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SD-67. 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; and <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. <br />SD-68. Administering Absentee <br />Balloting <br />Issue: Eligible voters in Minnesota may <br />vote by absentee ballot prior to Election <br />Day. Starting 46 days before the election, a <br />voter can request an application for an <br />absentee ballot and if approved, receive and <br />cast an absentee ballot in one visit to <br />their county or city election offices. Ballots <br />can also be requested, applied for and <br />received by mail and returned by the voter to <br />the election office by 3:00 pm on Election <br />Day or by 8:00 pm on Election Day if <br />delivered by mail or package delivery. <br />Absentee balloting results are not known <br />until combined with polling place results <br />when the polls close on Election Day. <br />For those voting absentee in -person, the <br />absentee ballot application process is <br />burdensome and confusing as voters expect <br />the same process they encounter in their <br />polling place on Election Day. The <br />application process should be replaced by <br />having the voter verify their identity on a <br />paper or electronic roster. Currently <br />electronic signatures are not allowed by state <br />law; having the authority to use electronic <br />signatures would make the process more <br />efficient. Streamlining the voter check -in <br />procedures would increase efficiency and <br />decrease the time voters spend in line <br />waiting to cast their absentee ballot. <br />Seven days before Election Day, elections <br />administrators can begin processing <br />absentee ballots received by mail and in - <br />person absentee voters can place their <br />ballots directly into a tabulator. For those <br />who vote in -person absentee prior to the <br />seven days before Election Day, there is <br />confusion and in some cases, frustration that <br />they are not allowed to place their ballots <br />directly into a tabulator. To improve the <br />voter experience and respond to the voter <br />demand to vote early, this time period <br />should be increased from seven to the full 46 <br />days before Election Day. Additionally, a <br />voter can request to place their ballot in a <br />series of envelopes similar to those returned <br />by mail to be processed after they have left <br />the building. Few, if any, voters request to <br />place their ballot into envelopes. <br />State law allows alternative sites for <br />conducting absentee balloting but requires <br />that these sites remain open for the full 46 <br />days prior to Election Day. For some <br />jurisdictions, staffing alternative sites for the <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2018 City Policies Page 45 <br />