2010 Minnesota Statutes

211B.01 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Application.

The definitions in chapter 200 and this section apply to this chapter.

Subd. 2.Campaign material.

"Campaign material" means any literature, publication, or material that is disseminated for the purpose of influencing voting at a primary or other election, except for news items or editorial comments by the news media.

[See Note.]

Subd. 3.Candidate.

"Candidate" means an individual who seeks nomination or election to a federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or local office including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule charter and statutory cities, and counties, except candidates for president and vice-president of the United States.

Subd. 4.Committee.

"Committee" means two or more persons acting together or a corporation or association acting to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or to promote or defeat a ballot question. Promoting or defeating a ballot question includes efforts to qualify or prevent a proposition from qualifying for placement on the ballot.

Subd. 5.Disbursement.

"Disbursement" means an act through which money, property, office, or position or other thing of value is directly or indirectly promised, paid, spent, contributed, or lent, and any money, property, office, or position or other thing of value so promised or transferred.

Subd. 6.Political purposes.

An act is done for "political purposes" when the act is intended or done to influence, directly or indirectly, voting at a primary or other election. This does not include news items or editorial comments published or broadcast by the news media.

History:

1988 c 578 art 3 s 1; 2004 c 293 art 3 s 1

NOTE: In subdivision 2 the definition of "campaign material" was found unconstitutionally vague in Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Inc. v. Kelley, 291 F.Supp.2d 1052 (D.Minn. 2003), affirmed 427 F.3d 1106 (8th Cir. 2005).