Absentee ballot board creation (new law)

Cities, municipalities and school districts must establish a board to examine absentee ballots, under a new law signed March 24 by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) and Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), the law creates a board to accept or reject absentee ballots based on several factors including: the voter’s name and address on the return envelope match information provided on the application; the voter signed the certification on the envelope; the voter’s driver’s license, state identification number or the last four digits of their Social Security number match that provided on the application; and the voter has not already voted at that election.

Winkler said the law will “ensure that absentee ballots and applications are treated equally across the state.”

The Office of the Secretary of State will report to the Legislature every two years statistics related to the state’s absentee ballots, such as the number of ballots sent and received by voters, and the number rejected and reasons why.

In the 2008 election, 12,000 absentee ballots were rejected and two of those were done so improperly, Winkler said.

Most of the law is effective June 25, 2010, except the ballot board creation, which is effective March 25, 2010, and a requirement that the official in charge of the absentee ballot board must mail the voter a written notice of absentee ballot rejection 6-10 weeks following the election takes effect Oct. 28, 2010.

HF3111*/ SF2622/CH194