Subd. 1. Prior to election day.

At any time except during the 20 days immediately preceding any election, an eligible voter or any individual who will be an eligible voter at the time of the next election may register to vote in the precinct in which the voter maintains residence by completing a registration card and submitting it in person or by mail to the county auditor of that county or to the secretary of state's office. A registration that is received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 21st day preceding any election shall be accepted. An improperly addressed or delivered registration card shall be forwarded within two working days after receipt to the county auditor of the county where the voter maintains residence. A state or local agency or an individual that accepts completed voter registration cards from a voter must submit the completed cards to the secretary of state or the appropriate county auditor within ten days after the cards are dated by the voter.

Subd. 2.

Repealed, 1990 c 585 s 34

Subd. 3. Election day registration.

An individual who is eligible to vote may register on election day by appearing in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the individual maintains residence, by completing a registration card, making an oath in the form prescribed by the secretary of state and providing proof of residence. An individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by:

1. (1) showing a driver's license or Minnesota identification card issued pursuant to section 171.07;
2. (2) showing any document approved by the secretary of state as proper identification;

3. (3) showing one of the following:

   1. (i) a current valid student identification card from a post-secondary educational institution in Minnesota, if a list of students from that institution has been prepared under section 135A.17 and certified to the county auditor in the manner provided in rules of the secretary of state; or
   2. (ii) a current student fee statement that contains the student's valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card;
4. (4) having a voter who is registered to vote in the precinct sign an oath in the presence of the election judge vouching that the voter personally knows that the individual is a resident of the precinct. A voter who has been vouched for on election day may not sign a proof of residence oath vouching for any other individual on that election day; or

5. (5) for tribal band members living on an Indian reservation, an individual may prove residence for purposes of registering by showing an identification card issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, that contains the name, street address, signature, and picture of the individual. The county auditor of each county having territory within the reservation shall maintain a record of the number of election day registrations accepted under this section.

   A county, school district, or municipality may require that an election judge responsible for election day registration initial each completed registration card.

Subd. 4. Registration by election judges; procedures.

Registration at the polling place on election day shall be conducted by the election judges. The election judge who registers an individual at the polling place on election day shall not handle that voter's ballots at any time prior to the opening of the ballot box after the voting ends. Registration cards and forms for oaths shall be available at each polling place. If an individual who registers on election day proves residence by oath of a registered voter, the form containing the oath shall be attached to the individual's registration card. Registration cards completed on election day shall be forwarded to the county auditor who shall add the name of each voter to the registration system unless the information forwarded is substantially deficient. A county auditor who finds an election day registration substantially deficient shall give written notice to the individual whose registration is found deficient. An election day registration shall not be found deficient solely because the individual who provided proof of residence was ineligible to do so.

Subd. 5. Unregistered voters; penalty.

No election judge in any precinct in which registration is required may receive the vote at any election of any individual whose name is not registered in a manner specified in section 201.054, subdivision 1 or not recorded under section 203B.19. A violation of this subdivision is a felony.

Subd. 6. Precinct map.

Except as otherwise provided by this subdivision, the county auditor shall provide each precinct with an accurate precinct map or precinct finder to assist the election judges in determining whether an address is located in that precinct. A county auditor may delegate this responsibility as provided in section 201.221, subdivision 4, to a municipal or school district clerk who prepares precinct maps as provided in section 204B.14, subdivision 5.

Subd. 7. Record of attempted registrations.

The election judge responsible for election day registration shall attempt to keep a record of the number of individuals who attempt to register on election day but who cannot provide proof of residence as required by this section. The record shall be forwarded to the county auditor with the election returns for that precinct.