This bill mandates that all ballot board activities during elections in Minnesota be livestreamed to enhance transparency and public access. Specifically, it requires county auditors, municipal clerks, or school district clerks to ensure that livestreaming occurs during the absentee voting period, on election day, and the day after if absentee ballots are being processed. The livestream must capture key activities such as examining and accepting or rejecting envelopes, opening envelopes, depositing ballots, and counting and tabulating ballots. Additionally, the bill stipulates that the commissioner of information technology services will provide the necessary livestreaming services, retain the recordings for at least 22 months, and ensure that the livestream is accessible to the public without any fees.

The bill also includes provisions for data management, stating that the livestreamed recordings are public data, although private information may be obscured. In the event of a livestream disruption, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the involved officials and the conditions under which ballot board activities may continue or must be paused. Furthermore, the bill appropriates funds for the implementation of these requirements, with specific amounts designated for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The effective date for these provisions is set for September 1, 2025, applying to elections conducted on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 203B.121