Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF651 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to elections; changing the date of the state primary to the same date as the
3	3	1.3 presidential primary nomination; amending requirements for the presidential
4	4	1.4 nomination primary; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 204B.14,
5	5	1.5 subdivisions 2, 4; 204B.21, subdivision 1; 204C.10; 204D.03, subdivision 1;
6	6	1.6 204D.05, subdivision 1; 204D.08, by adding a subdivision; 204D.09, subdivision
7	7	1.7 1; 204D.28, subdivision 5; 205.065, subdivisions 1, 2; 205A.03, subdivisions 1,
8	8	1.8 2; 205A.11, subdivision 2a; 206.61, subdivision 5; 206.82, subdivision 2; 207A.12;
9	9	1.9 207A.13, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 207A.14;
10	10	1.10 207A.15.
11	11	1.11BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
12	12	1.12 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204B.14, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
13	13	1.13 Subd. 2.Separate precincts; combined polling place.(a) The following shall constitute
14	14	1.14at least one election precinct:
15	15	1.15 (1) each city ward; and
16	16	1.16 (2) each town and each statutory city.
17	17	1.17 (b) A single, accessible, combined polling place may be established no later than
18	18	1.18November 1 if a presidential nomination primary is scheduled to occur in the following
19	19	1.19year or May 1 of any other year in the year prior to the general election year:
20	20	1.20 (1) for any city of the third or fourth class, any town, or any city having territory in more
21	21	1.21than one county, in which all the voters of the city or town shall cast their ballots;
22	22	1.22 (2) for contiguous precincts in the same municipality;
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM
25	25	SENATE
26	26	STATE OF MINNESOTA
27	27	S.F. No. 651NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
28	28	(SENATE AUTHORS: HOWE and Koran)
29	29	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
30	30	Introduction and first reading01/27/2025
31	31	Referred to Elections 2.1 (3) for up to four contiguous municipalities located entirely outside the metropolitan
32	32	2.2area, as defined by section 200.02, subdivision 24, that are contained in the same county;
33	33	2.3or
34	34	2.4 (4) for noncontiguous precincts located in one or more counties.
35	35	2.5 Subject to the requirements of paragraph (c), a single, accessible, combined polling place
36	36	2.6may be established after May November 1 of any year in the event of an emergency.
37	37	2.7 A copy of the ordinance or resolution establishing a combined polling place must be
38	38	2.8filed with the county auditor within 30 days after approval by the governing body, and the
39	39	2.9county auditor must provide notice within ten days to the secretary of state, in a manner
40	40	2.10and including information prescribed by the secretary of state. A polling place combined
41	41	2.11under clause (3) must be approved by the governing body of each participating municipality.
42	42	2.12A polling place combined under clause (4) must be approved by the governing body of each
43	43	2.13participating municipality and the secretary of state and may be located outside any of the
44	44	2.14noncontiguous precincts. A municipality withdrawing from participation in a combined
45	45	2.15polling place must do so by filing a resolution of withdrawal with the county auditor no
46	46	2.16later than October 1 if a presidential nomination primary is scheduled to occur in the
47	47	2.17following year or April 1 of any other year in the year prior to the general election year,
48	48	2.18and the county auditor must provide notice within ten days to the secretary of state, in a
49	49	2.19manner and including information prescribed by the secretary of state.
50	50	2.20 The secretary of state shall provide a separate polling place roster for each precinct
51	51	2.21served by the combined polling place, except that in a precinct that uses electronic rosters
52	52	2.22the secretary of state shall provide separate data files for each precinct. A single set of
53	53	2.23election judges may be appointed to serve at a combined polling place. The number of
54	54	2.24election judges required must be based on the total number of persons voting at the last
55	55	2.25similar election in all precincts to be voting at the combined polling place. Separate ballot
56	56	2.26boxes must be provided for the ballots from each precinct. The results of the election must
57	57	2.27be reported separately for each precinct served by the combined polling place, except in a
58	58	2.28polling place established under clause (2) where one of the precincts has fewer than ten
59	59	2.29registered voters, in which case the results of that precinct must be reported in the manner
60	60	2.30specified by the secretary of state.
61	61	2.31 (c) If a local elections official determines that an emergency situation preventing the
62	62	2.32safe, secure, and full operation of a polling place on election day has occurred or is imminent,
63	63	2.33the local elections official may combine two or more polling places for that election pursuant
64	64	2Section 1.
65	65	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 3.1to this subdivision. To the extent possible, the polling places must be combined and the
66	66	3.2election conducted according to the requirements of paragraph (b), except that:
67	67	3.3 (1) polling places may be combined after May November 1 and until the polls close on
68	68	3.4election day;
69	69	3.5 (2) any city or town, regardless of size or location, may establish a combined polling
70	70	3.6place under this paragraph;
71	71	3.7 (3) the governing body is not required to adopt an ordinance or resolution to establish
72	72	3.8the combined polling place;
73	73	3.9 (4) a polling place combined under paragraph (b), clause (3) or (4), must be approved
74	74	3.10by the local election official of each participating municipality;
75	75	3.11 (5) the local elections official must immediately notify the county auditor and the
76	76	3.12secretary of state of the combination, including the reason for the emergency combination
77	77	3.13and the location of the combined polling place. As soon as possible, the local elections
78	78	3.14official must also post a notice stating the reason for the combination and the location of
79	79	3.15the combined polling place. The notice must also be posted on the governing board's website,
80	80	3.16if one exists. The local elections official must also notify the election judges and request
81	81	3.17that local media outlets publicly announce the reason for the combination and the location
82	82	3.18of the combined polling place; and
83	83	3.19 (6) on election day, the local elections official must post a notice in large print in a
84	84	3.20conspicuous place at the polling place where the emergency occurred, if practical, stating
85	85	3.21the location of the combined polling place. The local election official must also post the
86	86	3.22notice, if practical, in a location visible by voters who vote from their motor vehicles as
87	87	3.23provided in section 204C.15, subdivision 2. If polling place hours are extended pursuant to
88	88	3.24section 204C.05, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), the posted notices required by this paragraph
89	89	3.25must include a statement that the polling place hours at the combined polling place will be
90	90	3.26extended until the specified time.
91	91	3.27 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204B.14, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
92	92	3.28 Subd. 4.Boundary change procedure.Any change in the boundary of an election
93	93	3.29precinct must be adopted at least ten weeks before the date of the next election and, for the
94	94	3.30state primary and general election or presidential nomination primary, no later than December
95	95	3.311 in the year prior to the year of the state general election in the year prior to the general
96	96	3.32election year. The precinct boundary change shall not take effect until notice of the change
97	97	3.33has been posted in the office of the municipal clerk or county auditor for at least 56 days.
98	98	3Sec. 2.
99	99	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 4.1 The county auditor must publish a notice illustrating or describing the congressional,
100	100	4.2legislative, and county commissioner district boundaries in the county in one or more
101	101	4.3qualified newspapers in the county at least 14 days before the first day to file affidavits of
102	102	4.4candidacy for the state general election in the year ending in two.
103	103	4.5 Alternate dates for adopting changes in precinct boundaries, posting notices of boundary
104	104	4.6changes, and notifying voters affected by boundary changes pursuant to this subdivision,
105	105	4.7and procedures for coordinating precinct boundary changes with reestablishing local
106	106	4.8government election district boundaries may be established in the manner provided in the
107	107	4.9rules of the secretary of state.
108	108	4.10 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204B.21, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
109	109	4.11 Subdivision 1.Appointment lists; duties of political parties and secretary of state.On
110	110	4.12May December 1 in a year in which before there is an election for a partisan political office,
111	111	4.13each major political party shall prepare a list of eligible voters to act as election judges in
112	112	4.14each election precinct. The list provided by the party must indicate which eligible voters
113	113	4.15are willing to travel to a precinct outside of their home jurisdiction to act as an election
114	114	4.16judge, and the jurisdictions to which each eligible voter is willing to travel for that purpose.
115	115	4.17The political parties shall furnish the lists electronically to the secretary of state, in a format
116	116	4.18specified by the secretary of state. The secretary of state must combine the data received
117	117	4.19from each political party under this subdivision and must process the data to locate the
118	118	4.20precinct in which the address provided for each potential election judge is located. If the
119	119	4.21data submitted by a political party is insufficient for the secretary of state to locate the proper
120	120	4.22precinct, the associated name must not appear in any list forwarded to an appointing authority
121	121	4.23under this subdivision. The secretary of state shall notify political parties of any proposed
122	122	4.24election judges with addresses that could not be located in a precinct.
123	123	4.25 By May December 15, the secretary of state shall furnish electronically to the county
124	124	4.26auditor a list of the appropriate names for each election precinct in the jurisdiction of the
125	125	4.27appointing authority, and a list of the names of individuals residing outside of the jurisdiction
126	126	4.28who indicated a willingness to travel to that jurisdiction to act as an election judge, noting
127	127	4.29the political party affiliation of each individual on the list. The county auditor must promptly
128	128	4.30forward the appropriate names to the appropriate municipal clerk.
129	129	4Sec. 3.
130	130	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 5.1 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204C.10, is amended to read:
131	131	5.2 204C.10 POLLING PLACE ROSTER; VOTER SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE;
132	132	5.3VOTER RECEIPT.
133	133	5.4 (a) An individual seeking to vote shall sign a polling place roster or voter signature
134	134	5.5certificate which states that the individual:
135	135	5.6 (1) is at least 18 years old;
136	136	5.7 (2) is a citizen of the United States;
137	137	5.8 (3) has maintained residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election;
138	138	5.9 (4) maintains residence at the address shown;
139	139	5.10 (5) is not under a guardianship in which the court order revokes the individual's right to
140	140	5.11vote;
141	141	5.12 (6) has not been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent to vote;
142	142	5.13 (7) has the right to vote because, if the individual was convicted of a felony, the individual
143	143	5.14is not currently incarcerated for that conviction;
144	144	5.15 (8) is registered; and
145	145	5.16 (9) has not already voted in the election.
146	146	5.17 The roster must also state: "I understand that deliberately providing false information
147	147	5.18is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment and a fine of not more than
148	148	5.19$10,000, or both."
149	149	5.20 (b) At the presidential nomination state primary, the polling place roster must also state:
150	150	5.21"If I participate in the presidential nomination primary, I am in general agreement with the
151	151	5.22principles of the party for whose candidate I intend to vote." This statement must appear
152	152	5.23separately from the statements required in paragraph (a). The felony penalty provided for
153	153	5.24in paragraph (a) does not apply to this paragraph.
154	154	5.25 (c) A judge may, before the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate,
155	155	5.26confirm the applicant's name, address, and date of birth.
156	156	5.27 (d) After the applicant signs the roster or voter signature certificate, the judge shall give
157	157	5.28the applicant a voter's receipt. The voter shall deliver the voter's receipt to the judge in
158	158	5.29charge of ballots as proof of the voter's right to vote, and thereupon the judge shall hand to
159	159	5.30the voter the ballot. The voters' receipts must be maintained during the time for notice of
160	160	5.31filing an election contest.
161	161	5Sec. 4.
162	162	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 6.1 (e) Whenever a challenged status appears on the polling place roster, an election judge
163	163	6.2must ensure that the challenge is concealed or hidden from the view of any voter other than
164	164	6.3the voter whose status is challenged.
165	165	6.4 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
166	166	6.5 Subdivision 1.State primary.Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the
167	167	6.6state primary shall be held on the second first Tuesday in August March in each
168	168	6.7even-numbered year to select the nominees of the major political parties for partisan offices
169	169	6.8and the nominees for nonpartisan offices to be filled at the state general election, other than
170	170	6.9presidential electors. In the year of the presidential election, the state primary must be held
171	171	6.10on the date of the presidential nomination primary as provided in section 207A.11.
172	172	6.11 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
173	173	6.12 Subdivision 1.State partisan primary ballot.The state partisan primary ballot shall
174	174	6.13contain the names of the candidates seeking the nomination of each major political party
175	175	6.14for the partisan offices filled at the state general election. In the year of the presidential
176	176	6.15election, the state partisan primary ballot must also include the presidential nomination
177	177	6.16primary ballot.
178	178	6.17 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.08, is amended by adding a subdivision to
179	179	6.18read:
180	180	6.19 Subd. 7.Presidential nomination primary ballot.In the year of the presidential election,
181	181	6.20there must be separate ballots that include a presidential nomination primary ballot for each
182	182	6.21political party participating in the presidential nomination primary, as defined in chapter
183	183	6.22207A. The state primary ballot must be designed so that the presidential nomination primary
184	184	6.23ballot appears first on the ballot and conforms to the requirements of chapter 207A. The
185	185	6.24state primary ballot must be printed on the same ballot and appear below the presidential
186	186	6.25nomination primary ballot. There must also be a ballot without a presidential nomination
187	187	6.26primary ballot section for voters who do not wish to participate in the presidential nomination
188	188	6.27primary.
189	189	6.28 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
190	190	6.29 Subdivision 1.Example ballot.No later than May December 1 of each year, the secretary
191	191	6.30of state shall supply each auditor with a copy of an example ballot to be used at the state
192	192	6.31primary and state general election. The example ballot must illustrate the format required
193	193	6Sec. 8.
194	194	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 7.1for the ballots used in the primary and general elections that year. In a year when the
195	195	7.2presidential nomination primary is conducted, the example ballot must include the presidential
196	196	7.3nomination primary ballot. The county auditor shall distribute copies of the example ballot
197	197	7.4to municipal and school district clerks in municipalities and school districts holding elections
198	198	7.5that year. The official ballot must conform in all respects to the example ballot.
199	199	7.6 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 204D.28, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
200	200	7.7 Subd. 5.Regular state primary."Regular state primary" means:
201	201	7.8 (a) the state primary at which candidates are nominated for offices elected at the state
202	202	7.9general election; or
203	203	7.10 (b) a primary held on the second Tuesday in August of odd-numbered years date specified
204	204	7.11in section 204D.03, subdivision 1.
205	205	7.12 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 205.065, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
206	206	7.13 Subdivision 1.Establishing primary.A municipal primary for the purpose of nominating
207	207	7.14elective officers may be held in any city on the second Tuesday in August first Tuesday of
208	208	7.15March of any year in which a municipal general election is to be held for the purpose of
209	209	7.16electing officers, except that in a year of the presidential election, a municipal primary must
210	210	7.17be held on the date of the presidential nomination primary as provided in section 207A.11.
211	211	7.18The date of a municipal primary held in an odd-numbered year may be postponed for
212	212	7.19inclement weather as provided in section 205.105.
213	213	7.20 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 205.065, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
214	214	7.21 Subd. 2.Resolution or ordinance.The governing body of a city may, by ordinance or
215	215	7.22resolution adopted by April October 15 in the year prior to the year when a municipal general
216	216	7.23election is held, elect to choose nominees for municipal offices by a primary as provided
217	217	7.24in this section. The resolution or ordinance, when adopted, is effective for all ensuing
218	218	7.25municipal elections until it is revoked. The municipal clerk shall notify the secretary of state
219	219	7.26and the county auditor within 30 days after the adoption of the resolution or ordinance.
220	220	7.27 Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 205A.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
221	221	7.28 Subdivision 1.Resolution requiring primary in certain circumstances.The school
222	222	7.29board of a school district may, by resolution adopted by April October 15 of any year the
223	223	7.30year prior to the general election year, decide to choose nominees for school board by a
224	224	7.31primary as provided in this section. The resolution, when adopted, is effective for all ensuing
225	225	7Sec. 12.
226	226	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 8.1elections of board members in that school district until it is revoked. If the board decides
227	227	8.2to choose nominees by primary and if there are more than two candidates for a specified
228	228	8.3school board position or more than twice as many school board candidates as there are
229	229	8.4at-large school board positions available, the school district must hold a primary.
230	230	8.5 Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 205A.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
231	231	8.6 Subd. 2.Date.The school district primary must be held on the second first Tuesday in
232	232	8.7August March in the year when the school district general election is held, except that in a
233	233	8.8year of the presidential election, a municipal primary must be held on the date of the
234	234	8.9presidential nomination primary as provided in section 207A.11. The clerk shall give notice
235	235	8.10of the primary in the manner provided in section 205A.07. The date of a school district
236	236	8.11primary held in an odd-numbered year may be postponed for inclement weather as provided
237	237	8.12in section 205A.055.
238	238	8.13 Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 205A.11, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
239	239	8.14 Subd. 2a.Notice of special elections.The school district clerk shall prepare a notice to
240	240	8.15the voters who will be voting in a combined polling place for a school district special election.
241	241	8.16The notice must include the following information: the date of the election, the hours of
242	242	8.17voting, and the location of the voter's polling place. The notice must be sent by
243	243	8.18nonforwardable mail to every affected household in the school district with at least one
244	244	8.19registered voter. The notice must be mailed no later than 14 days before the election. The
245	245	8.20mailed notice is not required for a school district special election that is held on the second
246	246	8.21Tuesday in August date identified in section 204D.03, subdivision 1, the Tuesday following
247	247	8.22the first Monday in November, or for a special election conducted entirely by mail. A notice
248	248	8.23that is returned as undeliverable must be forwarded immediately to the county auditor.
249	249	8.24 Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 206.61, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
250	250	8.25 Subd. 5.Alternation.The provisions of the election laws requiring the alternation of
251	251	8.26names of candidates must be observed as far as practicable by changing the order of the
252	252	8.27names on an electronic voting system in the various precincts so that each name appears on
253	253	8.28the machines or marking devices used in a municipality substantially an equal number of
254	254	8.29times in the first, last, and in each intermediate place in the list or group in which they
255	255	8.30belong. However, the arrangement of candidates' names must be the same on all voting
256	256	8.31systems used in the same precinct. If the number of names to be alternated exceeds the
257	257	8.32number of precincts, the election official responsible for providing the ballots, in accordance
258	258	8.33with subdivision 1, shall determine by lot the alternation of names.
259	259	8Sec. 15.
260	260	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 9.1 If an electronic ballot marker is used with a paper ballot that is not an optical scan ballot
261	261	9.2card, the manner of alternation of candidate names on the paper ballot must be as prescribed
262	262	9.3for optical scan ballots in this subdivision.
263	263	9.4 The rules adopted by the secretary of state for the rotation of candidate names must use
264	264	9.5the number of registered voters in each precinct as of 8:00 a.m. on May December 1 of prior
265	265	9.6to the year when the rotation will be made as the basis for determining the rotation of names.
266	266	9.7 Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 206.82, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
267	267	9.8 Subd. 2.Plan.The municipal clerk in a municipality where an electronic voting system
268	268	9.9is used and the county auditor of a county in which an electronic voting system is used in
269	269	9.10more than one municipality and the county auditor of a county in which a counting center
270	270	9.11serving more than one municipality is located shall prepare a plan which indicates acquisition
271	271	9.12of sufficient facilities, computer time, and professional services and which describes the
272	272	9.13proposed manner of complying with section 206.80. The plan must be signed, notarized,
273	273	9.14and submitted to the secretary of state more than 60 days before the first election at which
274	274	9.15the municipality uses an electronic voting system. Before May December 1 of prior to each
275	275	9.16subsequent general election year, the clerk or auditor shall submit to the secretary of state
276	276	9.17notification of any changes to the plan on file with the secretary of state. The secretary of
277	277	9.18state shall review each plan for its sufficiency and may request technical assistance from
278	278	9.19the Department of Information Technology Services or other agency which may be operating
279	279	9.20as the central computer authority. The secretary of state shall notify each reporting authority
280	280	9.21of the sufficiency or insufficiency of its plan within 20 days of receipt of the plan. The
281	281	9.22attorney general, upon request of the secretary of state, may seek a district court order
282	282	9.23requiring an election official to fulfill duties imposed by this subdivision or by rules
283	283	9.24promulgated pursuant to this section.
284	284	9.25 Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 207A.12, is amended to read:
285	285	9.26 207A.12 CONDUCTING PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PRIMARY.
286	286	9.27 (a) The presidential nomination primary must be held in conjunction with the state
287	287	9.28primary election. Except as otherwise provided by law, the presidential nomination primary
288	288	9.29must be conducted, and the results canvassed and returned, in the manner provided by law
289	289	9.30for the state primary. All notice and publication requirements applicable to the state primary
290	290	9.31apply to the presidential nomination primary in years when the presidential nomination
291	291	9.32primary is conducted.
292	292	9Sec. 17.
293	293	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 10.1 (b) An individual seeking voting at the state primary election that seeks to vote at the
294	294	10.2presidential nomination primary must be registered to vote pursuant to section 201.054,
295	295	10.3subdivision 1. The voter must request the ballot of the party for whose candidate the
296	296	10.4individual wishes to vote. Notwithstanding section 204C.18, subdivision 1, the election
297	297	10.5judge must record in the polling place roster the name of the political party whose ballot
298	298	10.6the voter requested. When posting voter history pursuant to section 201.171, the county
299	299	10.7auditor must include the name of the political party whose ballot the voter requested. The
300	300	10.8political party ballot selected by a voter is private data on individuals as defined under
301	301	10.9section 13.02, subdivision 12, except as provided in section 201.091, subdivision 4a. A
302	302	10.10voter eligible to cast a ballot as provided in section 5B.06 must be permitted to cast a ballot
303	303	10.11at the presidential nomination primary consistent with the requirements of that section.
304	304	10.12 (c) Immediately after the state canvassing board declares the results of the presidential
305	305	10.13nomination primary, the secretary of state must notify the chair of each party of the results.
306	306	10.14 (d) The results of the presidential nomination primary must bind the election of delegates
307	307	10.15in each party.
308	308	10.16Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 207A.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
309	309	10.17 Subdivision 1.Form.(a) Except as provided by law, presidential nomination primary
310	310	10.18ballots shall be printed in the same manner as state primary ballots as far as practicable. A
311	311	10.19sufficient number of each ballot shall be printed for each precinct and ward in the state.
312	312	10.20 (b) There must be separate ballots for the names of the candidates of each participating
313	313	10.21political party. Each ballot must be headed by the words "Presidential Nomination Primary
314	314	10.22Ballot." The heading must also indicate the party that appears on the ballot. The presidential
315	315	10.23nomination primary ballot must be included first on the state primary ballot as provided in
316	316	10.24section 204D.08.
317	317	10.25 (c) If requested by a party chair, the ballot for that participating party must contain a
318	318	10.26place for a voter to indicate a preference for having delegates to the party's national
319	319	10.27convention remain uncommitted. If requested by a party chair, the ballot for that participating
320	320	10.28party must contain a blank line printed below the other choices on the ballot so that a voter
321	321	10.29may write in the name of a person who is not listed on the ballot. A request under this
322	322	10.30paragraph must be submitted to the secretary of state no later than 63 days before the
323	323	10.31presidential nomination primary.
324	324	10Sec. 18.
325	325	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 11.1 Sec. 19. REPEALER.
326	326	11.2 Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 207A.14; and 207A.15, are repealed.
327	327	11.3 Sec. 20. EFFECTIVE DATE.
328	328	11.4 This act is effective December 1, 2025, and applies to primary elections held on or after
329	329	11.5that date.
330	330	11Sec. 20.
331	331	25-00007 as introduced12/30/24 REVISOR JFK/BM 207A.14 NOTICE OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PRIMARY; EXAMPLE
332	332	BALLOTS.
333	333	Subdivision 1.Notice of primary to counties and municipalities.Twenty weeks before a
334	334	presidential nomination primary is to be held, the secretary of state shall provide notice to the county
335	335	auditor of each county of the date of the presidential nomination primary. Within ten days after
336	336	notification by the secretary of state, each county auditor shall provide notice of the date of the
337	337	presidential nomination primary to each municipal clerk in the county.
338	338	Subd. 2.Example ballots.No later than 70 days before the presidential nomination primary,
339	339	the secretary of state must supply each county auditor with example ballots to be used at the
340	340	presidential nomination primary. The example ballots must illustrate the format required for the
341	341	ballots used in the presidential nomination primary.
342	342	Subd. 3.Notice of primary to public.At least 15 days before the date of the presidential
343	343	nomination primary, each municipal clerk shall post a public notice stating the date of the presidential
344	344	nomination primary, the location of each polling place in the municipality, the hours during which
345	345	the polling places in the municipality will be open, and information about the requirements of
346	346	section 207A.12, paragraph (b). The county auditor shall post a similar notice in the auditor's office
347	347	with information for any polling places in unorganized territory in the county. The governing body
348	348	of a municipality or county may publish the notice in addition to posting it. Failure to give notice
349	349	does not invalidate the election.
350	350	207A.15 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PRIMARY ELECTION EXPENSES; LOCAL
351	351	REIMBURSEMENT .
352	352	Subdivision 1.Presidential nomination primary elections account; special revenue fund.(a)
353	353	A presidential nomination primary elections account is created in the special revenue fund.
354	354	(b) No later than September 1 of the year preceding a presidential election year, the secretary
355	355	of state shall certify to the commissioner of management and budget the estimated state and local
356	356	cost of administering the presidential nomination primary election. The secretary of state may make
357	357	supplemental certifications to the commissioner of management and budget if new information
358	358	indicates that the actual costs of conducting the election will exceed the secretary's initial estimate.
359	359	(c) Within 15 days of a certification under paragraph (b), the commissioner of management and
360	360	budget must transfer an amount equal to the certification from the general fund to the presidential
361	361	nomination primary elections account. The funds in the presidential nomination primary elections
362	362	account are appropriated to the secretary of state for:
363	363	(1) state costs associated with administering the presidential nomination primary election; and
364	364	(2) making the reimbursements required by subdivision 2.
365	365	The commissioner of management and budget must transfer back to the general fund any funds
366	366	remaining in the presidential nomination primary elections account 120 days after the results of a
367	367	presidential nomination primary election have been certified by the State Canvassing Board.
368	368	Subd. 2.Reimbursable local expenses.(a) The secretary of state must reimburse the counties
369	369	and municipalities for expenses incurred in the administration of the presidential nomination primary
370	370	from money contained in the presidential nomination primary elections account. The following
371	371	expenses are eligible for reimbursement: preparation and printing of ballots; postage for absentee
372	372	ballots; publication of notice to voters pursuant to section 204D.16; preparation of polling places
373	373	in an amount not to exceed $150 per polling place; preparation of electronic voting systems in an
374	374	amount not to exceed $100 per precinct; compensation for temporary staff or overtime payments;
375	375	salaries of election judges; compensation of county canvassing board members; and other expenses
376	376	as approved by the secretary of state.
377	377	(b) Within 60 days after the results of a presidential nomination primary are certified by the
378	378	State Canvassing Board, the county auditor must submit a request for payment of the costs incurred
379	379	by the county for conducting the presidential nomination primary, and the municipal clerk must
380	380	submit a request for payment of the costs incurred by the municipality for conducting the presidential
381	381	nomination primary. The request for payment must be submitted to the secretary of state, and must
382	382	be accompanied by an itemized description of actual county or municipal expenditures, including
383	383	copies of invoices. In addition, the county auditor or municipal clerk must certify that the request
384	384	for reimbursement is based on actual costs incurred by the county or municipality in the presidential
385	385	nomination primary.
386	386	1R
387	387	APPENDIX
388	388	Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-00007 (c) The secretary of state must provide each county and municipality with the appropriate forms
389	389	for requesting payment and certifying expenses under this subdivision. The secretary of state must
390	390	not reimburse expenses unless the request for payment and certification of costs has been submitted
391	391	as provided in this subdivision. The secretary of state must complete the issuance of reimbursements
392	392	to the counties and municipalities no later than 90 days after the results of the presidential nomination
393	393	primary have been certified by the State Canvassing Board.
394	394	2R
395	395	APPENDIX
396	396	Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-00007