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protected from tree loss. A lack of timely <br />investment in urban forests costs cities <br />significantly more in the long run. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports funding from the general <br />fund or other appropriate state funds for <br />a state matching grant program to assist <br />cities with building capacity for urban <br />forest management and meeting the costs <br />of preparing for, and responding to, <br />catastrophic urban forest problems. <br />Additionally, the League supports <br />reinstatement of the Minnesota Releaf <br />Program, through the Legislative and <br />Citizens' Commission on Minnesota <br />Resources (LCCMR), with an increased <br />appropriation that can better address the <br />needs of building capacity and managing <br />urban forests across the state. <br />SD-63. Election Issues <br />Issue: Cities play an important role in <br />administering state and federal election law <br />and conducting voting activities. <br />Response: In order to strengthen the <br />effectiveness of local election <br />administration, the Legislature should: <br />a) Seek the input of cities, townships, <br />counties, and school districts on <br />proposed changes to voter registration <br />and election law; <br />b) Expedite court action to resolve <br />candidate eligibility related to <br />residency in errors and omissions <br />proceedings; <br />c) Eliminate redundant audio testing of <br />AutoMARK voting equipment by <br />election judges in precinct polling <br />places on Election Day; <br />d) Repeal requirements for precinct <br />election judges to count blank ballots <br />in each shrink-wrapped ballot <br />package as they are opened in the <br />polling place; <br />e) Shorten the deadline for major <br />political parties to provide lists of <br />persons interested in serving as <br />election judges to election officials to <br />within one month (30 days) following <br />precinct caucuses; and <br />f) Allow cities the option of certifying <br />primary elections results within three <br />days of the election instead of waiting <br />until the third day. <br />SD-64. Early Voting <br />Issue: Minnesota now allows no -excuse <br />absentee voting by mail and in -person and <br />many Minnesotans consider the current in - <br />person absentee voting system "early <br />voting" though there are significant <br />administrative differences between the two <br />voting systems. After the voter has <br />completed their absentee ballot, it is placed <br />in a sealed envelope to be processed by <br />elections administrators after the voter has <br />left. Early voting allows the in -person voter <br />the same experience as voting in their <br />polling place on Election Day by inserting <br />their ballot into a ballot tabulator. If <br />necessary, the voter is then able to correct <br />mistakes made by the voter when marking <br />the ballot such as party cross -over voting in <br />a primary election or over -voting. These <br />mistakes can be discovered by the ballot <br />tabulator, the same as on Election Day. <br />Election results are not known until the polls <br />close on Election Day. <br />Additionally, no -excuse absentee voting has <br />led to a significant increase in in -person <br />absentee balloting forcing cities <br />administering in -person absentee balloting <br />to operate city halls as polling places <br />beginning 46 days before Election Day, <br />though the absentee ballots cannot be <br />processed until seven days before Election <br />Day. An early voting system eliminates <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2015 City Policies Page 41 <br />