Signed by Governor Tim Walz

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that appropriates funds and establishes procedures for safe and secure state primaries and general elections in 2020.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $7.39 million from the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) account established in Minnesota statutes in the 2020 fiscal year (Sec. 3).

• Appropriates $1.48 million from the general fund to the HAVA account in the 2020 fiscal year (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that amounts appropriated under this act are to be used for any of the following purposes (Sec. 3):

• Modernizing, securing, and updating the statewide voter registration system and for cybersecurity upgrades as authorized by federal law; 

• Improving accessibility; 

• Preparing training materials and training local election officials; 

• Implementing security improvements for elections systems; and

• Funding other activities to improve the security of elections.

• Appropriates $6.93 million from the HAVA account to the secretary of state (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $1.39 million from the general fund to the HAVA account to the secretary of state in the 2021 fiscal year for purposes authorized by this act if a state match is required to secure the amount made available under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act (Sec. 4).

• Amount appropriated under this act are subject to the requirements of the federal CARES Act and may be used for the following purposes (Sec. 4):

• Ensuring the health and safety of election officials and in-person voters, including the purchase of sanitation and disinfectant supplies;

• Public outreach and preparedness for implementing social distancing guidelines related to voting, including additional signs and staff;

• Facilitation, support, and preparation for increased absentee voting, including voter education materials, printing, and postage; 

• Preparation of training materials and administration of additional training of local officials; 

• Preparation of new polling place locations; 

• Purchasing an electronic roster system meeting the technology requirements of Minnesota statutes, along with the equipment necessary to support the system; and

• Issuing and administering grants authorized by the local grant program.

• Authorizes a county or municipality, by ordinance or resolution of its governing body, to (Sec. 1):

• Designate polling places after the deadline required by Minnesota statutes, but no later than July 1, 2020; 

• Train and designate employees of a healthcare facility or hospital to administer the absentee voting process to temporary or permanent residents or patients in those facilities under Minnesota statutes; and

• Extend the period during which absentee ballots are processed, to include no more than 3 days following the date of the election, along with any corresponding delay of the local canvassing dates necessary to accommodate the extension.

• Requires the county auditor or municipal clerk, and the applicable ballot board, to begin processing absentee ballots 14 days prior to the date of the election (Sec. 1).

• Requires a filing officer to accept electronic mail, facsimile, or other electronic submissions of any of the following (Sec. 1):

• An affidavit of candidacy under Minnesota statutes, including any applicable filing fees; 

• A nominating petition under Minnesota statutes including petition signatures collected electronically; and

• A request that a write-in candidate’s votes be counted, consistent with Minnesota statutes, or other applicable law. 

• Requires the chairs of each major political party to submit the names of presidential electors and alternatives nominated to be elected at the 2020 state general election no fewer than 67 days prior to the date of the election (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the appropriations provided in this act are one time and available until March 27, 2022 (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that appropriates funds and establishes procedures for safe and secure state primaries and general elections in 2020.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $7.39 million from the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) account established in Minnesota statutes in the 2020 fiscal year (Sec. 3).

• Appropriates $1.48 million from the general fund to the HAVA account in the 2020 fiscal year (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that amounts appropriated under this act are to be used for any of the following purposes (Sec. 3):

• Modernizing, securing, and updating the statewide voter registration system and for cybersecurity upgrades as authorized by federal law; 

• Improving accessibility; 

• Preparing training materials and training local election officials; 

• Implementing security improvements for elections systems; and

• Funding other activities to improve the security of elections.

• Appropriates $6.93 million from the HAVA account to the secretary of state (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $1.39 million from the general fund to the HAVA account to the secretary of state in the 2021 fiscal year for purposes authorized by this act if a state match is required to secure the amount made available under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act (Sec. 4).

• Amount appropriated under this act are subject to the requirements of the federal CARES Act and may be used for the following purposes (Sec. 4):

• Ensuring the health and safety of election officials and in-person voters, including the purchase of sanitation and disinfectant supplies;

• Public outreach and preparedness for implementing social distancing guidelines related to voting, including additional signs and staff;

• Facilitation, support, and preparation for increased absentee voting, including voter education materials, printing, and postage; 

• Preparation of training materials and administration of additional training of local officials; 

• Preparation of new polling place locations; 

• Purchasing an electronic roster system meeting the technology requirements of Minnesota statutes, along with the equipment necessary to support the system; and

• Issuing and administering grants authorized by the local grant program.

• Authorizes a county or municipality, by ordinance or resolution of its governing body, to (Sec. 1):

• Designate polling places after the deadline required by Minnesota statutes, but no later than July 1, 2020; 

• Train and designate employees of a healthcare facility or hospital to administer the absentee voting process to temporary or permanent residents or patients in those facilities under Minnesota statutes; and

• Extend the period during which absentee ballots are processed, to include no more than 3 days following the date of the election, along with any corresponding delay of the local canvassing dates necessary to accommodate the extension.

• Requires the county auditor or municipal clerk, and the applicable ballot board, to begin processing absentee ballots 14 days prior to the date of the election (Sec. 1).

• Requires a filing officer to accept electronic mail, facsimile, or other electronic submissions of any of the following (Sec. 1):

• An affidavit of candidacy under Minnesota statutes, including any applicable filing fees; 

• A nominating petition under Minnesota statutes including petition signatures collected electronically; and

• A request that a write-in candidate’s votes be counted, consistent with Minnesota statutes, or other applicable law. 

• Requires the chairs of each major political party to submit the names of presidential electors and alternatives nominated to be elected at the 2020 state general election no fewer than 67 days prior to the date of the election (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the appropriations provided in this act are one time and available until March 27, 2022 (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text