Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF1021 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	25-02516 as introduced01/21/25 REVISOR JFK/NS
25	25	SENATE
26	26	STATE OF MINNESOTA
27	27	S.F. No. 1021NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
28	28	(SENATE AUTHORS: HOWE, Koran, Bahr, Drazkowski and Green)
29	29	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
30	30	Introduction and first reading02/06/2025
31	31	Referred to Elections 2.1 Sec. 2. REPEALER.
32	32	2.2 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.082, is repealed.
33	33	2Sec. 2.
34	34	25-02516 as introduced01/21/25 REVISOR JFK/NS 203B.082 ABSENTEE BALLOT DROP BOXES; SECURITY AND INTEGRITY.
35	35	Subdivision 1.Definition.As used in this section, "drop box" means a secure receptacle or
36	36	container established to receive completed absentee ballots 24 hours per day. Drop box does not
37	37	include a receptacle or container maintained by the United States Postal Service, or a location at
38	38	which a voter or an agent may return a completed absentee ballot by providing it directly to an
39	39	employee of the county auditor or municipal clerk.
40	40	Subd. 2.Minimum security and integrity standards.The county auditor or municipal clerk
41	41	may provide locations at which a voter may deposit a completed absentee ballot enclosed in the
42	42	completed signature envelope in a secure drop box, consistent with the following security and
43	43	integrity standards:
44	44	(1) each drop box must be continually recorded during the absentee voting period;
45	45	(2) each drop box must be designed to prevent an unauthorized person from moving, removing,
46	46	or tampering with the drop box;
47	47	(3) each drop box placed in an outdoor location must be fastened to a building, bolted to a
48	48	concrete pad, or otherwise attached to a similarly secure structure;
49	49	(4) ballots deposited in a drop box must be secured against access by any unauthorized person,
50	50	and in the case of a drop box located in an outdoor location, the drop box must be secured against
51	51	damage due to weather or other natural conditions;
52	52	(5) each drop box must contain signage or markings that:
53	53	(i) clearly identifies the drop box as an official absentee ballot return location; and
54	54	(ii) include the location and hours where an agent may return an absentee ballot;
55	55	(6) deposited ballots must be collected at least once per business day during the absentee voting
56	56	period by the county auditor, municipal clerk, or an elections official trained by the county auditor
57	57	or municipal clerk in the proper maintenance and handling of absentee ballots and absentee ballot
58	58	drop boxes, and in the security measures used to protect absentee ballots; and
59	59	(7) ballots collected from each drop box must be properly date-stamped and stored in a locked
60	60	ballot container or other secured and locked space consistent with any applicable laws governing
61	61	the collection and storage of absentee ballots.
62	62	Subd. 3.Publication of locations required.(a) The county auditor or municipal clerk must
63	63	provide a list of designated absentee ballot drop box locations to the secretary of state no later than
64	64	40 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period at every regularly scheduled primary or
65	65	general election. The list must be published on the website of the county or municipality and on
66	66	the website of the secretary of state at least 35 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period.
67	67	(b) The county auditor or municipal clerk must provide an updated list of designated absentee
68	68	ballot drop box locations to the secretary of state no later than 20 days prior to the start of the
69	69	absentee voting period at every regularly scheduled primary or general election, if any locations
70	70	have changed or been added since submission of the list under paragraph (a). The list must be
71	71	published on the website of the county or municipality and on the website of the secretary of state
72	72	at least 15 days prior to the start of the absentee voting period.
73	73	Subd. 4.Electioneering prohibited.Section 211B.11 applies to conduct within 100 feet of an
74	74	absentee ballot drop box established under this section.
75	75	1R
76	76	APPENDIX
77	77	Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-02516