CCP 03-11-1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. J I " LMC ities lIe tin Lli!Qgue of Minne~ofa C;tili!$ Cities promoting e:r:ceUtnrce I Number 8 "larch 1, 1996 . Election and absentee voting improvements . await action in the House . Ann Higgins the burden of carrying out that process and that changes be made in the optical on election day. S.P. 315 would also scan ballot to place the arro\vs used to A bill introduced last session as a require that completed voter registra- indicate which candidate the voter . simple campaign finance bill has tion and absentee ballot applications be supports closer to the names of the emerged as the vehicle for comprehen- returned promptly, and that the names candidates. sive elections legislation in the 1996 of voters who have applied for and cast TIle House General Legislationt session. S .F. 315 (Marty, DFL- absentee ballots remain private until Veterans Affairs & Elections Commit- I Roseville) has been amended, ex. after the election. Other provisions tee approved the bill and it is now on panded and stretched to include would allow voters who are hospital- General Orders on the House floor. t' changes in absentee voting procedures ized just before election to designate an I and voter registration record-keeping, agent to deliver and return an absentee statewide contracting for purchase of ballot for them. Local election officials ballots and other election materials, would also be able to discard voter local authority to designate precincts registration cards 22 months after the . for mail balloting and to contribute voter registration infonnation has been The League sends the Cities election judge payments to local entered into the computerized statewide Bulletin to the mayor and to the I nonprofit organizations in return for system. administrator or clerk. Be sure to route It to your councilmembers:" their recruitment of other election Other items of interest in the and department heads. judges. Many of the provisions now in House version of S.P. 315 include the I the bill were originally considered last requirement that candidates for judge, session, but failed to receive final county attorney and sheriff submit approval in the House. proof of their qualifications for the City eJection officials successfully office they seek. 111e bill would allow ... I convinced lawmakers to include a candidates to fax their affidavit of number of provisions that would candidacy when filing for office. The streamline their jobs. If approved, the bill would also change the ballot format I bill would allow election judges to including the requirement that the begin accepting and rejecting absentee words "write-in, if any" be printed ballot returns in the 30 days period beneath a blank line below the name of I prior to election, substantially reducing the last candidate listed for each office, I r Page 3 - Tobacco pre-emption ' I I Page 5 - Tax Bills I I The House removed the section I The House completed their ---j I I of the tobacco bill pre-empling version of the omnibus tax bill and tougher local controls. I now wait for the Senate to wrap \ -.JI'" I \ up work on their bill. .. I - - - Page 3