2005 Minnesota Statutes - 203B.07 — Return and ballot envelopes; directions to voters.

     203B.07 Return and ballot envelopes; directions to 
  voters. 


    Subdivision 1.    Delivery of envelopes, directions.  
 The county auditor or the municipal clerk shall prepare, print, 
 and transmit a return envelope, a ballot envelope, and a copy of 
 the directions for casting an absentee ballot to each applicant 
 whose application for absentee ballots is accepted pursuant to 
 section 203B.04.  The directions for casting an absentee ballot 
 shall be printed in at least 14-point bold type with heavy 
 leading and may be printed on the ballot envelope.  When a 
 person requests the directions in Braille or on cassette tape, 
 the county auditor or municipal clerk shall provide them in the 
 form requested.  The secretary of state shall prepare Braille 
 and cassette copies and make them available.  


    When a voter registration card is sent to the applicant as 
 provided in section 203B.06, subdivision 4, the directions or 
 registration card shall include instructions for registering to 
 vote.  


    Subd. 2.    Design of envelopes.  The return envelope 
 shall be of sufficient size to conveniently enclose and contain 
 the ballot envelope and a voter registration card folded along 
 its perforations.  The return envelope shall be designed to open 
 on the left-hand end.  Notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, 
 the return envelope must be designed in one of the following 
 ways: 


    (1) it must be of sufficient size to contain an additional 
 envelope that when sealed, conceals the signature, 
 identification, and other information; or 


    (2) it must provide an additional flap that when sealed, 
 conceals the signature, identification, and other information. 
 Election officials may open the flap or the additional envelope 
 at any time after receiving the returned ballot to inspect the 
 returned certificate for completeness or to ascertain other 
 information.  A certificate of eligibility to vote by absentee 
 ballot shall be printed on the back of the envelope.  The 
 certificate shall contain a statement to be signed and sworn by 
 the voter indicating that the voter meets all of the 
 requirements established by law for voting by absentee ballot.  
 The certificate shall also contain a statement signed by a 
 person who is registered to vote in Minnesota or by a notary 
 public or other individual authorized to administer oaths 
 stating that:  


    (a) the ballots were displayed to that individual unmarked; 


    (b) the voter marked the ballots in that individual's 
 presence without showing how they were marked, or, if the voter 
 was physically unable to mark them, that the voter directed 
 another individual to mark them; and 


    (c) if the voter was not previously registered, the voter 
 has provided proof of residence as required by section 201.061, 
 subdivision 3.  


    The county auditor or municipal clerk shall affix first 
 class postage to the return envelopes.  


    HIST: 1981 c 29 art 3 s 7; 1984 c 471 s 4; 1999 c 132 s 10; 
 1Sp2001 c 10 art 18 s 13; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 24