Absentee ballot drop boxes authorization repealed.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Duane Quam

The bill repeals authorization for absentee ballot drop boxes, forcing voters to return ballots only by mail or in person.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Elections Finance and Government Operations

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Purpose and intent

HF 598 seeks to repeal the authorization for using absentee ballot drop boxes in Minnesota. The bill’s central aim is to remove statutory or administrative permission for counties, cities, or election officials to provide or operate ballot drop boxes as a method for voters to return absentee ballots.

Key provisions and changes

Repeal of drop box authorization: The bill eliminates any existing authorization or authority allowing absentee ballots to be returned via drop boxes.

This implies that voters would need to return absentee ballots by traditional means (e.g., mailing back through the postal service with proper postage, or delivering in person to a designated election office or polling location) rather than using a drop box.

Impact on election administration: Election officials would no longer be able to establish or maintain drop boxes as part of absentee voting processes. The bill shifts expected return methods back to conventional channels defined by existing law (mail or in-person submission at official sites).

Who or what would be affected

Voters who prefer drop boxes: Individuals who have relied on drop boxes to return absentee ballots would be directly affected, since the option would no longer be available.

Election offices and clerks: Counties, cities, and other local election authorities would be restricted from operating or maintaining absentee ballot drop boxes.

Election process timeline and logistics: The removal of drop boxes could alter the ease of returning ballots, potentially affecting drop-off timelines, mailbox return strategies, and early vote processing workflows.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Session and action history: Introduced and referred on February 13, 2025, to the committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations. Co-sponsor listed: Duane Quam.

Legislative trajectory: At this stage, the bill has completed its introduction and first-reading referral; further committee action, amendments, and floor votes would determine its progression toward a potential floor vote and enactment.

Practical considerations and potential impacts

Accessibility and convenience: Repealing drop boxes could reduce convenient ballot return options, which may affect voters with limited mail access, mobility challenges, or tight timelines.

Election security and integrity: The bill does not introduce new security provisions but removes a mechanism that some jurisdictions used to provide secure, verifiable return options outside of mail or in-person submission.

Legal and administrative alignment: If the state currently permits drop boxes under existing law or administrative rules, passage would require corresponding changes to statutes or regulatory guidance to reflect the repeal.

If you’d like, I can add a side-by-side comparison with the current law (pre-HF 598) to highlight exact statutory references and the practical steps voters would need to take to return absentee ballots under the bill.

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