Elections processes modified

A bill comprised of several elections administration and technical modifications was approved by the House 130-0 April 7.

Rep. Bill Hilty (DFL-Finlayson), who sponsors HF1110/SF1298* with Sen. Linda Higgins (DFL-Mpls), said the bill would streamline elections processes. As amended, it now returns to the Senate. If that body concurs, the bill would go to the governor. If not, a conference committee could be called to work out the differences. The Senate passed its version 40-23 last year.

The bill would, among other things:

• permit registering voters who are unable to sign their name to sign by making a mark;

• require that affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions be filed with the county auditor for county elections, the secretary of state for federal elections and either for state elections;

• prohibit lingering at the polling place;

• introduce new regulations for discretionary recounts; and

• specify the number of signatures required for a federal or state office nominating petition, to be the lesser of 1 percent of the total number of individuals voting in the last general election or 2,000.

An amendment successfully offered by Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth) would prohibit residential housing listings at postsecondary institutions compiled for use in Election Day registration from being used or disseminated by a county auditor or the secretary of state for any other purpose.

An adopted amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-Cedar), would allow applications for a game and fish license issued by the commissioner of natural resources to serve as a voter registration application.

Rep. Laura Brod (R-New Prague) successfully offered an amendment that would require the secretary of state to report to the Legislature within 60 days of the general election the number of incidents where a legal non-citizen voted.