Signed by Governor Mark Dayton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends state and federal election provisions.

Highlights:

• Authorizes an eligible voter to vote by absentee ballot, whereas existing law authorized an eligible voter to vote by absentee ballot only if he or she provided an acceptable reason (Art. 1, Sec. 2).

• Requires a vacancy in nomination for a partisan office to be filled according to the following procedures (Art. 5, Secs. 1-2):
• If a vacancy occurs 79 days or more before the general election:
• The major political party must fill the nomination vacancy no later than 71 days before the general election; and 
• The name of the candidate nominated by the party must appear on the general election ballot.
• If a vacancy occurs fewer than 79 days before the general election:
• The major political party must fill the nomination no later than 7 days after the general election;
• The county and state canvassing boards must not certify the vote totals for that office from the general election; and 
• The office must be filled by a special election held on the second Tuesday in February of the following year.

• Requires the state canvassing board to manually recount a nomination or election vote in a statewide primary or election race under the following conditions (Art. 2, Secs. 37 & 39):
• The state canvassing board receives a written request from the candidate whose nomination or election is in question; and
• The difference in votes cast for the candidates is less than 0.5 percent of the total number of votes counted or is 10 votes or less if the total number of votes counted is 400 votes or less. 

• Establishes the “Electronic Roster Pilot Project” for 2013 municipal elections for the precincts located in Minnetonka, Moorhead, St. Paul, and St. Peter (Art. 4, Sec. 1).

• Requires a county auditor to notify an individual for a reason that his or her voting eligibility is in question and the individual will not be registered to vote unless he or she reaffirms his or her eligibility in writing (Art. 3, Sec. 2).

• Requires the state commissioner of corrections to make certain electronic data available to the secretary of state for individuals 18 years of age or older who are currently on probation for a felony offense which would result in the “loss of civil rights” (Art. 3, Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a town of any size or a city with fewer than 400 registered voters as of June 1 of an election year to administer balloting by mail, provided that it is not located in a metropolitan county (Art. 2, Sec. 29).

• Authorizes the following county boards to make the positions of Auditor-Treasurer and Recorder appointed positions (Art. 6, Sec. 1-3 & 4):
• Kandiyohi County;
• Lake County;
• Clay County; and
• Lyon County.

• Authorizes the Jackson County Board to make the Auditor-Treasurer position an appointed position (Art. 6, Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text