Agenda - Council - 02/08/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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State law allows alternative sites for conducting absentee balloting but requires that these sites remain open for the full 46 days prior to Election Day. For some jurisdictions, staffing alternative sites for the full 46 days is not efficient as these sites may be underutilized until closer to Election Day. Cities should be able to determine the length of time most appropriate for alternative sites to meet the voting demands of their residents. As required by state law, voters would maintain the ability to vote in - person absentee during the full 46-day period at city halls. Current law allows for in -person absentee voting until 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day. This does not leave adequate time for election officials to process absentee ballots, prepare supplemental lists indicating which voters have already cast absentee ballots and deliver the lists to precincts prior to opening of the polls on Election Day. The current absentee voting process further requires that additional supplemental lists of final absentee voters be delivered to the polls after the last mail delivery on Election Day and often leads to administrative challenges and increased potential for errors in the process. As more and more voters choose to vote early with absentee balloting, improvements must be made to increase efficiency of administering absentee balloting before Election Day, reduce the potential for errors, and to improve voter experience. Response: The League of Minnesota Cities supports: a. Reviewing the current in -person absentee ballot process to determine if paper, electronic or a combination of the two processes would be more efficient and be preferable to voters; 61 b. Amending state statute to allow elections administrators to begin processing accepted absentee ballots when direct balloting begins at the beginning of the seventh day before Election Day and subsequently, concluding the "claw back" period at the close of business the day before; c. Increasing the time period that an in - person absentee voter can place their ballot directly into a tabulator from seven to 46 days; d. Eliminating the option to place an in - person absentee ballot in a series of envelopes instead of a tabulator; e. Allowing alternative in -person absentee voting sites to be established for less than the full 46 days currently required by state law; f. Establishing an earlier deadline for ending in -person absentee voting; Revising absentee ballot regulations to allow any person 18 and older to witness the absentee process and sign the envelope as a witness; and h. Authorizing cities with health care facilities to schedule election judges to conduct absentee voting at an earlier date in health care facilities. g• SD-71. Loss of Felon Voting Rights Issue: There is confusion as to when voting rights are restored to those convicted of a felony, and notification of restoration is inconsistent or nonexistent. This very often leads to challenges placed on Election Day rosters for those convicted of a felony who are not eligible to vote and election judges must then challenge the voter and spend time and resources determining a voter's eligibility. It would be much clearer if the loss of voting rights occurred only when a person is incarcerated. Response: The League of Minnesota Cities opposes the loss of voting rights for