§ 203B.07 — Return and Ballot Envelopes; Directions to Voters
Plain-Language Summary
This section describes the return envelopes and ballot envelopes that come with absentee ballots, and the directions given to voters on how to properly mark and return their ballots.
203B.07 RETURN AND BALLOT ENVELOPES; DIRECTIONS TO VOTERS.
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Subdivision 1.Delivery of envelopes, directions.
The county auditor or the municipal clerk must prepare, print, and transmit a return envelope, a signature envelope, a ballot envelope, and a copy of the directions for casting an absentee ballot to each applicant whose application for absentee ballots is accepted pursuant to section 203B.04. The county auditor or municipal clerk must provide first class postage for the return envelope. The directions for casting an absentee ballot must be printed in at least 14-point bold type with heavy leading and may be printed on the ballot envelope. When a person requests the directions in Braille or on audio file, the county auditor or municipal clerk must provide them in the form requested. The secretary of state must prepare Braille and audio file copies and make them available.
When a voter registration application is sent to the applicant as provided in section 203B.06, subdivision 4, the directions or registration application must include instructions for registering to vote or updating a voter’s registration. §
Subd. 2.Design of envelopes.
(a) The signature envelope shall be of sufficient size to conveniently enclose and contain the ballot envelope and a folded voter registration application. The signature envelope shall be designed to open on the left-hand end.
(b) The return envelope must be designed in one of the following ways:
(1) it must be of sufficient size to contain a signature envelope and when the return envelope is sealed, it conceals the signature, identification, and other information; or
(2) it must be the signature envelope and provide an additional flap that when sealed, conceals the signature, identification, and other information.
(c) Election officials may open the flap or the return envelope at any time after receiving the returned ballot to inspect the returned certificate for completeness or to ascertain other information. §
Subd. 3.Eligibility certificate.
A certificate of eligibility to vote by absentee ballot must be printed on the back of the signature envelope. The certificate must contain space for the voter’s Minnesota driver’s license number, state identification number, or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number, or to indicate that the voter does not have one of these numbers. The space must be designed to ensure that the voter provides the same type of identification as provided on the voter’s absentee ballot application for purposes of comparison. The certificate must also contain a statement to be signed and sworn by the voter indicating that the voter meets all of the requirements established by law for voting by absentee ballot and space for a statement signed by a person who is at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the election and a citizen of the United States or by a notary public or other individual authorized to administer oaths stating that:
(1) the ballots were displayed to that individual unmarked;
(2) the voter marked the ballots in that individual’s presence without showing how they were marked, or, if the voter was physically unable to mark them, that the voter directed another individual to mark them; and
(3) if the voter was not previously registered or needed to update the voter’s registration, the voter has provided proof of residence as required by section 201.061, subdivision 3.
[See Note.]
History:
1981 c 29 art 3 s 7; 1984 c 471 s 4; 1999 c 132 s 10; 1Sp2001 c 10 art 18 s 13; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 24; 2008 c 244 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 13; 2010 c 194 s 5,6; 2015 c 70 art 1 s 12; 2023 c 62 art 4 s 36-38; 2024 c 112 art 2 s 12; 2025 c 39 art 8 s 28,29
**NOTE: **The amendment to subdivision 3 by Laws 2025, chapter 39, article 8, section 29, is effective June 1, 2026. Laws 2025, chapter 39, article 8, section 29, the effective date.
History: History: 1981 c 29 art 3 s 7; 1984 c 471 s 4; 1999 c 132 s 10; 1Sp2001 c 10 art 18 s 13; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 24; 2008 c 244 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 13; 2010 c 194 s 5,6; 2015 c 70 art 1 s 12; 2023 c 62 art 4 s 36-38; 2024 c 112 art 2 s 12; 2025 c 39 art 8 s 28,29