Subdivision 1. Establishment. The county auditor must establish an absentee ballot board for ballots issued under sections 203B.16 to 203B.27. The board may consist of staff trained as election judges, in which case, the board is exempt from sections 204B.19, subdivision 5, and 204C.15, relating to party balance in appointment of judges and to duties to be performed by judges of different major political parties.
Subd. 2. Duties. The absentee ballot board must examine all returned absentee ballot envelopes for ballots issued under sections 203B.16 to 203B.27 and accept or reject the absentee ballots in the manner provided in section 203B.24. If the certificate of voter eligibility is not printed on the return or administrative envelope, the certificate must be attached to the ballot secrecy envelope.
The absentee ballot board must immediately examine the return envelopes and mark them "accepted" or "rejected" during the 45 days before the election. If an envelope has been rejected at least five days before the election, the ballots in the envelope must be considered spoiled ballots and the official in charge of the absentee ballot board must provide the voter with a replacement absentee ballot and return envelope in place of the spoiled ballot.
If a county has delegated the responsibility for administering absentee balloting to a municipality under section 203B.05, accepted absentee ballots must be delivered to the appropriate municipality's absentee ballot board. The absentee ballot board with the authority to open and count the ballots must do so in accordance with section 203B.121, subdivisions 4 and 5.
Subd. 3. Applicable laws. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all the laws applicable to absentee ballots and absentee voters and all other provisions of the Minnesota Election Law apply to an absentee ballot board.
1981 c 29 art 3 s 23; 1987 c 266 art 1 s 22; 2008 c 190 s 10; 2010 c 184 s 11; 2010 c 194 s 11,12
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 200 - 212 — Elections
Chapter 203B — Absentee Voting
Section 203B.001 — Election Law Applicability.
Section 203B.01 — Absentee Balloting; Definitions.
Section 203B.02 — General Eligibility Requirements.
Section 203B.03 — Prohibitions; Penalties.
Section 203B.04 — Application For Ballots.
Section 203B.05 — Designation Of Municipal Clerks To Administer Absentee Voting Laws.
Section 203B.06 — Applications; Filing With County Auditor Or Municipal Clerk; Delivery Of Ballot.
Section 203B.065 — Using The Registration System.
Section 203B.07 — Return And Ballot Envelopes; Directions To Voters.
Section 203B.08 — Marking And Return Of Absentee Ballots.
Section 203B.081 — Locations And Methods For Absentee Voting In Person.
Section 203B.082 — Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes; Security And Integrity.
Section 203B.09 — Form And Content Of Required Materials; Rules Of Secretary Of State.
Section 203B.11 — Hospital Patients And Residents Of Health Care Facilities.
Section 203B.12 — Absentee Voter Names.
Section 203B.121 — Ballot Boards.
Section 203B.125 — Secretary Of State To Make Rules.
Section 203B.14 — County Auditor Or Municipal Clerk May Employ Additional Help.
Section 203B.15 — Administrative Expenses.
Section 203B.16 — Absent Voters In The Military Or Outside The United States.
Section 203B.17 — Application For Ballot.
Section 203B.18 — Forwarding Applications.
Section 203B.19 — Recording Applications.
Section 203B.21 — Ballots And Envelopes.
Section 203B.22 — Transmitting Ballots.
Section 203B.225 — Transmitting And Returning Ballots.
Section 203B.227 — Write-in Absentee Ballot.
Section 203B.23 — Absentee Ballot Board.
Section 203B.24 — Duties Of Election Judges.
Section 203B.26 — Separate Record.