1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to elections; providing for the election of state legislators without political
1.3 party designation; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 204D.08,
1.4 subdivisions 4, 6; 204D.13, subdivision 1.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.08, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 4.State partisan primary ballot; party columns.The state partisan primary
1.8ballot shall be headed by the words "State Partisan Primary Ballot." The ballot shall be
1.9printed on white paper. There must be at least three vertical columns on the ballot and each
1.10major political party shall have a separate column headed by the words ".......... Party,"
1.11giving the party name. Above the party names, the following statement shall be printed.
1.12 "Minnesota Election Law permits you to vote for the candidates of only one political
1.13party in a state partisan primary election."
1.14 If there are only two major political parties to be listed on the ballot, one party must
1.15occupy the left-hand column, the other party must occupy the right-hand column, and the
1.16center column must contain the following statement:
1.17 "Do not vote for candidates of more than one party."
1.18 The names of the candidates seeking the nomination of each major political party shall
1.19be listed in that party's column. If only one individual files an affidavit of candidacy seeking
1.20the nomination of a major political party for an office, the name of that individual shall be
1.21placed on the state partisan primary ballot at the appropriate location in that party's column.
1Section 1.
REVISOR JFK/NS 25-0097012/19/24
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 117
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by West; Johnson, W., and Nadeau01/22/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations 2.1 In each column, the candidates for senator in Congress shall be listed first, candidates
2.2for representative in Congress second, candidates for state senator third, candidates for state
2.3representative fourth and then candidates for partisan state office in the order specified by
2.4the secretary of state. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed with
2.5other offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will be
2.6elected for a full term.
2.7 The party columns shall be substantially the same in width, type, and appearance. The
2.8columns shall be separated by a 12-point solid line.
2.9 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.08, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.10 Subd. 6.State and county nonpartisan primary ballot.The state and county nonpartisan
2.11primary ballot shall be headed "State and County Nonpartisan Primary Ballot." It shall be
2.12printed in the manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state. The names of candidates
2.13for nomination to the supreme court, court of appeals, district court, state senator, state
2.14representative, all county offices, all city offices, and all school district offices shall be
2.15placed on this ballot.
2.16 No candidate whose name is placed on the state and county nonpartisan primary ballot
2.17shall be designated or identified as the candidate of any political party or in any other manner
2.18except as expressly provided by law.
2.19 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.20 Subdivision 1.Order of offices.The candidates for partisan offices shall be placed on
2.21the state general election ballot in the following order: senator in Congress shall be first;
2.22and representative in Congress, second; state senator, third; and state representative, fourth.
2.23The candidates for partisan state offices shall follow in the order specified by the secretary
2.24of state. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor shall appear so that a single vote
2.25may be cast for both offices. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed
2.26with other offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will
2.27be elected for a full term.
2.28 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
2.29 Sections 1 to 3 are effective August 1, 2026, and apply to elections conducted on or after
2.30that date.
2Sec. 4.
REVISOR JFK/NS 25-0097012/19/24