This bill amends Minnesota election laws to enhance voter verification processes for absentee ballot applications. It requires that applications submitted electronically must include the applicant's email address, a verifiable Minnesota driver's license number or state identification card number, and the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number. If the applicant does not possess both types of identification, they must certify that they do not have the other type. Additionally, the bill mandates that any absentee ballot application that has not been previously verified must be electronically submitted by the county auditor or municipal clerk to the secretary of state for verification against government databases. The secretary of state is also tasked with reviewing unverifiable applications for suspicious activity and forwarding them to law enforcement if necessary.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a requirement for the secretary of state to validate the information of permanent absentee voters at least 60 days before each primary and general election. If a voter's information cannot be verified, their status will be changed to "challenged," and they will be notified of their removal from the permanent absentee voter list. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026, applying to applications and elections occurring on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 203B.04