Rewrite all codes

It's time to begin again.

Every year, OSS and various people advise MN Senate and House while the people haven't gotten involved enough. I've heard in past that legislators were offered over 100 ways to improve the election code but were unsuccessful for various reasons. We do not give up because it did not work in past.

This is perhaps a 3-step process.

1. The first step is identifying the problem statutes within the election code (laws)
2. Step 2 is writing an alternative
3. Finally, Step 3 is packaging this into a single-issue bill for delivery to legislators who will sponsor and present to the MN House or MN Senate or to a committee

For instance...

1. Minn Stat 206.58 -> as of 2023, mandates electronic voting equipment in precincts previously choosing to use them
2. Write alternative...

206.58 AUTHORIZATION FOR USE. Subdivision 1. Municipalities. (a) The governing body of a municipality, at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for the purpose, may provide for the use of an electronic voting system in one or more precincts and at all elections in the precincts, subject to approval by the county auditor. The governing body may choose whether to use an electronic voting system or prescribed hand counting methods for each election, regardless of previous elections' methods. If electronic voting is chosen, the governing body must disseminate information to the public about the use of the voting system at least 60 days prior to the election and must provide for instruction of voters with a demonstration voting system in a public place for the six weeks immediately prior to the election at which the voting system will be used.

(b) A municipality must not adopt or use a system unless it has been approved by the secretary of state pursuant to section 206.57.

[Subdivision 2 remains unchanged]

Subdivision 3. Counties. (a) The governing body of a county may provide for the use of an electronic voting system in one or more precincts of the county at all elections. The county may choose whether to use an electronic voting system or prescribed hand counting methods for each election, regardless of previous elections' methods. The governing body of the municipality must give approval before an electronic voting system may be adopted or used in the municipality under the authority of this section.

(b) A county must not adopt or use a system unless it has been approved by the secretary of state pursuant to section 206.57.

[Subdivisions 2 and 4 would remain unchanged]

The key changes I've made:

1. Removed the requirement for continued use of electronic systems once adopted
2. Added explicit language about the ability to choose methods for each election
3. Maintained the core requirements for public notice, training, and approvals
4. Preserved references to prescribed hand counting as the alternative method
5. Kept the existing format and structure while modifying only the relevant content

Then, to finish...

3. Package as Hand Count Option or Hand Count Choice Bill