Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF598 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to elections; repealing authorization of absentee ballot drop boxes;
3	3	1.3 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.08, subdivision 1; repealing
4	4	1.4 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.082.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.08, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
7	7	1.7 Subdivision 1.Marking and return by voter.(a) An eligible voter who receives absentee
8	8	1.8ballots as provided in this chapter shall mark them in the manner specified in the directions
9	9	1.9for casting the absentee ballots. The return envelope containing marked ballots may be
10	10	1.10mailed as provided in the directions for casting the absentee ballots, or may be left with
11	11	1.11personally delivered to the office of the county auditor or municipal clerk who transmitted
12	12	1.12the absentee ballots to the voter, or may be left in a drop box as provided in section 203B.082.
13	13	1.13If delivered in person, the return envelope must be submitted to the county auditor or
14	14	1.14municipal clerk by 8:00 p.m. on election day.
15	15	1.15 (b) The voter may designate an agent to deliver in person the sealed absentee ballot
16	16	1.16return envelope to the office of the county auditor or municipal clerk or to deposit the return
17	17	1.17envelope in the mail. An agent may deliver or mail the return envelopes of not more than
18	18	1.18three voters in any election. Any person designated as an agent who tampers with either the
19	19	1.19return envelope or the voted ballots or does not immediately mail or deliver the return
20	20	1.20envelope to the county auditor or municipal clerk is guilty of a misdemeanor.
21	21	1.21 (c) The county auditor or municipal clerk must not provide a drop box or similar
22	22	1.22receptacle into which voters or agents may deposit absentee ballot envelopes.
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	REVISOR JFK/NS 25-0251601/21/25
25	25	State of Minnesota
26	26	This Document can be made available
27	27	in alternative formats upon request
28	28	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29	H. F. No. 598
30	30	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31	31	Authored by Quam02/13/2025
32	32	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations 2.1 Sec. 2. REPEALER.
33	33	2.2 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.082, is repealed.
34	34	2Sec. 2.
35	35	REVISOR JFK/NS 25-0251601/21/25 203B.082 ABSENTEE BALLOT DROP BOXES; SECURITY AND INTEGRITY.
36	36	Subdivision 1.Definition.As used in this section, "drop box" means a secure receptacle or
37	37	container established to receive completed absentee ballots 24 hours per day. Drop box does not
38	38	include a receptacle or container maintained by the United States Postal Service, or a location at
39	39	which a voter or an agent may return a completed absentee ballot by providing it directly to an
40	40	employee of the county auditor or municipal clerk.
41	41	Subd. 2.Minimum security and integrity standards.The county auditor or municipal clerk
42	42	may provide locations at which a voter may deposit a completed absentee ballot enclosed in the
43	43	completed signature envelope in a secure drop box, consistent with the following security and
44	44	integrity standards:
45	45	(1) each drop box must be continually recorded during the absentee voting period;
46	46	(2) each drop box must be designed to prevent an unauthorized person from moving, removing,
47	47	or tampering with the drop box;
48	48	(3) each drop box placed in an outdoor location must be fastened to a building, bolted to a
49	49	concrete pad, or otherwise attached to a similarly secure structure;
50	50	(4) ballots deposited in a drop box must be secured against access by any unauthorized person,
51	51	and in the case of a drop box located in an outdoor location, the drop box must be secured against
52	52	damage due to weather or other natural conditions;
53	53	(5) each drop box must contain signage or markings that:
54	54	(i) clearly identifies the drop box as an official absentee ballot return location; and
55	55	(ii) include the location and hours where an agent may return an absentee ballot;
56	56	(6) deposited ballots must be collected at least once per business day during the absentee voting
57	57	period by the county auditor, municipal clerk, or an elections official trained by the county auditor
58	58	or municipal clerk in the proper maintenance and handling of absentee ballots and absentee ballot
59	59	drop boxes, and in the security measures used to protect absentee ballots; and
60	60	(7) ballots collected from each drop box must be properly date-stamped and stored in a locked
61	61	ballot container or other secured and locked space consistent with any applicable laws governing
62	62	the collection and storage of absentee ballots.
63	63	Subd. 3.Publication of locations required.(a) The county auditor or municipal clerk must
64	64	provide a list of designated absentee ballot drop box locations to the secretary of state no later than
65	65	40 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period at every regularly scheduled primary or
66	66	general election. The list must be published on the website of the county or municipality and on
67	67	the website of the secretary of state at least 35 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period.
68	68	(b) The county auditor or municipal clerk must provide an updated list of designated absentee
69	69	ballot drop box locations to the secretary of state no later than 20 days prior to the start of the
70	70	absentee voting period at every regularly scheduled primary or general election, if any locations
71	71	have changed or been added since submission of the list under paragraph (a). The list must be
72	72	published on the website of the county or municipality and on the website of the secretary of state
73	73	at least 15 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period.
74	74	Subd. 4.Electioneering prohibited.Section 211B.11 applies to conduct within 100 feet of an
75	75	absentee ballot drop box established under this section.
76	76	1R
77	77	APPENDIX
78	78	Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-02516