Minnesta VOTER REGISTRATION These resurces are current as f 12/1/18. We d ur best t peridically update these resurces and welcme any cmments r questins regarding new develpments in the law. Please email us at advcacy@afj.rg. What s New in This Guide The fllwing changes/additins have been made since the previus versin f this guide: A persn may register t vte in Minnesta thrugh the Secretary f State s website with an email address, verifiable Minnesta driver s license number, Minnesta state identificatin card, r the last fr digits f the persn s Scial Security number. Individuals cnducting vter registratin can help vters fill ut registratin applicatins and, with the vter s permissin, can mail r drp ff the frm n his r her behalf. A wrker can als help vters fill ut nline applicatins s lng as it is dne with the vter s cnsent and in his r her presence. Organizatins may cmpensate wrkers fr registering vters. Hwever, Minnesta law prhibits cmpensating wrkers by a fixed payment per registered vter applicatin and/r cmpensating wrkers mre r less fr achieving a set quta f applicatins. Breaking this law is punishable as a petty misdemeanr. Thse registering t vte in persn n Electin Day may have their name checked t see if have vted by absentee ballt This guide summarizes key aspects f laws gverning vter registratin n the state level. It is nt intended t prvide legal advice r t serve as a substitute fr legal advice In sme jurisdictins, city and/r cunty regulatins may als apply t certain plitical activities. Check with the apprpriate lcal jurisdictin befre undertaking any activity. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Deadlines fr Registratin II. Pht ID Requirements III. Vter Registratin Drives IV. Cntact Infrmatin fr State and Lcal Agencies 1
DEADLINES FOR REGISTRATION Deadline fr registering The deadline fr registratin is 20 days prir t the next electin (unless yu register in persn n Electin Day with the prper prf f residence, see belw). Registratins received by 5 p.m. n the 21st day befre the electin will be accepted. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 1. A persn may register in advance in persn r by mail by cmpleting a registratin applicatin thrugh their lcal electin ffice r the Secretary f State s ffice. A persn may als register thrugh the Secretary f State s website with an email address, verifiable Minnesta driver s license number, Minnesta state identificatin card, r the last fr digits f the persn s Scial Security number. If a vter registered within 20 days f the electin, the vter may get a Ntice f Late Registratin card in the mail. They shuld bring that card with them t use it as prf f their residence fr the purpses f same-day registratin. See Minn. Stat. 201.061, subds. 1a, 3. Des state ffer Electin Day registratin? Yes. T register n Electin Day, an individual must appear in persn at the precinct in which they vte, cmplete a registratin applicatin and make an ath in the frm prescribed by the secretary f state and prviding prf f residence. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 3. An individual whse name appears n a list f absentee Electin Day registrants wh have already vted by absentee ballt will nt be allwed t register r vte n Electin Day. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 4. Electin Day registrants must shw a frm f identificatin frm amng the fllwing ptins: Minnesta drivers license r identificatin card; any identificatin dcument apprved by the Secretary f State; a student identificatin card frm a pst-secndary institutin lcated in Minnesta, prvided that the institutin has prepared a list f students and had the list certified by the cunty auditr; a pht identificatin and a current student fee statement shwing the student s address; r a member f a federally recgnized tribal band may prve residence by presenting a tribal identificatin cntaining the individual s name, address, signature and pht, r by presenting a tribal identificatin cntaining the individual s name and pht alng with a current signature and utility bill shwing the persn s name and address. MINN. Stat. 201.061, subd. 3(a) and (d). Alternatively, a persn may register by having a vter wh is registered in the precinct vuch that she persnally knws the vter t be a resident f the precinct. Or, if the vter resides in a certain type f residential facilities in the precinct, an emplyee wh wrks in the facility may vuch that she persnally knws the vter is a resident f precinct. MINN. STAT. 201.061 subd. 3(a)(4). 2
A vter wh has been vuched fr n Electin Day may nt then vuch fr anther individual n that Electin Day. One registered vter may vuch fr up t 8 ther vters n an Electin Day. This limitatin des nt apply t an emplyee f a residential facilityif the peratr f the facility has submitted a certified list f its emplyees t electin fficials 20 days befre the electin. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 3(b);MINN. R. 8200.5200. An individual wh is eligible t vte by absentee ballt, but nt registered, may register and vte at the same time by submitting an absentee ballt and enclsing a cmpleted registratin applicatin with their mailed ballt. MINN. STAT. 203B.04, subd. 4. The individual als must shw the identificatin necessary fr same-day registratin t the persn witnessing the absentee ballt. Des state allw by-mail registratin? Yes. T register by mail, an individual must submit a cmpleted registratin applicatin t the Secretary f the State,cunty auditr, r municipal clerk. The applicatin must be delivered by the U.S Pstal Service r a cmmercial carrier and be received by 5 p.m. n the 21st day befre the electin. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 1. Nte: The Secretary f State encurages grups cnducting vter registratin drives t send all registratin applicatins t their ffice t ensure they are frwarded t the crrect lcal fficial. May vter register befre turning 18? Yes. Any individual wh will be eligible t vte at the time f the next electin may register prir t the next electin. MINN. STAT. 201.061 subd. 1. PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS Required fr registratin? If s, what kinds f ID? Pht identificatin is nt required t be presented t anyne when registering in advance f Electin Day. The vter registratin frm des require thse pssessing either a valid Minnesta driver s license r a Minnesta state identificatin card t prvide the number f the license r identificatin card n the applicatin r, if n such identificatin is pssessed, the registrant must prvide his r her signature and the last fur digits f his r her scial security number. If the vter des nt have a scial security number, she must write nne in the crrespnding bx n the applicatin. Writing nne will nt autmatically preclude the ability t register. MINN. STAT. 201.071, subd. 1 and 3. 3
Required fr vting? If s, what kinds f ID? Pht identificatin is generally nt required t vte if the vter is registered in advance f Electin Day. Hwever, vters registering n Electin Day r whse registratin is nt cmplete befre Electin Day will be required t prvide identificatin, as described abve. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 1a and 3. Requirement t prvide prf f citizenship t register and/r vte? Minnesta des nt currently require registrants r registered vters t prvide separate prf f citizenship t register r vte. Hwever, in rder t register, a persn needs either a Minnesta driver s license r identificatin card, which require either prf f citizenship r a scial security number t btain. MINN. STAT. 201.071, subd. 1 and 3, VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES Des state accept Natinal Vter Registratin Act (NVRA) registratin frms? Any restrictins? Yes. Minnesta accepts the Natinal Frm and phtcpies f the Natinal Frm. There are n restrictins n using the frm. MINN. STAT. 201.071, subd. 1. May grups cage cmpleted registratin applicatins (i.e. ask vters t mail them back t the grup, which will then send them t the apprpriate electins registrar(s))? If s, may they cpy the frms r any f the data included n them? If s, any deadlines fr sending the cmpleted frms t the state r t lcal fficials? An rganizatin cnducting a vter registratin drive may ask vters t mail cmpleted vter registratin applicatins back t the rganizatin and then mail them t the apprpriate electin fficial. If the rganizatin chses t d this, it must return the frm t the apprpriate electin fficials within 10 calendar days f the when the vter signed and dated the applicatin. MINN. STAT. 201.061, subd. 1(a)(2). (This requirement applies t anyne wh accepts a cmpleted vter registratin applicatin frm a vter.) State law is silent as t whether an rganizatin may cpy infrmatin n vter registratin applicatins befre submitting them t electin fficials. Nte, hwever, that state law prvides that vter lists btained frm cunty auditrs may be used nly fr purpses related t electins, plitical activity, and law enfrcement, and it is pssible that this prvisin als applies t cmpleted vter registratin applicatins. MINN. STAT. 201.091, subd 4. May a grup pre-fill sme r all f a vter registratin applicatin befre sending/giving it t a wuld-be registrant? Minnesta law des nt prhibit an individual frm pre-filling the blanks f a registratin applicatin, but the practice is discuraged by electin fficials. 4
May vter registratin drive wrkers assist a vter in cmpleting their registratin applicatins? Minnesta law expressly permits individuals with a disability t be assisted by a designated individual. Registratin assistance includes reading the registratin applicatin and instructins, and filling ut the applicatin accrding t the directins f the registrant. MINN. STAT. 201.091, subd. 8. The statute is silent as t whether wrkers may assist ther vters. Hwever, accrding t the Secretary f State, wrkers can help vters fill ut registratin applicatins and, with the vter s permissin, can mail r drp ff the frm n his r her behalf. A wrker can als help vters fill ut nline applicatins s lng as it is dne with the vter s cnsent and in his r her presence. https://www.ss.state.mn.us/electins-vting/get-invlved/vter-registratin-drives/. Des state require training f vter registratin wrkers? N. Minnesta des nt have any specific statutes that regulate vter registratin drives r require training fr individuals wh register thers t vter. Sme cunties ask vter registratin drive rganizers t prvide a business card r cntact infrmatin when submitting cmpleted applicatins, but this is nt required. Minnesta is exempt frm the Natinal Vter Registratin Act, and thereby des nt have t cmply with the Act s mandates regarding third-party vter registratin. 52 U.S.C. 20503 (2012). Des state require registratin f vter registratin drives? If s, fr by-mail drives, t? N. Minnesta des nt have any specific statutes regulating vter registratin drives and des nt require training fr individuals wh participate in vter registratin drives r register thers t vte. Any requirement that a grup must prvide infrmatin t vters abut hw they may cntact the grup t determine the status f their registratin? There currently is n Minnesta law requiring an rganizatin cnducting a vter registratin drive t prvide vters with infrmatin abut hw they may cntact the grup t determine the status f their registratin. May a grup pay vter registratin drive wrkers? If s, is it permissible t pay n a pervter-registered basis? Yes. Organizatins may cmpensate wrkers fr registering vters. Hwever, Minnesta law prhibits cmpensating wrkers by a fixed payment per registered vter applicatin and/r cmpensating wrkers mre r less fr achieving a set quta f applicatins. Breaking this law is punishable as a petty misdemeanr. MINN. STAT. 201.054. 5
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES Minnesta Campaign Finance and Public Disclsure Bard 190 Centennial Office Building 658 Cedar Street St. Paul, Minnesta 55155-1603 By telephne at (651) 539-1180 r tll free (800) 657-3889. By TTY by calling (800) 627-3529 and asking fr (651) 296-5148. By fax t (651) 296-1722 r fax tll free (800) 357-4114. Email t bard: cf.bard@state.mn.us Website: www.cfbard.state.mn.us Jeff Sigurdsn Executive Directr (651) 539-1189 jeff.sigurdsn@state.mn.us Megan Engelhardt Assistant Executive Directr (651) 539-1182 Megan.engelhardt@state.mn.us Written by Sarah Duniway, Gray Plant Mty 500 IDS Center 80 Suth Eighth St., Minneaplis, MN 55402 Cpyright 2018. These materials are cpyrighted and may nt be reprduced withut permissin. FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE Fr assistance regarding these resurces r fr mre infrmatin abut federal law, please cntact ur attrney ne-n-ne cunseling service: Email: advcacy@afj.rg Telephne: 1-866-NPLOBBY (675-6229) Fr assistance regarding state law in Minnesta, please cntact: Sarah Duniway, Gray Plant Mty, 500 IDS Center, 80 Suth Eighth St., Minneaplis, MN 55402 Phne Number: 612-632-3055 6