Voter verification required before mail delivery of an absentee ballot.

HF 1496 requires Minnesota voters applying for absentee ballots to verify their identity before the ballot is mailed. The bill amends election law to mandate that applicants provide a Minnesota driver's license number, state ID number, or last four Social Security digits. The secretary of state must verify this information against government databases before county auditors can mail ballots. This applies to all absentee ballot applicants except those in town elections held in March. The law aims to prevent fraudulent applications by confirming voter identities prior to ballot delivery.