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Bill would require posting temporary voting locations online to aid voters
Summary
House File 993 would require county auditors, municipal clerks and the Secretary of State to publish temporary (early/absentee) voting locations online; committee members supported the transparency goal but asked the author to clarify how postings will show dates, hours and whether locations apply to primaries or general elections.
Representative Jimmy Gordon introduced House File 993, a bill that would require local governments and the Secretary of State to post temporary voting locations online so voters can find early and temporary in-person voting options.
"This bill would require local governments and the Secretary of State to post the temporary voting locations online, which will make it easier for citizens to find out about where these opportunities for voting are at," Representative Jimmy Gordon said.
Nonpartisan staff told the committee the bill is intended to address temporary locations that appear prior to Election Day for early and absentee voting and is not targeted at the permanent polling-place designations used on Election Day. Staff cited existing procedures — including a statutory subdivision (subdivision 7) — that govern emergency changes to polling places and noted the bill focuses on the separate class of short-term, pop-up or temporary early-voting sites.
Committee members urged the author to add clear posting requirements — including the dates and hours when a temporary location would be open — and to coordinate with the Secretary of State’s office to ensure postings distinguish primary from general election locations and reduce voter confusion. Representative Lee and Representative Greenman both suggested including dates and times in the posted information so postings would be self-evident about which election the temporary location serves.
Representative Gordon said he would work with Secretary of State staff and local officials to refine the language. The committee laid the bill over for further work; no final vote to pass the bill was taken at this hearing.
The committee record includes discussion that some of the posting content may already be covered in subdivision 7 of the election statutes and that the Secretary of State’s office already posts some election-location information; staff encouraged the author to consult state and local elections officials to avoid duplication and to maximize voter clarity.
