Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF2696 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; permitting certain candidates, candidate representatives, and
3	3	1.3 political parties to observe the work of absentee ballot boards; permitting certain
4	4	1.4 candidates, candidate representatives, and political parties to observe recounts;
5	5	1.5 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.121, by adding a subdivision;
6	6	1.6 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 204C.
7	7	1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
8	8	1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.121, is amended by adding a subdivision
9	9	1.9to read:
10	10	1.10 Subd. 6.Open meeting law; observation of ballot board activities by candidate or
11	11	1.11political party.Meetings of a ballot board are subject to chapter 13D. The ballot board
12	12	1.12must conduct its work, including the counting of ballots, in a manner that allows any
13	13	1.13candidate appearing on the ballot, that candidate's representative, or the representative of
14	14	1.14any political party appearing on the ballot to observe the ballot board's work. A candidate
15	15	1.15may have one representative present to observe the acceptance and rejection of absentee
16	16	1.16ballot envelopes, and one additional representative present at the time accepted absentee
17	17	1.17ballot secrecy envelopes are opened, and when those ballots are deposited in a ballot box
18	18	1.18and counted. If other election materials are handled or examined by the ballot board, the
19	19	1.19candidates and their representatives may observe them. The ballot board must ensure that
20	20	1.20members of the public, candidates, candidate representatives, and representatives of a
21	21	1.21political party do not interfere with the counting of the ballots.
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	25-04064 as introduced02/18/25 REVISOR JFK/CH
24	24	SENATE
25	25	STATE OF MINNESOTA
26	26	S.F. No. 2696NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
27	27	(SENATE AUTHORS: KORAN and Lucero)
28	28	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
29	29	Introduction and first reading03/20/2025
30	30	Referred to Elections 2.1 Sec. 2. [204C.362] PUBLIC OBSERVATION OF RECOUNT.
31	31	2.2 During a recount, containers of voted ballots must be unsealed and resealed within public
32	32	2.3view. No ballots or election materials may be handled by candidates, their representatives,
33	33	2.4or members of the public. There must be an area of the room from which the public may
34	34	2.5observe the recount. Cell phones and video cameras may be used in this public viewing
35	35	2.6area, as long as their use is not disruptive. The recount official shall arrange the counting
36	36	2.7of the ballots so that the candidates and their representatives may observe the ballots as they
37	37	2.8are recounted. Candidates may each have one representative observe the sorting of each
38	38	2.9precinct. One additional representative per candidate may observe the ballots when they
39	39	2.10have been sorted and are being counted. Candidates may have additional representatives in
40	40	2.11the public viewing area of the room. If other election materials are handled or examined by
41	41	2.12the recount officials, the candidates and their representatives may observe them. The recount
42	42	2.13official shall ensure that public observation does not interfere with the counting of the
43	43	2.14ballots.
44	44	2Sec. 2.
45	45	25-04064 as introduced02/18/25 REVISOR JFK/CH