Committee adopts technical amendment and sends polling-place notice bill to General Register

Vice Chair Fu Lee presented House File 23 61, a bill to require conspicuous, large-print notices at polling places that have been closed or relocated, directing voters to the new polling place until the next presidential election or redistricting. The bill’s A1 amendment clarified that the requirement applies to primaries, general and special elections but not to school-board elections.

Michael Stolberger, director of property and environmental resources for Blue Earth County, testified on behalf of the Minnesota Association of County Officials (MAKO). He said many counties already place signs directing voters when a polling place closes, but the bill would standardize the practice and require posting through the next presidential election, improving service for voters who only vote in presidential years. "A single voter who reads this posted notice is going to be one less voter who's going to call our elections office on a very busy election day," Stolberger said.

The committee adopted the A1 technical amendment by voice vote and re-referred House File 23 61 to the General Register by voice vote.

Proponents said the change is a customer-service measure intended to reduce confusion and calls to election offices on busy election days; election officials noted a resource and workload impact from maintaining signage across multiple election cycles but supported the objective.