HF 451

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 01/23/2023 04:14pm

A bill for an act
relating to elections; modifying requirements related to the ordering of candidates
for partisan offices on the state general election ballot; amending Minnesota Statutes
2022, sections 204D.08, subdivision 5; 204D.14, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2022, section 204D.13, subdivisions 2, 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.08, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Party columns; arrangement.

The names of candidates for nomination of the
major political party that received the smallest average vote at the last state general election
must be placed in the first column on the left side of the ballot. The names of candidates
for nomination of the major political party that received the next smallest average vote at
the last state general election must be placed in the second column, and so on. The average
vote shall be computed deleted text begin in the manner provided in section 204D.13, subdivision 2 deleted text end new text begin by dividing
the total number of votes counted for all of the party's candidates for statewide office at the
state general election by the number of those candidates at the election new text end .

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Rotation of names.

The names of candidates for new text begin partisan and new text end nonpartisan
offices on the state general election ballot and the judicial nonpartisan general election ballot
shall be rotated in the manner provided for rotation of names on state partisan primary
ballots by section 204D.08, subdivision 3.

Sec. 3. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.13, subdivisions 2 and 3, new text end new text begin are repealed.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: H0451-1

204D.13 BALLOT; PARTISAN OFFICES.

Subd. 2.

Order of political parties.

The first name printed for each partisan office on the state general election ballot shall be that of the candidate of the major political party that received the smallest average number of votes at the last state general election. The succeeding names shall be those of the candidates of the other major political parties that received a succeedingly higher average number of votes respectively. For the purposes of this subdivision, the average number of votes of a major political party shall be computed by dividing the total number of votes counted for all of the party's candidates for statewide office at the state general election by the number of those candidates at the election.

Subd. 3.

Nominees by petition; placement on ballot.

The names of candidates nominated by petition for a partisan office voted on at the state general election shall be placed on the state general election ballot after the names of the candidates for that office who were nominated at the state primary. No later than 11 weeks before the state general election, the secretary of state shall determine by lot the order of candidates nominated by petition. The drawing of lots must be by political party or principle. The political party or political principle of the candidate as stated on the petition shall be placed after the name of a candidate nominated by petition. The word "nonpartisan" shall not be used to designate any partisan candidate whose name is placed on the state general election ballot by nominating petition.