Bill Summary

1         

Notice of registration.  Requires that the notice of registration mailed by the county auditor inform voters that it is a felony for a person who is not eligible to vote to cast a vote, and that if the recipient of the notice is not eligible, or does not want to be registered to vote, the voter registration office should be contacted immediately.  Contact information must be provided.

2         

Social Security Administration; deceased residents.  Requires the secretary of state to prepare a list of deceased registered voters for each county auditor based on those listed in the Social Security Death Index.  A county auditor who receives such a list must change the status of these voters to “deceased” in the statewide voter registration system.

3         

Change of names.  Requires the state court administrator to report, in addition to name and address, the driver’s license or state identification card number, if available, of any individual who has changed his or her name. 

The secretary must determine if any of these individuals are registered to vote under a previous name, and if so, provide these names to the appropriate county auditor.  The county auditor must modify the individuals’ voter record, and mail the individual a notice that re-registration to vote is required.

4         

Guardianships.  Requires the state court administrator to include an individual’s driver’s license number or state identification card number, if available, on the existing guardianship and incompetency reports transmitted to the secretary of state.

5         

Guardianship termination.  Requires the state court administrator to include an individual’s driver’s license number or state identification card number, if available, on the existing reports related to guardianship termination and restoration of voting rights transmitted to the secretary of state.

6         

Felony convictions.  Requires the state court administrator to include an individual’s driver’s license number or state identification card number, if available, on the existing felony conviction reports transmitted to the secretary of state.

7         

Department of Corrections data.  Requires the commissioner of corrections to provide to the secretary of state data on individuals who are over the age of 18 who are currently serving felony sentences.  At least once a month, the secretary of state must use the data to determine whether any of the individuals are listed as active in the statewide voter registration system, and whether they are listed as “challenged.”  The secretary of state must also determine whether it appears that any individual registered or voted while their civil rights were revoked, and whether any individual with a voter record listed as “challenged” has been discharged from their sentence.

The secretary of state must provide information on these findings to the appropriate county auditors, who are required to update the entries, as necessary, in the statewide voter registration system.

8         

Department of public safety data.  Requires the department of public safety to make electronic data related to citizenship available to the secretary of state.  The secretary of state must use the data at least monthly to determine whether any voters listed as active in the statewide registration database are not citizens.  The secretary must notify the appropriate county auditor of any individuals who are not citizens; the county auditor must modify the status of these voters to “challenged” and notify the county attorney. 

9         

Automatic registration.  Provides for automatic registration to vote of applicants for a Minnesota driver’s license, identification card, or instruction permit who are otherwise eligible to vote.  The applicant may decline to be registered.

The commissioner of public safety must transmit information on applicants who did not decline to be registered to the secretary of state on a daily basis.

If an applicant is already registered to vote, the voter record must be updated, if necessary.  If the applicant is not already registered to vote, the secretary of state must determine whether the applicant is eligible to vote, and if so, transmit the information to the appropriate county auditor.  The county auditor must provide a notice of registration to the individual.  If an applicant is under 18, the secretary of state must wait to determine eligibility until the applicant turns 18.

Applications dated during the 20 days immediately preceding an election are not valid for that election.

An individual may not be automatically registered to vote until both the secretary of state and the commissioner of corrections have certified that the system for automatic registration has been tested and can properly determine eligibility to vote.

10     

Roster notice.  Requires a notice to be placed prominently next to the polling place roster informing voters that it is a felony for an individual to vote if ineligible to do so, and that by signing the roster, the voter is swearing or affirming the voter’s eligibility.  The eligibility criteria for voting must also be provided.