OVERVIEW

This bill makes two sets of changes:

• it allows a person who is a United States citizen who has never resided in Minnesota and is living permanently outside the United States to vote for federal offices in a Minnesota election if the person has a parent who maintained residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days immediately prior to departure from the United States; and



• it provides conforming technical changes to confirm the existing authorization for the electronic transmittal of ballots to overseas voters, who would still be required to return the ballots by mail.

SECTION-BY-SECTION SUMMARY

Section 1 [Permanent Residence Outside the United States.] allows an individual who has never resided in the United States to vote in Minnesota elections if the individual lives permanently outside the United States, meets all the qualifications for voting in Minnesota except residence in Minnesota, and has a parent who maintained residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days immediately before the parent's departure from the United States.

Section 2 [Submission of Application.] amends existing law that authorizes an electronic application for absentee ballots by removing a requirement that the Secretary of State determine if security concerns for that application have been addressed, and allows the use of an electronic mail attachment to apply for the ballot. Removes existing authorization for the use of a person's Social Security number as the person's military identification number for purposes of applications for absentee ballots.

Section 3 [Mailing of Ballots; Return.] provides a conforming reference to an exception created in section 5 of this bill that allows the electronic transmittal of ballots to overseas voters.

Section 4 [Transmitting Ballots.] provides conforming language to authorize the electronic transmittal of appropriate ballots to overseas voters.

Section 5 [Transmitting Ballot and Certificate of Voter Eligibility.] removes the legal requirement for the county auditor to provide return postage to voters when ballots are transmitted electronically.

Section 6 [Write-In Absentee Ballot.] removes the authorization for the use of a state write-in absentee ballot for overseas voters who meet the military service qualifications for overseas absentee balloting. Existing law authorizes the use of the federal write-in absentee ballot by a military overseas voter in any federal, state, or local election.

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Last review or update: 02/25/2009

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