Item 4.1 Absentee Early Voting Periods
Request for
City Council Action
DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT REQUESTOR: MEETING DATE:
Administration City Clerk Etzel June 8, 2026
PRESENTER(s) REVIEWED BY: ITEM #:
City Clerk Etzel City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty 4.1 – Absentee / Early Voting
Period
STRATEGIC VISION
MEETS: THE CITY OF OTSEGO:
X Is a strong organization that is committed to leading the community through innovative communication.
Has proactively expanded infrastructure to responsibly provide core services.
Is committed to delivery of quality emergency service responsive to community needs and expectations in a
cost-effective manner.
X Is a social community with diverse housing, service options, and employment opportunities.
Is a distinctive, connected community known for its beauty and natural surroundings.
AGENDA ITEM DETAILS
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff recommend the City Council select the option to conduct 18 days of in person Early Voting utilizing a ballot
tabulator in the City of Otsego for the 2026 Primary and General Elections.
ARE YOU SEEKING APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT? IS A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED?
No No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
The 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session concluded in May, resulting in new legislation requiring municipalities to
determine their in-person voting period for future elections. The statute states: “the municipality must determine
whether the municipality's office will be designated to administer voting under section 203B.081 starting on the 46th
day before the election or the 18th day before the election.” An excerpt of the new law has been attached for
reference.
In practice, this means municipalities must choose between continuing the current 46-day in-person absentee voting
process, which uses absentee ballot envelopes, or implementing the 18 day early voting process, where voters cast
ballots directly into the DS200 tabulator in a manner like Election Day voting.
If the City adopts the 18 day early voting period, the primary operational change will eliminate the first 28 days of in-
person absentee voting at City Hall. Voters would still have the option to vote absentee during that time by requesting
a ballot online or by mail through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office or at Wright County. Completed absentee
ballots could still be returned to City Hall or Wright County.
The League of Minnesota Cities has advocated for this change in recent years to create a clearer voting experience for
residents and improve administrative efficiency. Voters would continue to have the option to vote by mail during the
entire 46-day period.
City staff support the 18 day early voting period. The change would continue to provide residents with accessible
voting opportunities while improving the efficiency and consistency of election administration. It would also
streamline staffing and operational planning, reduce costs, and provide a clearer and more manageable voting
schedule for the public. Election Judges will no longer be needed for the full 46 days of Absentee Voting. The
timeframe change encourages work-life balance, less burnout, increased efficiency, reduced potential for errors, and
improve voter experience.
Wright County has requested notification of the City’s decision by June 12, 2026. Historically, most of the in-person
early voting occurs during the final 18 days before Election Day. The City may choose the 18-day option for the 2026
elections and retain the flexibility to return to the 46 days period for future year elections.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
• HF 4240 (Excerpt of Applicable Bill Language)
POSSIBLE MOTION
PLEASE WORD MOTION AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO APPEAR IN THE MINUTES:
Motion to select the option to conduct 18 days of in person Early Voting at the City of Otsego for the 2026 Primary
and General Elections.
BUDGET INFORMATION
FUNDING: BUDGETED:
General Fund – Elections (41410)
Yes
Office of the Revisor of Statutes
O f f i c e o f t h e R e v i s o r o f S t a t u t e s
Minnesota Session Laws - 2026 Regular Session Authenticate
This document represents the act as presented to the governor. The version passed by the legislature is the final engrossment. It does not
represent the official 2026 session law, which will be available here summer 2026.
Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
CHAPTER 102--H.F.No. 4240
An act relating to elections; making various changes related to election administration; modifying provisions related
to absentee voting; modifying timelines; prohibiting elected officials and candidates from betting on elections; making
technical and clarifying changes; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 203B.05, subdivision
1; 203B.06, subdivision 3; 203B.065; 204B.27, subdivision 2; 204C.26, subdivisions 2, 4; 205.185, subdivision 3; 205A.10,
subdivision 3; 211B.32, subdivision 1; Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, sections 203B.30, subdivisions 2, 3; 205A.11,
subdivision 2; 375.20; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 211B; repealing Minnesota Statutes
2024, section 5.31.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. Generally. (a) The full-time clerk of any city or town shall administer the provisions of sections 203B.04 to
203B.15 and 203B.30 if:
(1) the county auditor of that county has designated the clerk to administer them; or
(2) the clerk has given the county auditor of that county notice of intention to administer them.
The designation or notice must specify whether the clerk will be responsible for the administration of a ballot board as provided in
section 203B.121 and the municipality must determine whether the municipality's office will be designated to administer voting under
section 203B.081 starting on the 46th day before the election or the 18th day before the election.
(b) A clerk of a city that is located in more than one county may only administer the provisions of sections 203B.04 to
203B.15 and 203B.30 if the clerk has been designated by each of the county auditors or has provided notice to each of the county
auditors that the city will administer absentee voting.
(c) A clerk may only administer the provisions of sections 203B.04 to 203B.15 and 203B.30 if the clerk has technical
capacity to access the statewide voter registration system in the secure manner prescribed by the secretary of state. The secretary of
state must identify hardware, software, security, or other technical prerequisites necessary to ensure the security, access controls, and
performance of the statewide voter registration system. A clerk must receive training approved by the secretary of state on the use of
the statewide voter registration system before administering this section. A clerk may not use the statewide voter registration system
until the clerk has received the required training. The county auditor must notify the secretary of state of any municipal clerk who will
be administering the provisions of this section and the duties that the clerk will administer.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 203B.06, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. Delivery of ballots. (a) The county auditor, municipal clerk, school district clerk, or full-time clerk of any city or
town administering an election pursuant to section 203B.05, shall mail absentee ballots to voters on the permanent absentee ballot list
pursuant to section 203B.04, subdivision 5, on the following timelines:
(1) except as otherwise provided by this section, at least 46 days before each regularly scheduled primary and general
election and each special primary and special election;
(2) as soon as practicable for a special election held pursuant to section 204D.19, subdivisions 2 and 3; and
(3) at least 30 days before a town general election held in March.
(b) The commissioner of corrections must provide the secretary of state with a list of the names and mailing addresses of
state adult correctional facilities. An application for an absentee ballot that provides an address included on the list provided by the
commissioner of corrections must not be accepted and an absentee ballot must not be provided to the applicant. The county auditor or