Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF2549 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 proposing a constitutional amendment to article VII, section 1; allowing political
3	3	1.3 subdivisions to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections; making conforming
4	4	1.4 changes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 201.014, subdivision 1;
5	5	1.5 201.071, subdivision 1; 203B.21, subdivision 3; 204C.10; proposing coding for
6	6	1.6 new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 201.
7	7	1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
8	8	1.8 ARTICLE 1
9	9	1.9 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
10	10	1.10 Section 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
11	11	1.11 An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment
12	12	1.12is adopted, article VII, section 1, will read:
13	13	1.13 Section 1. Every person 18 years of age or more who has been a citizen of the United
14	14	1.14States for three months and who has resided in the precinct for 30 days next preceding an
15	15	1.15election shall be entitled to vote in that precinct. A county, municipality, or school district
16	16	1.16may lower the voting age to 16 years of age for local elections but must not amend any
17	17	1.17other voter eligibility requirements. The place of voting by one otherwise qualified who
18	18	1.18has changed his residence within 30 days preceding the election shall be prescribed by law.
19	19	1.19The following persons shall not be entitled or permitted to vote at any election in this state:
20	20	1.20A person not meeting the above requirements; a person who has been convicted of treason
21	21	1.21or felony, unless restored to civil rights; a person under guardianship, or a person who is
22	22	1.22insane or not mentally competent.
23	23	1Article 1 Section 1.
24	24	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ
25	25	SENATE
26	26	STATE OF MINNESOTA
27	27	S.F. No. 2549NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
28	28	(SENATE AUTHORS: PAPPAS)
29	29	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
30	30	Introduction and first reading03/13/2025
31	31	Referred to Elections 2.1 Sec. 2. SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
32	32	2.2 The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2026 general election.
33	33	2.3The question submitted must be:
34	34	2.4 "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to allow political subdivisions to lower
35	35	2.5the voting age to 16 years of age for local elections?
36	36	2.6 Yes ...................
37	37	"2.7 No ....................
38	38	2.8 ARTICLE 2
39	39	2.9 CONFORMING CHANGES
40	40	2.10 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 201.014, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
41	41	2.11 Subdivision 1.Requirements.Except as provided in subdivision 2, an individual who
42	42	2.12meets the following requirements at the time of an election is eligible to vote. The individual
43	43	2.13must:
44	44	2.14 (1) be 18 years of age or older or be 16 years of age or older to vote in a local election
45	45	2.15as provided in section 201.017;
46	46	2.16 (2) be a citizen of the United States; and
47	47	2.17 (3) maintain residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election.
48	48	2.18 Sec. 2. [201.017] VOTING AGE FOR COUNTY, SCHOOL, OR MUNICIPAL
49	49	2.19ELECTIONS.
50	50	2.20 The governing body of a county, municipality, or school district may adopt a resolution
51	51	2.21that allows a person 16 years old on or before election day to vote in elections held by the
52	52	2.22jurisdiction that adopted the resolution. The voter must satisfy all other voter eligibility
53	53	2.23requirements. A person under the age of 18 may only vote for offices and ballot questions
54	54	2.24for the jurisdiction that has adopted the lower voting age. A person under the age of 18 must
55	55	2.25not be allowed to vote for any state or federal office or state ballot question. The ballot
56	56	2.26provided to an individual authorized to vote under this section must be prepared so that the
57	57	2.27individual may vote only for local offices or questions where the voter is authorized to vote.
58	58	2.28 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 201.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
59	59	2.29 Subdivision 1.Form.Both paper and electronic voter registration applications must
60	60	2.30contain the same information unless otherwise provided by law. A voter registration
61	61	2Article 2 Sec. 3.
62	62	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ 3.1application must contain spaces for the following required information: voter's first name,
63	63	3.2middle name, and last name; voter's previous name, if any; voter's current address; voter's
64	64	3.3previous address, if any; voter's date of birth; voter's municipality and county of residence;
65	65	3.4voter's telephone number, if provided by the voter; date of registration; current and valid
66	66	3.5Minnesota driver's license number or Minnesota state identification number, or if the voter
67	67	3.6has no current and valid Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota state identification, the
68	68	3.7last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; a box to indicate a voter's preference
69	69	3.8to join the permanent absentee voter list; and voter's signature. The paper registration
70	70	3.9application must provide a space for a voter to provide a physical description of the location
71	71	3.10of their residence, if the voter resides in an area lacking a specific physical address. The
72	72	3.11description must be sufficient for the county auditor to identify the correct precinct for the
73	73	3.12voter. The description may include the closest cross street or the nearest address to the
74	74	3.13described location that is identified on a precinct map, and directions from that cross street
75	75	3.14or address to the described location, including but not limited to the cardinal direction and
76	76	3.15approximate distance to the location. The paper registration application may include the
77	77	3.16voter's email address, if provided by the voter. The electronic voter registration application
78	78	3.17must include the voter's email address. The registration application may include the voter's
79	79	3.18interest in serving as an election judge, if indicated by the voter. The application must also
80	80	3.19contain the following certification of voter eligibility:
81	81	3.20 "I certify that I:
82	82	3.21 (1) am at least 16 years old and understand that I must be at least 18 years old to be
83	83	3.22eligible to vote or be at least 16 years old on election day to vote in a local election as
84	84	3.23provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 201.017;
85	85	3.24 (2) am a citizen of the United States;
86	86	3.25 (3) will have maintained residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding
87	87	3.26election day;
88	88	3.27 (4) maintain residence at the address or location given on the registration form;
89	89	3.28 (5) am not under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes my right
90	90	3.29to vote;
91	91	3.30 (6) have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote;
92	92	3.31 (7) am not currently incarcerated for a conviction of a felony offense; and
93	93	3Article 2 Sec. 3.
94	94	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ 4.1 (8) have read and understand the following statement: that giving false information is a
95	95	4.2felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more than
96	96	4.3$10,000, or both."
97	97	4.4 The certification must include boxes for the voter to respond to the following questions:
98	98	4.5 "(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?" and
99	99	4.6 "(2) Are you at least 16 years old and will you be at least 18 years old on or before the
100	100	4.7day of the election in which you intend to vote or will you be at least 16 years old on or
101	101	4.8before election day to vote in a local election as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section
102	102	4.9201.017?"
103	103	4.10 And the instruction:
104	104	4.11 "If you checked 'no' to either of these questions, do not complete this form."
105	105	4.12 The form of the voter registration application and the certification of voter eligibility
106	106	4.13must be as provided in this subdivision and approved by the secretary of state. Voter
107	107	4.14registration forms authorized by the National Voter Registration Act must also be accepted
108	108	4.15as valid. The federal postcard application form must also be accepted as valid if it is not
109	109	4.16deficient and the voter is eligible to register in Minnesota.
110	110	4.17 An individual may use a voter registration application to apply to register to vote in
111	111	4.18Minnesota or to change information on an existing registration.
112	112	4.19 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.21, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
113	113	4.20 Subd. 3.Back of signature envelope.On the back of the signature envelope a certificate
114	114	4.21shall appear with space for:
115	115	4.22 (1) the voter's address of present or former residence in Minnesota;
116	116	4.23 (2) the voter's current email address, if the voter has one;
117	117	4.24 (3) a statement indicating the category described in section 203B.16 to which the voter
118	118	4.25belongs;
119	119	4.26 (4) a statement that the voter has not cast and will not cast another absentee ballot in the
120	120	4.27same election or elections;
121	121	4.28 (5) a statement that the voter personally marked the ballots without showing them to
122	122	4.29anyone, or if physically unable to mark them, that the voter directed another individual to
123	123	4.30mark them; and
124	124	4Article 2 Sec. 4.
125	125	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ 5.1 (6) the same voter's passport number, Minnesota driver's license or state identification
126	126	5.2card number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number as provided on the
127	127	5.3absentee ballot application; if the voter does not have access to any of these documents, the
128	128	5.4voter may attest to the truthfulness of the contents of the certificate under penalty of perjury.
129	129	5.5 The certificate shall also contain a signed oath in the form required by section 705 of
130	130	5.6the Help America Vote Act, Public Law 107-252, which must read:
131	131	5.7 "I swear or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that:
132	132	5.8 I am a member of the uniformed services or merchant marine on active duty or an eligible
133	133	5.9spouse or dependent of such a member;, a United States citizen temporarily residing outside
134	134	5.10the United States;, or other United States citizen residing outside the United States; and I
135	135	5.11am a United States citizen, I am or will be at least 18 years of age (or will be by the date of
136	136	5.12the election) on or before election day or I am or will be at least 16 years of age on or before
137	137	5.13election day to vote in a local election as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 201.017,
138	138	5.14and I am eligible to vote in the requested jurisdiction; I have not been convicted of a felony,
139	139	5.15or other disqualifying offense, or been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or, if so, my voting
140	140	5.16rights have been reinstated; and I am not registering, requesting a ballot, or voting in any
141	141	5.17other jurisdiction in the United States except the jurisdiction cited in this voting form. In
142	142	5.18voting, I have marked and sealed my ballot in private and have not allowed any person to
143	143	5.19observe the marking of the ballot, except for those authorized to assist voters under state or
144	144	5.20federal law. I have not been influenced.
145	145	5.21 The information on this form is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge.
146	146	5.22I understand that a material misstatement of fact in completion of this document may
147	147	5.23constitute grounds for a conviction for perjury."
148	148	5.24 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204C.10, is amended to read:
149	149	5.25 204C.10 POLLING PLACE ROSTER; VOTER SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE;
150	150	5.26VOTER RECEIPT.
151	151	5.27 (a) An individual seeking to vote shall sign a polling place roster or voter signature
152	152	5.28certificate which states that the individual:
153	153	5.29 (1) is at least 18 years old or at least 16 years old on or before election day to vote in a
154	154	5.30local election as provided in section 201.017;
155	155	5.31 (2) is a citizen of the United States;
156	156	5.32 (3) has maintained residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election;
157	157	5Article 2 Sec. 5.
158	158	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ 6.1 (4) maintains residence at the address shown;
159	159	6.2 (5) is not under a guardianship in which the court order revokes the individual's right to
160	160	6.3vote;
161	161	6.4 (6) has not been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent to vote;
162	162	6.5 (7) has the right to vote because, if the individual was convicted of a felony, the individual
163	163	6.6is not currently incarcerated for that conviction;
164	164	6.7 (8) is registered; and
165	165	6.8 (9) has not already voted in the election.
166	166	6.9 The roster must also state: "I understand that deliberately providing false information
167	167	6.10is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment and a fine of not more than
168	168	6.11$10,000, or both."
169	169	6.12 (b) At the presidential nomination primary, the polling place roster must also state: "I
170	170	6.13am in general agreement with the principles of the party for whose candidate I intend to
171	171	6.14vote." This statement must appear separately from the statements required in paragraph (a).
172	172	6.15The felony penalty provided for in paragraph (a) does not apply to this paragraph.
173	173	6.16 (c) A judge may, before the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate,
174	174	6.17confirm the applicant's name, address, and date of birth.
175	175	6.18 (d) After the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate, the judge shall give
176	176	6.19the applicant a voter's receipt. The voter shall deliver the voter's receipt to the judge in
177	177	6.20charge of ballots as proof of the voter's right to vote, and thereupon the judge shall hand to
178	178	6.21the voter the ballot. The voters' receipts must be maintained during the time for notice of
179	179	6.22filing an election contest.
180	180	6.23 (e) Whenever a challenged status appears on the polling place roster, an election judge
181	181	6.24must ensure that the challenge is concealed or hidden from the view of any voter other than
182	182	6.25the voter whose status is challenged.
183	183	6.26 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
184	184	6.27 This article is effective January 1, 2027, if the constitutional amendment in article 1 is
185	185	6.28approved by the voters at the 2026 general election and applies to local elections held on
186	186	6.29or after that date.
187	187	6Article 2 Sec. 6.
188	188	25-01976 as introduced02/03/25 REVISOR JFK/VJ Page.Ln 1.8CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT...................................................ARTICLE 1
189	189	Page.Ln 2.8CONFORMING CHANGES.................................................................ARTICLE 2
190	190	1
191	191	APPENDIX
192	192	Article locations for 25-01976