1.1.................... moves to amend S.F. No. 514, the fifth engrossment, as amended, as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.3"ARTICLE 1
1.4ELECTION ADMINISTRATION

1.5    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 3.088, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.6    Subdivision 1. Leave of absence without pay. Subject to this section, any appointed
1.7officer or employee of a political subdivision, municipal corporation, or school district of
1.8the state or an institution of learning maintained by the state who serves as a legislator or
1.9is elected to a full-time city or county office or to an Indian tribal council in Minnesota is
1.10entitled to a leave of absence from the public office or to employment without pay when
1.11on the business of the office, with right of reinstatement as provided in this section.

1.12    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 3.088, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.13    Subd. 2. Reinstatement. Except as provided in this section, upon the completion of the
1.14last legislative day in each calendar year, or, in the case of an elected city or, county, or
1.15tribal council official, on the completion of the final day of the term to which the official
1.16was elected, the officer or employee shall be reinstated in the public position held at the
1.17time of entry into the legislature or taking city or, county, or tribal council office, or be
1.18placed in a public position of like seniority, status, and pay if it is available at the same
1.19salary which would have been received if the leave had not been taken, upon the following
1.20conditions:
1.21(1) that the position has not been abolished or that its term, if limited, has not expired;
1.22(2) that the legislator makes a written application for reinstatement to the appointing
1.23authority within 30 days after the last legislative day in a calendar year or, in the case of an
2.1elected city or, county, or tribal council official, within 30 days after the expiration of the
2.2elected term; and
2.3(3) that the request for reinstatement is made not later than ten years after the granting
2.4of the leave.
2.5Upon reinstatement, the officer or employee shall have the same rights with respect to
2.6accrued and future seniority status, efficiency rating, vacation, insurance benefits, sick leave,
2.7and other benefits as if actually employed during the time of the leave. No public employer
2.8is required to compensate a reinstated employee or officer for time spent by that employee
2.9or officer away from work for the employer and on the business of the state legislature
2.10during the period between the first and last legislative day in each calendar year or on the
2.11business of an elected city or, county, or tribal council office. No officer or employee
2.12reinstated shall be removed or discharged within one year after reinstatement except for
2.13cause and after notice and hearing, but this does not extend a term of service limited by law.

2.14    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 3.088, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.15    Subd. 3. Pension and retirement rights. A public officer or employee who receives
2.16leave of absence under this section or is elected as a state constitutional officer and has
2.17rights in a state, municipal, or other public pension, retirement, or relief system shall retain
2.18all the rights accrued up to the time of taking leave. Time spent by the employee as a member
2.19of the legislature or as an elected city or, county, or tribal council official or state
2.20constitutional officer shall be calculated in the same manner as if the employee had spent
2.21that time in the service of the public employer for the purpose of determining vesting of the
2.22employee's rights in the employer's pension, retirement, or relief system. Under no
2.23circumstances shall two governmental units pay the employee's share of pension contributions
2.24when the employee is on leave of absence to serve in the legislature or as an elected city
2.25or, county, or tribal council official.

2.26    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 13.15, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.27    Subd. 4. Use of electronic access data. Electronic access data may be disseminated:
2.28(1) to the commissioner for the purpose of evaluating electronic government services;
2.29(2) to another government entity or a federal law enforcement agency to prevent or report
2.30unlawful intrusions into government electronic systems; or
2.31(3) as otherwise provided by law.

3.1    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 13.6905, subdivision 33, is amended to read:
3.2    Subd. 33. Citizenship data; voter registration. The use of citizenship data reported to
3.3the secretary of state is governed by section 201.158 201.145.

3.4    Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 13.841, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.5    Subd. 3. Felony conviction data; voter registration. Felony conviction data reported
3.6to the secretary of state is governed by section 201.155 201.145.

3.7    Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 13.851, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
3.8    Subd. 10. Felony offender data; voter registration. The use of felony offender data
3.9made available to the secretary of state is governed by section 201.157 201.145.

3.10    Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 123B.09, subdivision 5b, is amended to read:
3.11    Subd. 5b. Appointments to fill vacancies; special elections. (a) Any vacancy on the
3.12board, other than a vacancy described in subdivision 4, must be filled by board appointment
3.13at a regular or special meeting. The appointment shall be evidenced by a resolution entered
3.14in the minutes and shall be effective 30 days following adoption of the resolution, subject
3.15to paragraph (b). If the appointment becomes effective, it shall continue until an election is
3.16held under this subdivision. All elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term.
3.17A special election to fill the vacancy must be held no later than the first Tuesday after the
3.18first Monday in November following the vacancy. If the vacancy occurs less than 90 days
3.19prior to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the year in which the vacancy
3.20occurs, the special election must be held no later than the first Tuesday after the first Monday
3.21in November of the following calendar year. If the vacancy occurs less than 90 days prior
3.22to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the third year of the term, no
3.23special election is required. If the vacancy is filled by a special election, the person elected
3.24at that election for the ensuing term shall take office immediately after receiving the
3.25certificate of election, filing the bond, and taking the oath of office.
3.26(b) An appointment made under paragraph (a) shall not be effective if a petition to reject
3.27the appointee is filed with the school district clerk. To be valid, a petition to reject an
3.28appointee must be signed by a number of eligible voters residing in the district equal to at
3.29least five percent of the total number of voters voting in the district at the most recent state
3.30general election, and must be filed within 30 days of the board's adoption of the resolution
3.31making the appointment. If a valid petition is filed according to the requirements of this
4.1paragraph, the appointment by the school board is ineffective and the board must name a
4.2new appointee as provided in paragraph (a).

4.3    Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 200.02, is amended by adding a subdivision to
4.4read:
4.5    Subd. 29. Original signature. "Original signature" does not include an electronic
4.6signature.

4.7    Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 201.121, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
4.8    Subdivision 1. Entry of registration information. (a) At the time a voter registration
4.9application is properly completed, submitted, and received in accordance with sections
4.10201.061 and 201.071, the county auditor shall enter the information contained on it into the
4.11statewide registration system. Voter registration applications completed before election day
4.12must be entered into the statewide registration system within ten days after they have been
4.13submitted to the county auditor. Voter registration applications completed on election day
4.14must be entered into the statewide registration system within 42 days after the election,
4.15unless the county auditor notifies the secretary of state before the 42-day deadline has
4.16expired that the deadline will not be met. Upon receipt of a notification under this paragraph,
4.17the secretary of state must extend the deadline for that county auditor by an additional 28
4.18days. The secretary of state may waive a county's obligations under this paragraph if, on
4.19good cause shown, the county demonstrates its permanent inability to comply.
4.20The secretary of state must post data on each county's compliance with this paragraph on
4.21the secretary of state's Web site including, as applicable, the date each county fully complied
4.22or the deadline by which a county's compliance must be complete.
4.23(b) Upon receiving a completed voter registration application, the secretary of state may
4.24electronically transmit the information on the application to the appropriate county auditor
4.25as soon as possible for review by the county auditor before final entry into the statewide
4.26registration system. The secretary of state may mail the voter registration application to the
4.27county auditor.
4.28(c) Within ten days after the county auditor has entered information from a voter
4.29registration application into the statewide registration system, the secretary of state shall
4.30compare the voter's name, date of birth, and driver's license number, state identification
4.31number, or the last four digits of the Social Security number with the same information
4.32contained in the Department of Public Safety database.
5.1(d) The secretary of state shall provide a report to the county auditor on a weekly basis
5.2that includes a list of voters whose name, date of birth, or identification number have been
5.3compared with the same information in the Department of Public Safety database and cannot
5.4be verified as provided in this subdivision. The report must list separately those voters who
5.5have submitted a voter registration application by mail and have not voted in a federal
5.6election in this state.
5.7(e) The county auditor shall compile a list of voters for whom the county auditor and
5.8the secretary of state are unable to conclude that information on the voter registration
5.9application and the corresponding information in the Department of Public Safety database
5.10relate to the same person.
5.11(f) The county auditor shall send a notice of incomplete registration to any voter whose
5.12name appears on the list and change the voter's status to "incomplete." A voter who receives
5.13a notice of incomplete registration from the county auditor may either provide the information
5.14required to complete the registration at least 21 days before the next election or at the polling
5.15place on election day.

5.16    Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 201.121, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
5.17    Subd. 3. Postelection sampling. (a) Within ten days after an election, the county auditor
5.18shall send the notice required by subdivision 2 to a random sampling of the individuals
5.19registered on election day. The random sampling shall be determined in accordance with
5.20the rules of the secretary of state. As soon as practicable after the election, the county auditor
5.21shall mail the notice required by subdivision 2 to all other individuals registered on election
5.22day. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the county auditor shall attempt to determine
5.23the reason for the return. A county auditor who does not receive or obtain satisfactory proof
5.24of an individual's eligibility to vote shall immediately notify the county attorney of all of
5.25the relevant information and the secretary of state of the numbers by precinct. The county
5.26auditor must notify the secretary of state of the following information by each precinct:
5.27(1) the total number of all notices that were returned as nondeliverable;
5.28(2) the total number of nondeliverable notices that the county auditor was able to
5.29determine the reason for the return along with the reason for each return; and
5.30(3) the total number of individuals for whom the county auditor does not receive or
5.31obtain satisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote.
5.32(b) By March 1 of every odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall report to the
5.33chair and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
6.1elections the number of notices reported under this subdivision to the secretary of state for
6.2the previous state general election by county and precinct. following information by each
6.3precinct and each county:
6.4(1) the total number of all notices that were returned as nondeliverable;
6.5(2) the total number of nondeliverable notices that a county auditor was able to determine
6.6the reason for the return along with the reason for each return; and
6.7(3) the total number of individuals for whom the county auditor does not receive or
6.8obtain satisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote.

6.9    Sec. 12. [201.145] REPORTS ON GUARDIANSHIPS, LEGAL INCOMPETENCE,
6.10FELONY CONVICTIONS, AND CITIZENSHIP; STATUS CHANGES.
6.11    Subdivision 1. Report requirements. Reports required by this section must be submitted
6.12to the secretary of state as provided in this section. Reports from the state court administrator
6.13that are required under this section must be made on a daily basis, excluding weekends and
6.14holidays. Reports from the commissioner of corrections and the commissioner of public
6.15safety that are required under this section must be made to the secretary of state at least
6.16monthly. Reports must be submitted by electronic means. Reports from the commissioner
6.17of corrections and the commissioner of public safety must include a complete list of each
6.18individual under the reporting entity's jurisdiction and must not provide only the changes
6.19since the last report.
6.20    Subd. 2. State court administrator report. (a) The state court administrator must report
6.21on individuals 17 years of age or older who are under a guardianship in which a court order
6.22revokes the ward's right to vote or where the court has found the individual to be legally
6.23incompetent to vote.
6.24(b) The state court administrator must report on individuals transferred to the jurisdiction
6.25of the court who meet a condition specified in paragraph (a).
6.26(c) Each report required under this subdivision must include the following information
6.27for each individual in the report: name, address, date of birth, and, if available, last four
6.28digits of the Social Security number and driver's license or state identification card number.
6.29(d) No later than seven calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the
6.30secretary of state must determine if a person identified under paragraphs (a) and (b) is
6.31registered to vote and must prepare a list of those registrants for the county auditor. No later
6.32than seven calendar days after receiving the list from the secretary of state, the county auditor
7.1must challenge the status on the record in the statewide voter registration system of each
7.2individual named in the list.
7.3    Subd. 3. Commissioner of corrections report; state court administrator report. (a)
7.4The state court administrator must report on individuals 17 years of age or older who have
7.5been convicted of a felony.
7.6(b) The commissioner of corrections must report on individuals 17 years of age or older
7.7who are currently:
7.8(1) serving felony sentences under the commissioner's jurisdiction; or
7.9(2) on probation for felony offenses that resulted in the loss of civil rights, as indicated
7.10by the statewide supervision system established under section 241.065.
7.11(c) Each report under this subdivision must include the following information for each
7.12individual: name, address or last known residential address that is not a correctional facility,
7.13and date of birth. If available, each report must also include the individual's: corrections'
7.14state identification number, last four digits of the Social Security number, driver's license
7.15or state identification card number, date of sentence, effective date of the sentence, county
7.16in which the conviction occurred, and date of discharge.
7.17(d) No later than seven calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the
7.18secretary of state must determine if a person identified under paragraph (a) is registered to
7.19vote and must prepare a list of those registrants for the county auditor. No later than seven
7.20calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the secretary of state must
7.21determine if any data newly indicates that a person identified under paragraph (b) is registered
7.22to vote and must prepare a list of those registrants for the county auditor. No later than seven
7.23calendar days after receiving the list from the secretary of state, the county auditor must
7.24challenge the status on the record in the statewide voter registration system of each individual
7.25named in the list.
7.26(e) The county auditor must identify an individual who registered to vote or voted while
7.27serving a felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction or while on probation for
7.28a felony offense that resulted in the loss of civil rights during a period when the individual's
7.29civil rights were revoked. The county auditor must immediately send notice to the county
7.30attorney. The notice must include the name of the individual and any other identifying
7.31information as well as the evidence that shows the individual registered to vote or voted
7.32during the period when the individual's civil rights were revoked.
8.1    Subd. 4. Reports; restoration of right to vote. (a) The state court administrator must
8.2report on each individual whose guardianship was modified to restore the ward's right to
8.3vote or whose guardianship was terminated by order of the court under section 524.5-317
8.4after being ineligible to vote for any of the reasons specified in subdivision 2, paragraph
8.5(a).
8.6(b) The state court administrator must report on individuals previously convicted of a
8.7felony whose civil rights have been restored.
8.8(c) The commissioner of corrections must report on individuals who were serving a
8.9felony sentence under the commissioner's jurisdiction or who were on probation for a felony
8.10offense under the commissioner's jurisdiction that resulted in the loss of civil rights but who
8.11have been discharged from the sentence.
8.12(d) Each report under this subdivision must include the following information for each
8.13individual: name, address, date of birth, and, if available, the last four digits of the Social
8.14Security number. For reports required by paragraphs (b) and (c), each report must also
8.15include the individual's, if available: corrections' state identification number, driver's license
8.16or state identification card number, date of sentence, effective date of the sentence, county
8.17in which the conviction occurred, and date of discharge.
8.18(e) No later than seven calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the
8.19secretary of state must determine if a person identified under paragraph (a) or (b) is registered
8.20to vote and must prepare a list of those registrants for the county auditor. No later than seven
8.21calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the secretary of state must
8.22determine if any data newly indicates that a person identified under paragraph (c) is registered
8.23to vote and must prepare a list of those registrants for the county auditor. No later than seven
8.24calendar days after receiving the list from the secretary of state, the county auditor must
8.25remove the challenge status on the record in the statewide voter registration system of each
8.26individual named in the list.
8.27    Subd. 5. Commissioner of public safety report. (a) The commissioner of public safety
8.28must report on individuals identified by department data as having temporary lawful status
8.29in the United States.
8.30(b) The report under this section must include the following information for each
8.31individual: name, address, date of birth, driver's license or state identification card number,
8.32and, if available, last four digits of the Social Security number.
8.33(c) No later than seven calendar days after receiving a report under this subdivision, the
8.34secretary of state must determine if any data newly indicates that a person identified under
9.1paragraph (a) is registered to vote and prepare a list of those voters for the county auditor.
9.2Within seven calendar days of receiving the list from the secretary of state, the county
9.3auditor must challenge the status on the record in the statewide voter registration system of
9.4each individual named in the list.
9.5(d) The county auditor must also immediately send notice to the county attorney of each
9.6individual identified in paragraph (c). The notice must include the name of the individual
9.7and any other identifying information as well as the evidence that shows the individual
9.8registered to vote or voted and is not a citizen.
9.9EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2017, and applies to reports
9.10received by the secretary of state on or after that date.

9.11    Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204B.09, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
9.12    Subd. 3. Write-in candidates. (a) A candidate for county, state, or federal office who
9.13wants write-in votes for the candidate to be counted must file a written request with the
9.14filing office for the office sought not more than 84 days before the primary and no later
9.15than the seventh day before the general election. The filing officer shall provide copies of
9.16the form to make the request. No written request shall be accepted later than 5:00 p.m. on
9.17the last day for filing a written request.
9.18    (b) A candidate for president of the United States who files a request under this
9.19subdivision must include the name of a candidate for vice-president of the United States.
9.20The request must also include the name of at least one candidate for presidential elector.
9.21The total number of names of candidates for presidential elector on the request may not
9.22exceed the total number of electoral votes to be cast by Minnesota in the presidential election.
9.23    (c) A candidate for governor who files a request under this subdivision must include the
9.24name of a candidate for lieutenant governor.

9.25    Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204B.16, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
9.26    Subd. 1a. Notice to voters. If the location of a polling place has been changed, the
9.27governing body establishing the polling place shall send to every affected household with
9.28at least one registered voter in the precinct a nonforwardable mailed notice stating the
9.29location of the new polling place at least 25 days before the next election. The secretary of
9.30state shall prepare a sample of this notice. A notice that is returned as undeliverable must
9.31be forwarded immediately to the county auditor. This subdivision does not apply to a polling
9.32place location that is changed on election day under section 204B.17 204B.175.

10.1    Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204B.21, is amended to read:
10.2204B.21 APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION JUDGES.
10.3    Subdivision 1. Appointment lists; duties of political parties and secretary of state.
10.4    On May 1 in a year in which there is an election for a partisan political office, each major
10.5political party shall prepare a list of eligible voters to act as election judges in each election
10.6precinct. The list provided by the party must indicate which eligible voters are willing to
10.7travel to a precinct outside of their home jurisdiction to act as an election judge, and the
10.8jurisdictions to which each eligible voter is willing to travel for that purpose. The political
10.9parties shall furnish the lists electronically to the secretary of state, in a format specified by
10.10the secretary of state. The secretary of state must combine the data received from each
10.11political party under this subdivision and must process the data to locate the precinct in
10.12which the address provided for each potential election judge is located. If the data submitted
10.13by a political party is insufficient for the secretary of state to locate the proper precinct, the
10.14associated name must not appear in any list forwarded to an appointing authority under this
10.15subdivision. The secretary of state shall notify political parties of any proposed election
10.16judges with addresses that could not be located in a precinct.
10.17    By May 15, the secretary of state shall furnish electronically to the county auditor a list
10.18of the appropriate names for each election precinct in the jurisdiction of the appointing
10.19authority, and a list of the names of individuals residing outside of the jurisdiction who
10.20indicated a willingness to travel to that jurisdiction to act as an election judge, noting the
10.21political party affiliation of each individual on the list. The county auditor must promptly
10.22forward the appropriate names to the appropriate municipal clerk.
10.23    Subd. 2. Appointing authority; powers and duties. Election judges for precincts in a
10.24municipality shall be appointed by the governing body of the municipality. Election judges
10.25for precincts in unorganized territory and for performing election-related duties assigned
10.26by the county auditor shall be appointed by the county board. Election judges for a precinct
10.27composed of two or more municipalities must be appointed by the governing body of the
10.28municipality or municipalities responsible for appointing election judges as provided in the
10.29agreement to combine for election purposes. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
10.30appointments shall be made from lists the list of voters who reside in each precinct, furnished
10.31pursuant to subdivision 1, subject to the eligibility requirements and other qualifications
10.32established or authorized under section 204B.19. At least two election judges in each precinct
10.33must be affiliated with different major political parties. If no lists have been furnished or if
10.34additional election judges are required after all listed names in that municipality have been
10.35exhausted, the appointing authority may appoint other individuals who meet the qualifications
11.1to serve as an election judge, including persons on the list furnished pursuant to subdivision
11.21 who indicated a willingness to travel to the municipality, and persons who are not affiliated
11.3with a major political party. An individual who is appointed from a source other than the
11.4list furnished pursuant to subdivision 1 must provide to the appointing authority the
11.5individual's major political party affiliation or a statement that the individual does not affiliate
11.6with any major political party. An individual who refuses to provide the individual's major
11.7political party affiliation or a statement that the individual does not affiliate with a major
11.8political party must not be appointed as an election judge. The appointments shall be made
11.9at least 25 days before the election at which the election judges will serve, except that the
11.10appointing authority may pass a resolution authorizing the appointment of additional election
11.11judges within the 25 days before the election if the appointing authority determines that
11.12additional election judges will be required.
11.13    Subd. 3. Access to election judge party affiliation. Notwithstanding section 13.43,
11.14the major political party affiliation of an election judge or a statement that the judge does
11.15not affiliate with a major political party may be shared with other election judges assigned
11.16to the precinct at the same election, to verify compliance with party balance requirements.
11.17This data may not be disclosed or used by the election judges for any other purpose.

11.18    Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204B.31, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11.19    Subd. 2. Volunteer service; election judge travel. (a) Any person appointed to serve
11.20as an election judge may elect to serve without payment by submitting a written statement
11.21to the appropriate governing body no later than ten days before the election.
11.22(b) Subdivision 1 does not require the payment of mileage or other travel expenses to
11.23an election judge residing in another jurisdiction, if the election judge's name was included
11.24on the list of individuals who indicated a willingness to travel to another jurisdiction provided
11.25under section 204B.21, subdivision 1.

11.26    Sec. 17. [204B.49] "I VOTED" STICKERS.
11.27The secretary of state, county auditor, municipal clerk, school district clerk, or an election
11.28judge may provide a sticker containing the words "I VOTED," and nothing more, to an
11.29individual who:
11.30(1) has successfully deposited a ballot into a ballot box, under section 203B.081,
11.31subdivision 3, or 204C.13, subdivision 5;
12.1(2) is provided an absentee ballot under section 203B.07, subdivision 1, or 203B.21,
12.2subdivision 2; or
12.3(3) is provided a ballot by mail under section 204B.45 or 204B.46.

12.4    Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204C.10, is amended to read:
12.5204C.10 PERMANENT REGISTRATION; VERIFICATION OF REGISTRATION.
12.6(a) An individual seeking to vote shall sign a polling place roster or voter signature
12.7certificate which states that the individual is at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United
12.8States, has resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election, maintains
12.9residence at the address shown, is not under a guardianship in which the court order revokes
12.10the individual's right to vote, has not been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent
12.11to vote or has the right to vote because, if the individual was convicted of a felony, the
12.12felony sentence has expired or been completed or the individual has been discharged from
12.13the sentence, is registered and has not already voted in the election. The roster must also
12.14state: "I understand that deliberately providing false information is a felony punishable by
12.15not more than five years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $10,000, or both."
12.16(b) At the presidential nomination primary, the polling place roster must also state: "I
12.17am in general agreement with the principles of the party for whose candidate I intend to
12.18vote, and I understand that my choice of a party's ballot will be public information." This
12.19statement must appear separately from the statements required in paragraph (a). The felony
12.20penalty provided for in paragraph (a) does not apply to this paragraph.
12.21(c) A judge may, before the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate,
12.22confirm the applicant's name, address, and date of birth.
12.23(d) After the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate, the judge shall give
12.24the applicant a voter's receipt. The voter shall deliver the voter's receipt to the judge in
12.25charge of ballots as proof of the voter's right to vote, and thereupon the judge shall hand to
12.26the voter the ballot. The voters' receipts must be maintained during the time for notice of
12.27filing an election contest.
12.28(e) Whenever a challenged status appears on the polling place roster, an election judge
12.29must ensure that the challenge is concealed or hidden from the view of any voter other than
12.30the voter whose status is challenged.

13.1    Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204C.12, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
13.2    Subdivision 1. Manner of challenging. An election judge shall, and an authorized
13.3challenger or other voter may, challenge an individual whom the person knows or reasonably
13.4believes based on personal knowledge that the individual is not an eligible voter.

13.5    Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204C.32, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
13.6    Subd. 2. State canvass. The State Canvassing Board shall meet at the secretary of state's
13.7office at a public meeting space located in the Capitol complex area seven days after the
13.8state primary to canvass the certified copies of the county canvassing board reports received
13.9from the county auditors. Immediately after the canvassing board declares the results, the
13.10secretary of state shall certify the names of the nominees to the county auditors. The secretary
13.11of state shall mail to each nominee a notice of nomination.

13.12    Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204C.33, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
13.13    Subd. 3. State canvass. The State Canvassing Board shall meet at the secretary of state's
13.14office at a public meeting space located in the Capitol complex area on the third Tuesday
13.15following the state general election to canvass the certified copies of the county canvassing
13.16board reports received from the county auditors and shall prepare a report that states:
13.17(a) (1) the number of individuals voting in the state and in each county;
13.18(b) (2) the number of votes received by each of the candidates, specifying the counties
13.19in which they were cast; and
13.20(c) (3) the number of votes counted for and against each constitutional amendment,
13.21specifying the counties in which they were cast.
13.22All members of the State Canvassing Board shall sign the report and certify its
13.23correctness. The State Canvassing Board shall declare the result within three days after
13.24completing the canvass.

13.25    Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.065, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
13.26    Subd. 5. Results. (a) The municipal primary shall be conducted and the returns made
13.27in the manner provided for the state primary so far as practicable. If the primary is conducted:
13.28(1) only within that municipality, a The canvass may be conducted on either the second
13.29or third day after the primary; or
14.1(2) in conjunction with the state primary, the canvass must be conducted on the third
14.2day after the primary, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b).
14.3The governing body of the municipality shall canvass the returns, and the two candidates
14.4for each office who receive the highest number of votes, or a number of candidates equal
14.5to twice the number of individuals to be elected to the office, who receive the highest number
14.6of votes, shall be the nominees for the office named. Their names shall be certified to the
14.7municipal clerk who shall place them on the municipal general election ballot without
14.8partisan designation and without payment of an additional fee.
14.9(b) Following a municipal primary as described in paragraph (a), clause (2), a canvass
14.10may be conducted on the second day after the primary if the county auditor of each county
14.11in which the municipality is located agrees to administratively review the municipality's
14.12primary voting statistics for accuracy and completeness within a time that permits the canvass
14.13to be conducted on that day.

14.14    Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
14.15    Subdivision 1. Date of election. The municipal general election in each city shall be
14.16held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in every even-numbered year.
14.17Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary and subject to the provisions of this
14.18section, the governing body of a city may, by ordinance passed at a regular meeting held
14.19before June 1 of any year, elect to at least 180 calendar days before the first day to file for
14.20candidacy in the next municipal election, decide to hold the election on the first Tuesday
14.21after the first Monday in November in each either an even- or odd-numbered year. A city
14.22may hold elections in either the even-numbered year or the odd-numbered year, but not
14.23both. When a city changes its elections from one year to another, and does not provide for
14.24the expiration of terms by ordinance, the term of an incumbent expiring at a time when no
14.25municipal election is held in the months immediately prior to expiration is extended until
14.26the date for taking office following the next scheduled municipal election. If the change
14.27results in having three council members to be elected at a succeeding election, the two
14.28individuals receiving the highest vote shall serve for terms of four years and the individual
14.29receiving the third highest number of votes shall serve for a term of two years. To provide
14.30an orderly transition to the odd or even year election plan, the governing body of the city
14.31may adopt supplementary ordinances regulating initial elections and officers to be chosen
14.32at the elections and shortening or lengthening the terms of incumbents and those elected at
14.33the initial election. The term of office for the mayor may be either two or four years. The
14.34term of office of council members is four years. Whenever the time of the municipal election
15.1is changed, the city clerk immediately shall notify in writing the county auditor and secretary
15.2of state of the change of date. Thereafter the municipal general election shall be held on the
15.3first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered or even-numbered
15.4year until the ordinance is revoked and notification of the change is made. A municipal
15.5general election scheduled to be held in an odd-numbered year may be postponed for
15.6inclement weather as provided in section 205.105.

15.7    Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205A.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
15.8    Subd. 2. Vacancies in school district offices. Special elections to fill vacancies in
15.9elective school district offices shall be held in school districts pursuant to section 123B.095
15.10123B.09, subdivision 5b. When more than one vacancy exists in an office elected at-large,
15.11voters must be instructed to vote for up to the number of vacancies to be filled.

15.12    Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 206.805, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
15.13    Subdivision 1. Contracts required. (a) The secretary of state, with the assistance of the
15.14commissioner of administration, shall must establish one or more state voting systems
15.15contracts. The contracts should, if practical, include provisions for maintenance of the
15.16equipment purchased. The voting systems contracts must address precinct-based optical
15.17scan voting equipment, and ballot marking equipment for persons with disabilities and other
15.18voters assistive voting technology, automatic tabulating equipment, and electronic roster
15.19equipment. The contracts must give the state a perpetual license to use and modify the
15.20software. The contracts must include provisions to escrow the software source code, as
15.21provided in subdivision 2. Bids for voting systems and related election services must be
15.22solicited from each vendor selling or leasing voting systems that have been certified for use
15.23by the secretary of state. Bids for electronic roster equipment, software, and related services
15.24must be solicited from each vendor selling or leasing electronic roster equipment that meets
15.25the requirements of section 201.225, subdivision 2. The contracts must be renewed from
15.26time to time.
15.27(b) Counties and municipalities may purchase or lease voting systems and obtain related
15.28election services from the state contracts. All counties and municipalities are members of
15.29the cooperative purchasing venture of the Department of Administration for the purpose of
15.30this section. For the purpose of township elections, counties must aggregate orders under
15.31contracts negotiated under this section for products and services and may apportion the
15.32costs of those products and services proportionally among the townships receiving the
16.1products and services. The county is not liable for the timely or accurate delivery of those
16.2products or services.

16.3    Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 208.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
16.4    Subdivision 1. Form of presidential ballots. When presidential electors and alternates
16.5are to be voted for, a vote cast for the party candidates for president and vice president shall
16.6be deemed a vote for that party's electors and alternates as filed with the secretary of state.
16.7The secretary of state shall certify the names of all duly nominated presidential and vice
16.8presidential candidates to the county auditors of the counties of the state. Each county
16.9auditor, subject to the rules of the secretary of state, shall cause the names of the candidates
16.10of each major political party and the candidates nominated by petition to be printed in capital
16.11letters, set in type of the same size and style as for candidates on the state general election
16.12ballot, before the party designation. To the left of, and on the same line with the names of
16.13the candidates for president and vice president, near the margin, shall be placed a square or
16.14box an oval or similar target shape, in which the voters may indicate their choice by marking
16.15an "X.".
16.16The form for the presidential ballot and the relative position of the several candidates
16.17shall be determined by the rules applicable to other state officers. The state ballot, with the
16.18required heading, shall be printed on the same piece of paper and shall be below the
16.19presidential ballot with a blank space between one inch in width.

16.20    Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 211B.11, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
16.21    Subdivision 1. Soliciting near polling places. A person may not display campaign
16.22material, post signs, ask, solicit, or in any manner try to induce or persuade a voter within
16.23a polling place or within 100 feet of the building in which a polling place is situated, or
16.24anywhere on the public property on which a polling place is situated, on primary or election
16.25day to vote for or refrain from voting for a candidate or ballot question. A person may not
16.26provide political badges, political buttons, or other political insignia to be worn at or about
16.27the polling place on the day of a primary or election. A political badge, political button, or
16.28other political insignia may not be worn at or about the polling place on primary or election
16.29day. This section applies to areas established by the county auditor or municipal clerk for
16.30absentee voting as provided in chapter 203B.
16.31The secretary of state, county auditor, municipal clerk, or school district clerk may
16.32provide stickers which contain the words "I VOTED" and nothing more. Election judges
16.33may offer a sticker of this type to each voter who has signed the polling place roster or voter
17.1signature certificate Nothing in this subdivision prohibits the distribution of "I VOTED"
17.2stickers as provided in section 204B.49.

17.3    Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 241.065, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
17.4    Subd. 2. Establishment. The Department of Corrections shall administer and maintain
17.5a computerized data system for the purpose of assisting criminal justice agencies in
17.6monitoring and enforcing the conditions of conditional release imposed on criminal offenders
17.7by a sentencing court or the commissioner of corrections. The adult data and juvenile data
17.8as defined in section 260B.171 in the statewide supervision system are private data as defined
17.9in section 13.02, subdivision 12, but are accessible to criminal justice agencies as defined
17.10in section 13.02, subdivision 3a, to the Minnesota sex offender program as provided in
17.11section 246B.04, subdivision 3, to public defenders as provided in section 611.272, to all
17.12trial courts and appellate courts, and to criminal justice agencies in other states in the conduct
17.13of their official duties. Adult data in the statewide supervision system are accessible to the
17.14secretary of state for the purposes described in section 201.157 201.145.

17.15    Sec. 29. REPEALER.
17.16Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 201.15; 201.155; 201.157; and 201.158, are repealed.

17.17    Sec. 30. EFFECTIVE DATE.
17.18This article is effective July 1, 2017.

17.19ARTICLE 2
17.20UNIFORM ELECTION DATES

17.21    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 103B.545, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
17.22    Subd. 2. Election. The county board or joint county authority shall conduct a special
17.23election in July or August after receiving the referendum petition on a date authorized in
17.24section 205.10, subdivision 3a. The special election must be held within the proposed lake
17.25improvement district. The county auditor shall administer the special election.

17.26    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 123A.46, subdivision 12, is amended to read:
17.27    Subd. 12. Election date. If an election is required under subdivision 11, then before the
17.28expiration of a 45 day period after the date of the order for dissolution and attachment, the
17.29auditor shall set a date and call the election by filing a written order for the election and
17.30serving a copy of the order personally or by mail on the clerk of the district in which the
18.1election is to be held. The date shall be not less than 15 nor more than 30 days after the date
18.2of the order, upon which date a special election shall be held in the district proposed for
18.3dissolution and must be held on a date authorized in section 205A.05, subdivision 1a. The
18.4auditor shall post and publish notice of the election according to law. Upon receipt of the
18.5notice, the board shall conduct the election.

18.6    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 123A.48, subdivision 14, is amended to read:
18.7    Subd. 14. Election. The board shall determine the date of the election as authorized by
18.8section 205A.05, subdivision 1a, the number of boundaries of voting precincts, and the
18.9location of the polling places where voting shall be conducted, and the hours the polls will
18.10be open. The board shall also provide official ballots which must be used exclusively and
18.11shall be in the following form: "Shall the (name of school district) and the (name of school
18.12district) be consolidated as proposed? Yes .... No ...."
18.13The board must appoint election judges who shall act as clerks of election. The ballots
18.14and results must be certified to the board who shall canvass and tabulate the total vote cast
18.15for and against the proposal.

18.16    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 123B.63, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
18.17    Subd. 3. Capital project levy referendum. (a) A district may levy the local tax rate
18.18approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question to provide funds for an approved
18.19project. The election must take place no more than five years before the estimated date of
18.20commencement of the project. The referendum must be held on a date set by the board
18.21authorized by section 205A.05, subdivision 1a. A district must meet the requirements of
18.22section 123B.71 for projects funded under this section. If a review and comment is required
18.23under section 123B.71, subdivision 8, a referendum for a project not receiving a positive
18.24review and comment by the commissioner must be approved by at least 60 percent of the
18.25voters at the election.
18.26(b) The referendum may be called by the school board and may be held:
18.27    (1) separately, before an election for the issuance of obligations for the project under
18.28chapter 475; or
18.29    (2) in conjunction with an election for the issuance of obligations for the project under
18.30chapter 475; or
19.1    (3) notwithstanding section 475.59, as a conjunctive question authorizing both the capital
19.2project levy and the issuance of obligations for the project under chapter 475. Any obligations
19.3authorized for a project may be issued within five years of the date of the election.
19.4    (c) The ballot must provide a general description of the proposed project, state the
19.5estimated total cost of the project, state whether the project has received a positive or negative
19.6review and comment from the commissioner, state the maximum amount of the capital
19.7project levy as a percentage of net tax capacity, state the amount that will be raised by that
19.8local tax rate in the first year it is to be levied, and state the maximum number of years that
19.9the levy authorization will apply.
19.10    The ballot must contain a textual portion with the information required in this section
19.11and a question stating substantially the following:
19.12    "Shall the capital project levy proposed by the board of .......... School District No. ..........
19.13be approved?"
19.14    If approved, the amount provided by the approved local tax rate applied to the net tax
19.15capacity for the year preceding the year the levy is certified may be certified for the number
19.16of years, not to exceed ten, approved.
19.17(d) If the district proposes a new capital project to begin at the time the existing capital
19.18project expires and at the same maximum tax rate, the general description on the ballot may
19.19state that the capital project levy is being renewed and that the tax rate is not being increased
19.20from the previous year's rate. An election to renew authority under this paragraph may be
19.21called at any time that is otherwise authorized by this subdivision. The ballot notice required
19.22under section 275.60 may be modified to read:
19.23"BY VOTING YES ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING TO RENEW
19.24AN EXISTING CAPITAL PROJECTS REFERENDUM THAT IS SCHEDULED TO
19.25EXPIRE."
19.26    (e) In the event a conjunctive question proposes to authorize both the capital project
19.27levy and the issuance of obligations for the project, appropriate language authorizing the
19.28issuance of obligations must also be included in the question.
19.29    (f) The district must notify the commissioner of the results of the referendum.

19.30    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 126C.17, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
19.31    Subd. 11. Referendum date. (a) Except for a referendum held under paragraph (b), any
19.32referendum under this section held on a day other than the first Tuesday after the first
20.1Monday in November must be conducted by mail in accordance with section 204B.46.
20.2Notwithstanding subdivision 9, paragraph (b), to the contrary, in the case of a referendum
20.3conducted by mail under this paragraph, the notice required by subdivision 9, paragraph
20.4(b), must be prepared and delivered by first-class mail at least 20 days before the referendum.
20.5(b) In addition to the referenda allowed in subdivision 9, clause paragraph (a), the
20.6commissioner may grant authority to a district to hold a referendum on a different day if
20.7the district is in statutory operating debt and has an approved plan or has received an
20.8extension from the department to file a plan to eliminate the statutory operating debt.
20.9(c) The commissioner must approve, deny, or modify each district's request for a
20.10referendum levy on a different day within 60 days of receiving the request from a district.

20.11    Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 128D.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
20.12    Subd. 2. Time of change. A proposed change in election years adopted under subdivision
20.131 is effective 240 days after passage and publication or at a later date fixed in the proposal.
20.14Within 180 days after passage and publication of the proposal, a petition requesting a
20.15referendum on the proposal may be filed with the school district clerk. The petition must
20.16be signed by eligible voters equal in number to five percent of the total number of votes
20.17cast in the city of Minneapolis at the most recent state general election. If the requisite
20.18petition is filed within the prescribed period, the proposal does not become effective until
20.19it is approved by a majority of the voters voting on the question at a general or special
20.20election held at least 60 days after submission of the petition on a date authorized by section
20.21205A.05, subdivision 1a. If the petition is filed, the governing body may reconsider its
20.22action in adopting the proposal.

20.23    Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 200.02, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
20.24    Subd. 4. Special election. "Special election" means:
20.25(a) (1) an election held at any time to fill vacancies in public state or federal offices; or
20.26(b) (2) an election held by a subdivision of the state for a special purpose held by a
20.27subdivision of the state on a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a, or 205A.05,
20.28subdivision 1a.

20.29    Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 204B.16, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
20.30    Subdivision 1. Authority; location. By December 31 of each year, the governing body
20.31of each municipality and of each county with precincts in unorganized territory shall must
21.1designate by ordinance or resolution a polling place for each election precinct. The polling
21.2places designated in the ordinance or resolution are the polling places for the following
21.3calendar year, unless a change is made:
21.4(1) pursuant to section 204B.175;
21.5(2) because a polling place has become unavailable; or
21.6(3) because a township designates one location for all state and federal elections and
21.7one location for all township only elections.
21.8Polling places must be designated and ballots must be distributed so that no one is required
21.9to go to more than one polling place to vote in a school district and municipal election held
21.10on the same day. The polling place for a precinct in a city or in a school district located in
21.11whole or in part in the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24, shall
21.12be located within the boundaries of the precinct or within one mile of one of those boundaries
21.13unless a single polling place is designated for a city pursuant to section 204B.14, subdivision
21.142
, or a school district pursuant to section 205A.11. The polling place for a precinct in
21.15unorganized territory may be located outside the precinct at a place which is convenient to
21.16the voters of the precinct. If no suitable place is available within a town or within a school
21.17district located outside the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24,
21.18then the polling place for a town or school district may be located outside the town or school
21.19district within five miles of one of the boundaries of the town or school district.

21.20    Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.07, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
21.21    Subd. 3. Effect of ordinance; referendum. An ordinance changing the year of the
21.22municipal election is effective 240 days after passage and publication or at a later date fixed
21.23in the ordinance. Within 180 days after passage and publication of the ordinance, a petition
21.24requesting a referendum on the ordinance may be filed with the city clerk. The petition shall
21.25be signed by eligible voters equal in number to ten percent of the total number of votes cast
21.26in the city at the last municipal general election. If the requisite petition is filed within the
21.27prescribed period, the ordinance shall not become effective until it is approved by a majority
21.28of the voters voting on the question at a general or special election held at least 60 days
21.29after submission of the petition on a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a. If
21.30the petition is filed, the governing body may reconsider its action in adopting the ordinance.

22.1    Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.10, is amended by adding a subdivision to
22.2read:
22.3    Subd. 3a. Uniform election dates. (a) Except as allowed in paragraph (b) and subdivision
22.44, a special election held in a city or town must be held on one of the following dates: the
22.5second Tuesday in February, the second Tuesday in April, the second Tuesday in May, the
22.6second Tuesday in August, or the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. A home
22.7rule charter city must not designate additional dates in its charter.
22.8(b) A special election may be held on a date other than those designated in paragraph
22.9(a) if the special election is held in response to an emergency or disaster. "Emergency"
22.10means an unforeseen combination of circumstances that calls for immediate action to prevent
22.11a disaster from developing or occurring. "Disaster" means a situation that creates an actual
22.12or imminent serious threat to the health and safety of persons or a situation that has resulted
22.13or is likely to result in catastrophic loss to property or the environment.

22.14    Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.10, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
22.15    Subd. 4. Vacancies in town offices. Special elections must be held with the town general
22.16election to fill vacancies in town offices as provided in section 367.03, subdivision 6, must
22.17be held with the town general election or on a date authorized by subdivision 3a.

22.18    Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205A.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
22.19    Subdivision 1. Questions. (a) Special elections must be held for a school district on a
22.20question on which the voters are authorized by law to pass judgment. The school board may
22.21on its own motion call a special election to vote on any matter requiring approval of the
22.22voters of a district. Upon petition filed with the school board of 50 or more voters of the
22.23school district or five percent of the number of voters voting at the preceding school district
22.24general election, whichever is greater, the school board shall by resolution call a special
22.25election to vote on any matter requiring approval of the voters of a district. A question is
22.26carried only with the majority in its favor required by law. The election officials for a special
22.27election are the same as for the most recent school district general election unless changed
22.28according to law. Otherwise, special elections must be conducted and the returns made in
22.29the manner provided for the school district general election.
22.30    (b) A special election may not be held:
22.31    (1) during the 56 days before and the 56 days after a regularly scheduled primary or
22.32general election conducted wholly or partially within the school district;
23.1    (2) on the date of a regularly scheduled town election or annual meeting in March
23.2conducted wholly or partially within the school district; or
23.3    (3) during the 30 days before or the 30 days after a regularly scheduled town election
23.4in March conducted wholly or partially within the school district.
23.5    (c) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the time period in which a special
23.6election must be conducted under any other law may be extended by the school board to
23.7conform with the requirements of this subdivision.

23.8    Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205A.05, is amended by adding a subdivision
23.9to read:
23.10    Subd. 1a. Uniform election dates. (a) Except as allowed in paragraph (b), a special
23.11election held in a school district must be held on one of the following dates: the second
23.12Tuesday in February, the second Tuesday in April, the second Tuesday in May, the second
23.13Tuesday in August, or the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
23.14(b) A special election may be held on a date other than those designated in paragraph
23.15(a) if the special election is held in response to an emergency or disaster. "Emergency"
23.16means an unforeseen combination of circumstances that calls for immediate action to prevent
23.17a disaster from developing or occurring. "Disaster" means a situation that creates an actual
23.18or imminent serious threat to the health and safety of persons or a situation that has resulted
23.19or is likely to result in catastrophic loss to property or the environment.

23.20    Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205A.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
23.21    Subd. 2. Combined polling place. (a) When no other election is being held in two or
23.22more precincts on the day of a school district election, the school board may designate one
23.23or more combined polling places at which the voters in those precincts may vote in the
23.24school district election.
23.25    (b) By December 31 of each year, the school board must designate, by resolution,
23.26combined polling places. The combined polling places designated in the resolution are the
23.27polling places for the following calendar year, unless a change is made:
23.28    (1) pursuant to section 204B.175; or
23.29    (2) because a polling place has become unavailable.
23.30    (c) If the school board designates combined polling places pursuant to this subdivision,
23.31polling places must be designated throughout the district, taking into account both
24.1geographical distribution and population distribution. A combined polling place must be at
24.2a location designated for use as a polling place by a county or municipality.
24.3    (d) In school districts that have organized into separate board member election districts
24.4under section 205A.12, a combined polling place for a school general election must be
24.5arranged so that it does not include more than one board member election district.

24.6    Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 216B.46, is amended to read:
24.7216B.46 MUNICIPAL ACQUISITION PROCEDURES; NOTICE; ELECTION.
24.8Any municipality which desires to acquire the property of a public utility as authorized
24.9under the provisions of section 216B.45 may determine to do so by resolution of the
24.10governing body of the municipality taken after a public hearing of which at least 30 days'
24.11published notice shall be given as determined by the governing body. The determination
24.12shall become effective when ratified by a majority of the qualified electors voting on the
24.13question at a special election to be held for that purpose, not less than 60 nor more than 120
24.14days after the resolution of the governing body of the municipality on a date authorized by
24.15section 205.10, subdivision 3a.

24.16    Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 365A.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
24.17    Subd. 2. Election. The town board shall hold a special election within the boundaries
24.18of the proposed district not less than 30 nor more than 90 days after receipt of the petition
24.19on a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a. The question submitted and voted
24.20upon by the property owners within the territory of the proposed district must be phrased
24.21substantially as follows:
24.22"Shall a subordinate service district be established to provide (service or services to be
24.23provided) financed by (revenue sources)?"
24.24If a majority of those voting on the question favor creation of the district, the district
24.25shall begin upon certification of the vote by the town clerk. The town clerk shall administer
24.26the election.

24.27    Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 367.33, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
24.28    Subdivision 1. Election at annual election or special election. Following the adoption
24.29of option A in a town, except a town exercising the powers of a statutory city, the town
24.30board may call a special town election to be held not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
24.31after the annual town election at which the option is adopted on a date authorized by section
25.1205.10, subdivision 3a, to elect two additional members to the board of supervisors. In lieu
25.2of a special election, the town board may determine to elect the additional members at the
25.3next annual town election.
25.4If the town is exercising the powers of a statutory city under section 368.01 or a special
25.5law granting substantially similar powers, the town board shall call a special election to be
25.6held not less than 30 nor more than 60 days after the annual election on a date authorized
25.7by section 205.10, subdivision 3a, at which option A is adopted to elect the two additional
25.8supervisors.

25.9    Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 375.101, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
25.10    Subdivision 1. Option for filling vacancies; special election. (a) Except as provided
25.11in subdivision 3, a vacancy in the office of county commissioner may be filled as provided
25.12in this subdivision and subdivision 2, or as provided in subdivision 4. If the vacancy is to
25.13be filled under this subdivision and subdivision 2, it must be filled at a special election. The
25.14county board may by resolution call for a special election to be held according to the earliest
25.15of the following time schedules:
25.16(1) not less than 120 days following the date the vacancy is declared, but no later than
25.1712 weeks prior to the date of the next regularly scheduled primary election;
25.18(2) concurrently with the next regularly scheduled primary election and general election;
25.19or
25.20(3) no sooner than 120 days following the next regularly scheduled general election on
25.21a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a.
25.22(b) The person elected at the special election shall take office immediately after receipt
25.23of the certificate of election and upon filing the bond and taking the oath of office and shall
25.24serve the remainder of the unexpired term. If the county has been reapportioned since the
25.25commencement of the term of the vacant office, the election shall be based on the district
25.26as reapportioned.

25.27    Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 375B.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
25.28    Subd. 2. Election. The county board shall make arrangements for the holding of a special
25.29election not less than 30 nor more than 90 days after receipt of the petition on a date
25.30authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a, within the boundaries of the proposed district.
25.31The question to be submitted and voted upon by the qualified voters within the territory of
25.32the proposed district shall be phrased substantially as follows:
26.1"Shall a subordinate service district be established in order to provide (service or services
26.2to be provided) financed by (revenue sources)?"
26.3If a majority of those voting on the question favor creation of the proposed district, the
26.4district shall be deemed created upon certification of the vote by the county auditor. The
26.5county auditor shall administer the election.

26.6    Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 375B.10, is amended to read:
26.7375B.10 WITHDRAWAL; ELECTION.
26.8Upon receipt of a petition signed by ten percent of the qualified voters within the territory
26.9of the subordinate service district requesting the removal of the district, or pursuant to its
26.10own resolution, the county board shall make arrangements for the holding of a special
26.11election within the boundaries of the service district not less than 30 nor more than 90 days
26.12after the resolution or receipt of the petition on a date authorized by section 205.10,
26.13subdivision 3a. The question to be submitted and voted upon by the qualified voters within
26.14the territory of the district shall be phrased substantially as follows:
26.15"Shall the subordinate service district presently established be removed and the service
26.16or services of the county as provided for the service district be discontinued?"
26.17If a majority of those voting on the question favor the removal and discontinuance of
26.18the services, the service district shall be removed and the services shall be discontinued
26.19upon certification of the vote by the county auditor. The county auditor shall administer the
26.20election.

26.21    Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 383B.031, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
26.22    Subdivision 1. More than six months; special election. Notwithstanding the provisions
26.23of section 375.101, if a vacancy occurs in a seat on the Board of County Commissioners of
26.24Hennepin County more than six months before the general election in which a commissioner
26.25will next be selected to occupy such seat the county auditor shall, within seven days after
26.26the vacancy occurs, call a special election within the affected district to fill such vacancy.
26.27The auditor shall specify a date for the election which shall be between 56 and 77 days after
26.28the vacancy occurred to be held on a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a.
26.29Candidates shall file with the county auditor prior to the 35th day before the election. The
26.30primary election shall be held 14 days before the election. If no more than two candidates
26.31file for the office, the primary election shall be canceled and the date of the general election
26.32advanced 14 days.

27.1    Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 383E.24, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
27.2    Subd. 7. Referendum. (a) Upon receipt of a petition signed by five percent of the
27.3qualified voters within the territory of the proposed service district prior to the effective
27.4date of its creation as specified in subdivision 6, the creation shall be held in abeyance
27.5pending a referendum vote of all qualified electors residing within the boundaries of the
27.6proposed service district.
27.7(b) The county board shall make arrangements for the holding of a special election not
27.8less than 30 or more than 90 days after receipt of such petition on a date authorized by
27.9section 205.10, subdivision 3a, and within the boundaries of the proposed taxing district.
27.10The question to be submitted and voted upon by the qualified voters within the territory of
27.11the proposed service district shall be phrased substantially as follows:
27.12"Shall a subordinate service district be established in order to provide (service or services
27.13to be provided) financed by (revenue sources)?"
27.14(c) If a majority of those voting on the question favor creation of the proposed subordinate
27.15service district, the district shall be deemed created upon certification of the vote by the
27.16county auditor. The county auditor shall administer the election.

27.17    Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 410.10, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
27.18    Subdivision 1. Timing; procedure; recall. Upon delivery of such draft, the council or
27.19other governing body of the city shall cause the proposed charter to be submitted at the next
27.20general election thereafter occurring in the city within six months after the delivery of such
27.21draft, and if there is no general city election occurring in the city within six months after
27.22the delivery of such draft, then the council or other governing body of the city shall cause
27.23the proposed charter to be submitted at a special election to be held within 90 days after the
27.24delivery of such draft on a date authorized by section 205.10, subdivision 3a. The council
27.25or other governing body may call a special election for that purpose only at any time. If the
27.26election is held at the same time with the general election, the voting places and election
27.27officers shall be the same for both elections. At any time before the council has fixed the
27.28date of the election upon the proposed charter, the charter commission may recall it for
27.29further action; and the council may authorize recall of the charter by the commission at any
27.30later date prior to the first publication of the proposed charter.

28.1    Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 447.32, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
28.2    Subd. 2. Elections. Except as provided in this chapter, the Minnesota Election Law
28.3applies to hospital district elections, as far as practicable. Regular elections must be held in
28.4each hospital district at the same time, in the same election precincts, and at the same polling
28.5places as general elections of state and county officers. It may establish the whole district
28.6as a single election precinct or establish two or more different election precincts and polling
28.7places for the elections. If there is more than one precinct, the boundaries of the election
28.8precincts and the locations of the polling places must be defined in the notice of election,
28.9either in full or by reference to a description or map on file in the office of the clerk.
28.10Special elections may be called by the hospital board to vote on any matter required by
28.11law to be submitted to the voters. A special election may not be conducted either during the
28.1256 days before or the 56 days after a regularly scheduled primary or general election,
28.13conducted wholly or partially within the hospital district must be held on a date authorized
28.14by section 205.10, subdivision 3a. Special elections must be held within the election precinct
28.15or precincts and at the polling place or places designated by the board. In the case of the
28.16first election of officers of a new district, precincts and polling places must be set by the
28.17governing body of the most populous city or town included in the district.
28.18Advisory ballots may be submitted by the hospital board on any question it wishes,
28.19concerning the affairs of the district, but only at a regular election or at a special election
28.20required for another purpose.

28.21    Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 475.59, is amended to read:
28.22475.59 MANNER OF SUBMISSION; NOTICE.
28.23    Subdivision 1. Generally; notice. When the governing body of a municipality resolves
28.24to issue bonds for any purpose requiring the approval of the electors, it shall provide for
28.25submission of the proposition of their issuance at a general or special election or town or
28.26school district meeting. Notice of such election or meeting shall be given in the manner
28.27required by law and shall state the maximum amount and the purpose of the proposed issue.
28.28In any school district, the school board or board of education may, according to its judgment
28.29and discretion, submit as a single ballot question or as two or more separate questions in
28.30the notice of election and ballots the proposition of their issuance for any one or more of
28.31the following, stated conjunctively or in the alternative: acquisition or enlargement of sites,
28.32acquisition, betterment, erection, furnishing, equipping of one or more new schoolhouses,
28.33remodeling, repairing, improving, adding to, betterment, furnishing, equipping of one or
28.34more existing schoolhouses. In any city, town, or county, the governing body may, according
29.1to its judgment and discretion, submit as a single ballot question or as two or more separate
29.2questions in the notice of election and ballots the proposition of their issuance, stated
29.3conjunctively or in the alternative, for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any
29.4facilities at one or more locations.
29.5    Subd. 2. Election date. An election to approve issuance of bonds under this section held
29.6by a municipality or school district must be held on a date authorized in section 205.10,
29.7subdivision 3a, or 205A.05, subdivision 1a.

29.8    Sec. 26. REPEALER.
29.9Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 205.10, subdivision 3, is repealed.

29.10    Sec. 27. EFFECTIVE DATE.
29.11This article is effective January 1, 2018, and applies to any special election held on or
29.12after that date.

29.13ARTICLE 3
29.14COUNTY OFFICES

29.15    Section 1. MORRISON COUNTY RECORDER MAY BE APPOINTED.
29.16    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
29.17Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Morrison County Board of
29.18Commissioners, the office of county recorder is not elective but must be filled by appointment
29.19by the county board as provided in the resolution.
29.20    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
29.21resolution by the county board of commissioners, and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
29.22duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
29.23by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
29.24department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
29.25delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
29.26the discharge of duties required by statute.
29.27    Subd. 3. Incumbents to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
29.28to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
29.29duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
29.30of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
29.31occurs earlier.
30.1    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
30.2resolution to provide for the appointment of the county recorder, the county board must
30.3publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue once
30.4each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county and in the
30.5official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county. Following publication
30.6and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an opportunity
30.7at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue. One meeting must be
30.8held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other meeting must be held
30.9between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be regular or special
30.10meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting, at the same meeting
30.11or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt a resolution that
30.12provides for the appointment of the county recorder as permitted in this section. The
30.13resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the county board. The
30.14resolution may take effect 60 days after it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution,
30.15unless a petition is filed as provided in paragraph (b).
30.16(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
30.17referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
30.18at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
30.19requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
30.20and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
30.21of appointing the county recorder must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special election.
30.22If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of appointment,
30.23the resolution may be implemented.
30.24    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
30.25provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
30.26until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
30.27must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
30.28once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
30.29publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
30.30opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
30.31public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
30.32be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
30.33August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
30.34(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
30.35must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
31.1(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
31.2(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
31.3with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
31.4election is held; and
31.5(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
31.6Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
31.7of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
31.8elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
31.9EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Morrison County Board
31.10of Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with
31.11Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

31.12    Sec. 2. BENTON COUNTY RECORDER MAY BE APPOINTED.
31.13    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
31.14Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Benton County Board of
31.15Commissioners, the office of county recorder is not elective but must be filled by appointment
31.16by the county board as provided in the resolution.
31.17    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
31.18resolution by the county board of commissioners, and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
31.19duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
31.20by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
31.21department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
31.22delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
31.23the discharge of duties required by statute.
31.24    Subd. 3. Incumbents to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
31.25to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
31.26duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
31.27of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
31.28occurs earlier.
31.29    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
31.30resolution to provide for the appointment of the county recorder, the county board must
31.31publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue once
31.32each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county and in the
31.33official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county. Following publication
32.1and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an opportunity
32.2at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue. One meeting must be
32.3held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other meeting must be held
32.4between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be regular or special
32.5meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting, at the same meeting
32.6or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt a resolution that
32.7provides for the appointment of the county recorder as permitted in this section. The
32.8resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the county board. The
32.9resolution may take effect 60 days after it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution,
32.10unless a petition is filed as provided in paragraph (b).
32.11(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
32.12referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
32.13at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
32.14requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
32.15and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
32.16of appointing the county recorder must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special election.
32.17If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of appointment,
32.18the resolution may be implemented.
32.19    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
32.20provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
32.21until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
32.22must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
32.23once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
32.24publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
32.25opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
32.26public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
32.27be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
32.28August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
32.29(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
32.30must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
32.31(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
32.32(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
32.33with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
32.34election is held; and
33.1(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
33.2Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
33.3of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
33.4elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
33.5EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Benton County Board
33.6of Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with
33.7Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

33.8    Sec. 3. PINE COUNTY AUDITOR-TREASURER MAY BE APPOINTED.
33.9    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
33.10Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Pine County Board of
33.11Commissioners, the office of county auditor-treasurer is not elective but must be filled by
33.12appointment by the county board as provided in the resolution.
33.13    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
33.14resolution by the county board of commissioners and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
33.15duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
33.16by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
33.17department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
33.18delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
33.19the discharge of duties required by statute.
33.20    Subd. 3. Incumbent to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
33.21to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
33.22duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
33.23of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
33.24occurs earlier.
33.25    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
33.26resolution to provide for the appointment of the county auditor-treasurer, the county board
33.27must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
33.28once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county and in
33.29the official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county. Following
33.30publication and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an
33.31opportunity at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue. One meeting
33.32must be held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other meeting must be
33.33held between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be regular or special
33.34meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting, at the same meeting
34.1or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt a resolution that
34.2provides for the appointment of the county auditor-treasurer as permitted in this section.
34.3The resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the county board.
34.4The resolution may take effect 60 days after it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the
34.5resolution, unless a petition is filed as provided in paragraph (b).
34.6(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
34.7referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
34.8at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
34.9requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
34.10and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
34.11of appointing the county auditor-treasurer must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special
34.12election. If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of
34.13appointment, the resolution may be implemented.
34.14    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
34.15provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
34.16until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
34.17must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
34.18once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
34.19publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
34.20opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
34.21public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
34.22be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
34.23August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
34.24(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
34.25must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
34.26(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
34.27(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
34.28with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
34.29election is held; and
34.30(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
34.31Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
34.32of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
34.33elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
35.1EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Pine County Board of
35.2Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with Minnesota
35.3Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

35.4    Sec. 4. STEARNS COUNTY RECORDER MAY BE APPOINTED.
35.5    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
35.6Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Stearns County Board of
35.7Commissioners, the office of county recorder is not elective but must be filled by appointment
35.8by the county board as provided in the resolution.
35.9    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
35.10resolution by the county board of commissioners, and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
35.11duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
35.12by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
35.13department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
35.14delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
35.15the discharge of duties required by statute.
35.16    Subd. 3. Incumbents to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
35.17to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
35.18duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
35.19of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
35.20occurs earlier.
35.21    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
35.22resolution to provide for the appointment of the county recorder, the county board must
35.23publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue once
35.24each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county and in the
35.25official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county. Following publication
35.26and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an opportunity
35.27at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue. One meeting must be
35.28held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other meeting must be held
35.29between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be regular or special
35.30meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting, at the same meeting
35.31or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt a resolution that
35.32provides for the appointment of the county recorder as permitted in this section. The
35.33resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the county board. The
36.1resolution may take effect 60 days after it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution,
36.2unless a petition is filed as provided in paragraph (b).
36.3(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
36.4referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
36.5at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
36.6requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
36.7and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
36.8of appointing the county recorder must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special election.
36.9If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of appointment,
36.10the resolution may be implemented.
36.11    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
36.12provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
36.13until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
36.14must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
36.15once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
36.16publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
36.17opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
36.18public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
36.19be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
36.20August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
36.21(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
36.22must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
36.23(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
36.24(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
36.25with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
36.26election is held; and
36.27(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
36.28Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
36.29of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
36.30elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
36.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Stearns County Board
36.32of Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with
36.33Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

37.1    Sec. 5. MARSHALL COUNTY RECORDER MAY BE APPOINTED.
37.2    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
37.3Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Marshall County Board of
37.4Commissioners, the office of county recorder is not elective but must be filled by appointment
37.5by the county board as provided in the resolution.
37.6    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
37.7resolution by the county board of commissioners, and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
37.8duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
37.9by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
37.10department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
37.11delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
37.12the discharge of duties required by statute.
37.13    Subd. 3. Incumbents to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
37.14to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
37.15duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
37.16of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
37.17occurs earlier.
37.18    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
37.19resolution to provide for the appointment of the county recorder, the county board must
37.20publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue once
37.21each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county and in the
37.22official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county. Following publication
37.23and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an opportunity
37.24at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue. One meeting must be
37.25held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other meeting must be held
37.26between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be regular or special
37.27meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting, at the same meeting
37.28or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt a resolution that
37.29provides for the appointment of the county recorder as permitted in this section. The
37.30resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the county board. The
37.31resolution may take effect 60 days after it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution,
37.32unless a petition is filed as provided in paragraph (b).
37.33(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
37.34referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
38.1at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
38.2requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
38.3and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
38.4of appointing the county recorder must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special election.
38.5If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of appointment,
38.6the resolution may be implemented.
38.7    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
38.8provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
38.9until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
38.10must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
38.11once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
38.12publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
38.13opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
38.14public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
38.15be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
38.16August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
38.17(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
38.18must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
38.19(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
38.20(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
38.21with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
38.22election is held; and
38.23(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
38.24Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
38.25of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
38.26elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
38.27EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Marshall County Board
38.28of Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with
38.29Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.

38.30    Sec. 6. RICE COUNTY AUDITOR-TREASURER AND RECORDER MAY BE
38.31APPOINTED.
38.32    Subdivision 1. Authorization to make office appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota
38.33Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Rice County Board of
39.1Commissioners, the offices of county auditor-treasurer and county recorder are not elective
39.2but must be filled by appointment by the county board as provided in the resolution.
39.3    Subd. 2. Board controls; may change as long as duties done. Upon adoption of a
39.4resolution by the county board of commissioners, and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
39.5duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
39.6by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
39.7department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
39.8delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
39.9the discharge of duties required by statute.
39.10    Subd. 3. Incumbents to complete term. The person elected at the last general election
39.11to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that elected capacity and
39.12perform the duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion
39.13of the term of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office,
39.14whichever occurs earlier.
39.15    Subd. 4. Publishing resolution; petition; referendum. (a) Before the adoption of a
39.16resolution to provide for the appointment of the county auditor-treasurer and county recorder,
39.17the county board must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to
39.18consider the issue once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of
39.19the county and in the official publication of each city located wholly or partly in the county.
39.20Following publication and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall
39.21provide an opportunity at two separate meetings for public comment relating to the issue.
39.22One meeting must be held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and the other
39.23meeting must be held between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The meetings may be
39.24regular or special meetings. After the public comment opportunity at the second meeting,
39.25at the same meeting or a subsequent meeting, the county board of commissioners may adopt
39.26a resolution that provides for the appointment of the county auditor-treasurer and county
39.27recorder as permitted in this section. The resolution must be approved by at least 80 percent
39.28of the members of the county board. The resolution may take effect 60 days after it is
39.29adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution, unless a petition is filed as provided in
39.30paragraph (b).
39.31(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
39.32referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
39.33at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
39.34requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
39.35and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
40.1of appointing the county auditor-treasurer and county recorder must be placed on the ballot
40.2at a regular or special election. If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question
40.3vote in favor of appointment, the resolution may be implemented.
40.4    Subd. 5. Reverting to elected offices. (a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
40.5provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
40.6until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
40.7must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
40.8once each week or two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
40.9publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
40.10opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
40.11public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
40.12be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
40.13August 1 following adoption of the resolution.
40.14(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
40.15must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:
40.16(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;
40.17(2) a petition signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
40.18with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
40.19election is held; and
40.20(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
40.21Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
40.22of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
40.23elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.
40.24EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day after the Rice County Board of
40.25Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with Minnesota
40.26Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3."
40.27Amend the title accordingly