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High Schools Registration Materials and Statutory Requirements
High School Voter Registration Application Distribution Requirement
What you are required to distribute, when, and to whom.
This page is here to help you comply with the requirement to distribute voter registration materials, at a minimum. Our office wants to help you do as much of voter education and civic engagement/student voice work as you and your students would like to explore. At any time, feel free to reach out to the Youth Voter Outreach Specialist with questions, requests, ideas, or concerns.
Thank you for serving Minnesota's students, and the future of the state!
Questions
short answers
Helpful Links
Who says the school must distribute voter registration applications?
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 201.1611, subdivision 1(b) says, in part, "All school districts shall must make available voter registration applications each May and September to all students registered as students of the school district who will be eligible to vote at the next election after those months." ***UPDATE: As of July 1, this will extend to PRE registration (16 and 17 year-olds) as well. (2024 Elections Omnibus Law) It also will specifically allow electronic delivery of a link to (pre)register as an acceptable form of compliance.
Minnesota has pre-registration for 16 and 17 year-olds now. Any reason not to give them all a registration form as well?
No reason at all! These students use the same form. Pre-registration connects young people to the idea that they will be voters before long. ***UPDATE: As of July 1, the requirement will extend to 16 and 17 year-olds! (2024 Elections Omnibus Law)
What will satisfy the requirement to distribute the voter registration application?
Voter registration applications are available in paper and electronic form. (Tell students that they will need a state-issued ID number (license, permit, etc.) or the last four digits of their Social Security number, along with their full address and email.) You can comply with the law by sending a single-subject email to students with the link to the electronic application form.
Registering and preregistering is great, but how can our students learn more on the how-to of voting?
Students Voting, THE Minnesota Statewide Mock Election, that's how! Hundreds of schools, hundreds of thousands of students casting ballots and learning the process, the offices, how to research candidates, and more, held every even year.
Anything else we might consider?
Yes- adding a web page under Student Activities/Student Life encouraging civic engagement and learning about voting. Here is a link to add that's just for high school students:
https://wwwedit.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/get-involved/high-school-resources-for-elections/
