentee status ends and automatic
3.16ballot delivery must be terminated on:
3.17 (1) the voter's written request;
3.18 (2) the voter's death;
3.19 (3) return of an absentee ballot as undeliverable; or
3.20 (4) a change in the voter's status to "challenged" or "inactive" in the statewide voter
3.21registration system.
3.22 (c) At least 60 days but no more than 75 days before each regularly scheduled primary
3.23and general election, the secretary of state must validate that each permanent absentee voter
3.24matches the information in a government database associated with the voter's driver's license
3.25number, state identification card number, or Social Security number. If a voter on the
3.26permanent absentee voter status cannot be verified, that voter's status must be changed to
3.27"challenged" and the voter must be notified that the voter has been removed from the
3.28permanent absentee voter list. The secretary of state must notify the voter by the method or
3.29methods of communication provided by the voter on the voter's application for an absentee
3.30ballot or voter registration.
3.31 (c) (d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules governing procedures under this
3.32subdivision.
3Sec. 2.
REVISOR JFK/EE 25-0197502/19/25 4.1 (d) (e) This subdivision does not apply to a voter residing in a jurisdiction that conducts
4.2elections entirely by mail under section 204B.45.
4Sec. 2.
REVISOR JFK/EE 25-0197502/19/25