Election Laws

Primary Election (Tuesday, September 12, 2006)

General Election (Tuesday, November 7, 2006)

Public Meetings on Election Days

Minnesota Statute 204C.03.
Public Meetings Prohibited on Election Day
Subd. 2. "State Colleges and Universities. Except for regularly scheduled classes, no Minnesota state college or university shall schedule an event between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day that an election is held in any political subdivision in which the university or college is located."

[Note: There is no separate State Presidential Primary in Minnesota. That law was repealed in 1999.]

[Intent of Law: On general election and primary days, colleges and universities are prohibited from scheduling events, other than regularly scheduled classes, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Classes regularly scheduled during those hours may be held as usual.]

Employee Voting Rights

Minnesota Statutes section 204C.04, Subd. 1 addresses the right of employees to take time off to vote the morning of a state primary or general election. Every employee who is eligible to vote in an election has the right to be absent from work for the purpose of voting during the morning of the day of that election, without penalty or deduction from salary or wages because of the absence. An employer or other person may not directly or indirectly refuse, abridge, or interfere with this right or any other election right of an employee.

Voter Registration

Minnesota Statutes section 201.054. Methods of Registering; Prohibitions; penalty.

Subd. 1. Registration. An individual may register to vote: (1) at any time before the 20th day preceding any election as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 1; 2) on the day of an election as provided in section 201.061, subdivision 3; or (3) when submitting an absentee ballot, by enclosing a completed registration card as provided in section 203B.04, subdivision 4.
Subd. 2. Prohibitions; penalty. No individual shall intentionally: (a) Cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered in any precinct if the individual is not eligible to vote; (b) Cause or attempt to cause the individual's name to be registered for the purpose of voting in more than one precinct; (c) Misrepresent the individual's identity when attempting to register to vote; or (d) Aid, abet, counsel, or procure any other individual to violate this subdivision. A violation of this subdivision is a felony.

Minnesota Statutes section 201.061. Registration on or before election day.

Subd.1. Prior to election day. At any time except during the 20 days immediately preceding any election, an eligible voter or any individual who will be an eligible voter at the time of the next election may register to vote in the precinct in which the voter maintains residence by completing a registration card and submitting it in person or by mail to the county auditor of that county or to the Secretary of State's Office. A registration that is received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 21st day preceding any election shall be accepted. An improperly addressed or delivered registration card shall be forwarded within two working days after receipt to the county auditor of the county where the voter maintains residence. A state or local agency or an individual that accepts completed voter registration cards from a voter must submit the completed cards to the secretary of state or the appropriate county auditor within ten days after the cards are dated by the voter.
Subd. 3. Election day registration. An individual who is eligible to vote may register on election day by appearing in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the individual maintains residence, by completing a registration card, making an oath in the form prescribed by the secretary of state and providing proof of residence. An individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by: (1) showing a driver's license or Minnesota identification card issued pursuant to section 171.07; (2) showing any document approved by the secretary of state as proper identification; (3) showing one of the following: (i ) a current valid student identification card from a postsecondary educational institution in Minnesota, if a list of students from that institution has been prepared under section 135A.17 and certified to the county auditor in the manner provided in rules of the secretary of state; or (ii) a current student fee statement that contains the student's valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card; (4) having a voter who is registered to vote in the precinct sign an oath in the presence of the election judge vouching that the voter personally knows that the individual is a resident of the precinct. A voter who has been vouched for on election day may not sign a proof of residence oath vouching for any other individual on that election day; or (5) for tribal band members living on an Indian reservation, an individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by showing an identification card issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, that contains the name, street address, signature, and picture of the individual. The county auditor of each county having territory within the reservation shall maintain a record of the number of election day registrations accepted under this section. A county, school district, or municipality may require that an election judge responsible for election day registration initial each completed registration card.

Minnesota Statute 135A.17. Provisions to facilitate voting.

Subdivision 1. Identification Cards. All postsecondary institutions that enroll students accepting state or federal financial aid may provide every full-time student a student identification card that contains the enrolling student's photograph and name.
Subd. 2. Residential housing list. All postsecondary institutions that enroll students accepting state or federal financial aid may prepare a current list of students enrolled in the institution and residing in the institution's housing or within ten miles of the institution's campus. The list shall include each student's current address. The list shall be certified and sent to the appropriate county auditor or auditors for use in election day registration as provided under section 201.061, subdivision 3.