Minneslate Logo

HF595 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Election judge party affiliation classified as public data on individuals.

Related bill: SF640

AI Generated Summary

Purpose

This bill changes how data about election judges’ political party affiliation is treated. It requires that the major political party affiliation of election judges (or a notice of no affiliation) be treated as public data and stored in a publicly accessible list. It also repeals a prior rule that allowed sharing of this information only among election judges within the same precinct for balance checks.

Main Provisions

  • Section 1: Adds to existing data practices rules that the party affiliation of election judges is classified as public data, following the rules in another section (204B.21 subdivision 4).
  • Section 2: Adds a new requirement to 204B.21 establishing a process where each appointing authority must keep a list of all election judges with their major party affiliation or a statement of no affiliation. This list is public data on individuals.
  • Section 3: Repeals a previous provision (204B.21 subdivision 3) that allowed sharing of an election judge’s party affiliation with other election judges in the same precinct for party balance checks, with a restriction that the information not be disclosed or used for other purposes.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • Public data classification: Election judge major party affiliation becomes public data.
  • New public list: Each appointing authority must maintain a public list of election judges and their major party affiliations (or non-affiliation).
  • Removal of limited sharing: The prior exception allowing judges to share affiliation information for balance verification is repealed; under the new scheme, the data is publicly available rather than restricted for internal use.

Practical Implications

  • Increased transparency: The party affiliations of election judges will be accessible to the public.
  • Privacy considerations: Judges’ political affiliations will no longer be restricted to insiders, which may raise privacy concerns for some individuals.
  • Administrative change: Agencies must create and maintain a public list of election judges with party affiliation.

Relevant Terms - election judge - party affiliation - major political party affiliation - public data on individuals - appointing authority - list of election judges - balance requirements - data practices (Minnesota Data Practices Act) - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 13.607 - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 204B.21

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
February 13, 2025HouseActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toJudiciary Finance and Civil Law

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Subd.10.Election judge party affiliation."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 13.607 by adding Subd.10 to classify the election judge party affiliation as public data, referencing the new data classification in 204B.21 subdivision 4.",
      "modified": [
        "Incorporates another data classification by tying to 204B.21 subdivision 4."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "13.607",
    "subdivision": "subd.10"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Subd.4.Election judge major party affiliation data classification."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Adds Subd.4 to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 204B.21 to classify election judges' major party affiliation data, requiring an appointing authority to maintain a public list of major party affiliations.",
      "modified": [
        "Establishes that a list of election judges with major party affiliation is public data on individuals."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "204B.21",
    "subdivision": "subd.4"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [
        "Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 204B.21 subdivision 3 is repealed."
      ],
      "summary": "Repeals Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 204B.21 subdivision 3.",
      "modified": [
        "Eliminates Subd.3 of 204B.21."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "204B.21",
    "subdivision": "subd.3"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Contains the phrase \"Notwithstanding section 13.43\" to support cross-reference within the bill; indicates reliance on existing data practices provisions.",
      "modified": [
        "Cross-references existing Minnesota Statutes 13.43 in connection with data sharing for election judge party affiliation."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "13.43",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Progress through the legislative process

17%
In Committee

Sponsors

Loading…