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this technology but should not be <br />required to do so. If cities choose to use e- <br />poll books, the use of electronic signatures <br />should be allowed to increase efficiency. <br />To ensure there is a paper copy of the <br />signatures, the receipts printed by the <br />electronic rosters should include a copy of <br />the voter's signature. <br />SD-76. Election Judge Recruitment <br />and Retention <br />Issue: Nearly 30,000 Minnesotans serve as <br />election judges. The recruitment and <br />retention of election judges is a significant <br />and essential component of administering <br />elections throughout the State of Minnesota. <br />State statute requires that precincts with <br />more than 500 registered voters be assigned <br />at least four election judges and those with <br />fewer than 500 registered voters be assigned <br />at least three election judges. Minn. Stat. § <br />204B.21 requires that at least two election <br />judges in each precinct serve with a different <br />major political party designation, except for <br />student trainee election judges. The <br />remaining election judges in a precinct can <br />serve without an affiliation to a major <br />political party and no more than half the <br />judges in a precinct may belong to the same <br />major political party. Statute specifically <br />requires election judge party balance to <br />perform four polling place activities: <br />assisting a voter in curbside voting; opening <br />the ballot box; duplicating ballots; and in <br />conducting an election at a Healthcare <br />Facility. Political party affiliation is also <br />unnecessary in city special elections when <br />offices on the ballot are nonpartisan. <br />Minn. Stat. § 204B.19 allows high school <br />students to be excused from school to serve <br />as a trainee election judge if the student <br />submits a written request signed and <br />approved by the student's parent or guardian <br />to be absent from school and a certificate <br />64 <br />from the appointing authority stating the <br />hours during which the student will serve as <br />a trainee election judge to the principal of <br />the school at least ten days prior to the <br />election. This process is not currently <br />extended to college students which has <br />proven to be a barrier for recruiting college <br />students to serve as election judges. <br />Additionally, teachers and college faculty <br />are also allowed to take time off of work to <br />serve as an election judge. <br />Response: To ensure state requirements <br />are met, party balance is maintained, and <br />to expand the opportunity of serving as <br />an election judge to others, the League of <br />Minnesota Cities supports the following <br />changes: <br />a) Eliminate the party balance <br />requirement for elections where only <br />nonpartisan offices and/or ballot <br />questions are on the ballot; <br />b) Authorize college students to get time <br />off from classes if they have been <br />appointed to serve as an election <br />judge; <br />c) Allow for one election judge affiliated <br />with any two political parties to <br />perform the four activities that <br />require party balance specifically <br />outline in statute and allow the <br />remaining judges to serve as non- <br />partisan; and <br />d) Shorten the deadline for major <br />political parties to provide lists of <br />persons interested in serving as <br />election judges to election officials <br />within 30 days following precinct <br />caucuses. <br />SD-77. Mail Balloting <br />Issue: Minn. Stat. § 204B.45 authorizes all <br />non -metropolitan townships and cities with <br />less than 400 registered voters located <br />outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul seven- <br />