HF3591

Purpose

To change how a public information list of voters is prepared, accessed, and used in Minnesota. The goal is to protect voter privacy and safety, while keeping the data available for legitimate election-related and law enforcement needs.

Main provisions (what the bill does)

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 201.091, subdivision 4, about the public information list for voters.
• Sets what information must be included on the public information list and who can access it.
• Adds privacy and security requirements for people who inspect or obtain the list.
• Adds limits on how the information can be used, published, shared, or sold.
• Allows special protection for voters who request their names be withheld for safety reasons.
• Clarifies when and how information can be used in databases, and when it cannot be published on the Internet.

What information must be on the public information list

• The list must include for each registered voter: name, address, year of birth (and date of birth in some cases), and voting history.
• Data about applicants submitted under a related provision (but not yet registered or with voting history) are not part of the list until the voter is registered or has voting history.
• The list must not include a voter’s party choice if that voter participated in a presidential nomination primary.
• The telephone number must be included if the voter provided it.
• The list may also include information about voting districts.
• The county auditor may set reasonable rules for how the list can be accessed.

Access, identification, and restrictions on use

• Individuals inspecting the list must provide identification and sign a statement that they will use the information only for elections, political activities, or law enforcement.
• Requests to inspect or obtain the list or related information must follow the Secretary of State’s rules.
• The list must be kept secure; tampering or altering it is prohibited.
• The Secretary of State and county auditor can withhold a voter’s name from the public list if the voter asks for safety protections.

Publication, sharing, and database rules

• Regardless of purpose, no one may publish the information on the Internet, or sell, loan, or give access to the list except in specific limited circumstances.
• An organization or political subdivision may share the information with its volunteers or employees for purposes related to elections, political activities, or law enforcement when responding to a law enforcement inquiry.
• A database that combines data from the public list with other sources may be created or used only if it is used exclusively for elections or political activities, and the information from the public list cannot be published on the Internet.
• The restrictions do not apply if the person about whom the information belongs gives express written permission for use in a manner otherwise prohibited.

Changes to current law

• The bill modifies how much information is publicly available, who can access it, and under what conditions it can be used or shared.
• It adds explicit privacy protections (withholding names for safety) and tighter controls on Internet publication and dissemination.
• It preserves limited, described use for elections, political activities, and law enforcement, while restricting broader or public-facing use.

Summary of potential impact

• Greater privacy and safety protections for voters (possible withholding of names).
• Less risk of sensitive voter data being exposed online or used for improper purposes.
• Continued access for legitimate, narrowly defined election-related and law enforcement activities, with stricter rules for how data can be accessed and shared.

Relevant terms

• public information list
• county auditor
• registered voter
• voting history
• year of birth / date of birth
• party choice
• presidential nomination primary
• telephone number
• voting districts
• identification
• statewide registration system
• access rules
• tamper
• law enforcement
• elections
• political activities
• publish
• database aggregation
• express written permission
• safety withholding

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus more on specific sections or provide a quick one-sentence takeaway.