Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/15/2022 - Special

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1 MINNESOTA STATUTES 2021 204B.16 204B.16 POLLING PLACES; DESIGNATION. Subdivision 1. Authority; location. (a) By December 31 of each year, the governing body of each municipality and of each county with precincts in unorganized territory must designate by ordinance or resolution a polling place for each election precinct. The polling places designated in the ordinance or resolution are the polling places for the following calendar year, unless a change is made: (1) pursuant to section 204B.175; (2) because a polling place has become unavailable; (3) because a township designates one location for all state and federal elections and one location for all township only elections; and (4) pursuant to section 204B.14, subdivision 3. (b) Polling places must be designated and ballots must be distributed so that no one is required to go to more than one polling place to vote in a school district and municipal election held on the same day. The polling place for a precinct in a city or in a school district located in whole or in part in the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24, shall be located within the boundaries of the precinct or within one mile of one of those boundaries unless a single polling place is designated for a city pursuant to section 204B.14, subdivision 2, or a school district pursuant to section 205A.11. The polling place for a precinct in unorganized territory may be located outside the precinct at a place which is convenient to the voters of the precinct. If no suitable place is available within a town or within a school district located outside the metropolitan area defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24, then the polling place for a town or school district may be located outside the town or school district within five miles of one of the boundaries of the town or school district. Subd. 1 a. Notice to voters. If the location of a polling place has been changed, the governing body establishing the polling place shall send to every affected household with at least one registered voter in the precinct a nonforwardable mailed notice stating the location of the new polling place at least 25 days before the next election. The secretary of state shall prepare a sample of this notice. A notice that is returned as undeliverable must be forwarded immediately to the county auditor. This subdivision does not apply to a polling place location that is changed on election day under section 204B.175. Subd. 2. [Repealed, 1994 c 607 s 7] Subd. 3. Designation effective until changed. The designation of a polling place pursuant to this section shall remain effective until a different polling place is designated for that precinct. No designation of a new or different polling place shall become effective less than 90 days prior to an election, including school district elections or referenda, and no polling place changes may occur during the period between the state primary and the state general election, except that a new polling place may be designated to replace a polling place that has become unavailable for use. Subd. 4. Prohibited locations. No polling place shall be designated in any place where intoxicating liquors or nonintoxicating malt beverages are served or in any adjoining room. No polling place shall be designated in any place in which substantial compliance with the requirements of this chapter cannot be attained. Subd. 5. Access by elderly and persons with disabilities. Each polling place shall be accessible to and usable by elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. A polling place is deemed to be accessible and usable if it complies with the standards in paragraphs (a) to (f). Official Publication of the State of Minnesota Revisor of Statutes