SF 4135

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/18/2026 09:28 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to elections; requiring the secretary of state to prepare and distribute a
voter information guide prior to each statewide general election; providing a dispute
resolution procedure; authorizing rulemaking; proposing coding for new law as
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 213.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [213.01] DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this chapter, the terms in this section have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Candidate" means an individual whose name is or is expected to be printed on the
official ballot.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Guide" means the voter information guide as prescribed in this section.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Measure" means a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution submitted
to the people for their approval or rejection at an election.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [213.02] DISTRIBUTION AND POSTING OF VOTER INFORMATION
GUIDE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Distribution. new text end

new text begin (a) The secretary of state shall print and distribute a voter
information guide for every statewide general election as provided in this section. Not less
than 53 days before the general election, the secretary of state shall mail:
new text end

new text begin (1) one printed copy of the voter information guide to every household where at least
one registered voter resides, as indicated by the statewide voter registration system at the
time of the mailing;
new text end

new text begin (2) at least one copy to each public library in the state;
new text end

new text begin (3) copies to each public college and university in the state; and
new text end

new text begin (4) one or more copies to any other location the secretary deems appropriate.
new text end

new text begin (b) A voter information guide is not required to be mailed to a voter who registered after
the 29th day before an election.
new text end

new text begin (c) The secretary must make additional printed copies available upon request.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Posting. new text end

new text begin (a) Not less than 53 days before the general election, the secretary of
state must post a copy of the voter information guide on the secretary's website.
new text end

new text begin (b) Consistent with section 213.03, the secretary of state must make the material required
to be distributed by this chapter available to the public in electronic form.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [213.03] ACCESSIBILITY.
new text end

new text begin (a) The guide must, to the extent reasonably practicable:
new text end

new text begin (1) be written in English and the three most commonly spoken non-English languages
as determined by the state demographer;
new text end

new text begin (2) explain in each language that an electronic copy of the guide is publicly available in
those languages; and
new text end

new text begin (3) provide the website address where the guide in each language can be found.
new text end

new text begin (b) The statements required or permitted by paragraph (a) must be clearly readable. The
secretary of state must post an electronic version of the voter information guide on the
secretary's website.
new text end

new text begin (c) The secretary of state shall prepare a recording of the voter information guide and
must make the recording available in English to any voter upon request, without cost.
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [213.04] FORMAT; CONTENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Format and layout. new text end

new text begin (a) The secretary of state shall determine the format
and layout of the voter information guide. The guide must be printed in clear, readable type
on a size, quality, and weight of paper that, in the judgment of the secretary of state, best
serves the voters. The guide must contain a table of contents.
new text end

new text begin (b) The secretary of state shall allocate space in the guide based on the number of
candidates or nominees for each office.
new text end

new text begin (c) Pages on which candidates' photographs or statements appear must be clearly
identified with the words "Images and statements provided by the candidate."
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Voter and election information. new text end

new text begin (a) The voter information guide must include
the following information:
new text end

new text begin (1) the eligibility requirements for voting;
new text end

new text begin (2) when a voter is required to register or update a voter registration;
new text end

new text begin (3) a statement on the front or back cover of the voter information guide that voters may
take the guide into the polling place; and
new text end

new text begin (4) any other information the secretary of state considers relevant to the conduct of the
election.
new text end

new text begin (b) The voter information guide may include the following information:
new text end

new text begin (1) maps showing the boundaries of state senate and state house of representatives
districts;
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new text begin (2) a voter registration form;
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new text begin (3) an absentee ballot application form; and
new text end

new text begin (4) a copy of the Voter's Bill of Rights in section 204C.08, subdivision 1d.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Candidate and constitutional amendment information. new text end

new text begin (a) The voter
information guide must contain:
new text end

new text begin (1) information about each proposed state constitutional amendment as required by
section 213.05;
new text end

new text begin (2) a candidate statement and contact information, if submitted, from each candidate for
the offices of president and vice president of the United States, United States senator, United
States representative, governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor,
attorney general, state senator, state representative, justice of the supreme court, judge of
the state court of appeals, and judge of the district court;
new text end

new text begin (3) contact information for the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, including
the following statement: "For a list of the people and organizations that donated to statewide,
legislative and judicial campaigns, visit cfb.mn.gov." The statement must be placed in a
prominent position, such as the first two pages of the voter information guide. The secretary
of state may modify the wording as is necessary for accuracy and clarity and consistent with
the intent of this section;
new text end

new text begin (4) contact information for each major political party;
new text end

new text begin (5) a list of each college and university in Minnesota, and their campus vote coordinator
and their contact information;
new text end

new text begin (6) information on accessing an electronic copy of the voter information guide; and
new text end

new text begin (7) any additional information pertaining to elections as may be required by law or rule.
new text end

new text begin (b) If a candidate does not submit a candidate statement pursuant to this section, the
document shall include with the candidate's listing the words "No statement submitted."
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Party preference. new text end

new text begin The voter information guide must list the political party
affiliation or political principle for each candidate appearing on the ballot, as identified on
the candidate's affidavit of candidacy or nominating petition. This subdivision does not
apply to judicial candidates.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Name of secretary of state, county auditor, or municipal clerk. new text end

new text begin The name
of the secretary of state, county auditor, or municipal clerk may not appear in the voter
information guide in their official capacity if the secretary, county auditor, or municipal
clerk is a candidate at the election for which the voter information guide is printed.
new text end

Sec. 5.

new text begin [213.05] CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROVISIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) A state constitutional amendment proposal must be printed in the voter information
guide so that language proposed for deletion is enclosed by double parentheses and has a
line through it. Proposed new language must be underlined. A statement explaining the
deletion and addition of language must appear as follows: "Any language in double
parentheses with a line through it is the existing state constitution and will be taken out of
the constitution if this measure is approved by voters. Any underlined language does not
appear in the existing state constitution but will be added to the constitution if this measure
is approved by voters."
new text end

new text begin (b) The voter information guide must provide the following information for each state
constitutional amendment proposal:
new text end

new text begin (1) the bill numbers from the senate and house of representatives;
new text end

new text begin (2) the official ballot title of the constitutional amendment proposal;
new text end

new text begin (3) the total number of votes cast for and against the measure in the senate and house
of representatives, broken down by political party; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the full text of the measure.
new text end

Sec. 6.

new text begin [213.06] ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.
new text end

new text begin The secretary of state by rule shall adopt an electronic filing system to allow photographs
and statements to be filed electronically.
new text end

Sec. 7.

new text begin [213.07] PHOTOGRAPHS; REQUIREMENTS.
new text end

new text begin (a) All photographs of candidates submitted for publication must conform to standards
established by the secretary of state by rule. No photograph may reveal clothing or insignia
suggesting the holding of a public office. A candidate may not submit for inclusion in the
voter information guide a photograph that was taken more than four years before the date
the photograph is filed with the secretary of state. A photograph submitted for inclusion in
the guide must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be a conventional photograph with a plain background;
new text end

new text begin (2) show the face or the head, neck, and shoulders of the candidate; and
new text end

new text begin (3) be prepared and processed for printing as prescribed by the secretary of state.
new text end

new text begin (b) A photograph submitted for inclusion in the voter information guide may not:
new text end

new text begin (1) include the hands or anything held in the hands of the candidate;
new text end

new text begin (2) show the candidate wearing a judicial robe, a hat, or a military, police, or fraternal
uniform; or
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new text begin (3) show the uniform or insignia of any organization.
new text end

new text begin (c) A photograph may include a hat or head covering that is religious in nature.
new text end

new text begin (d) The secretary of state shall prescribe by rule the size and manner of placement of
the photograph printed in the voter information guide, except that the size of the printed
photograph shall not be smaller than 1.5 inches by 1.75 inches. The rule shall apply in the
same manner to all candidates for the same nomination or office.
new text end

new text begin (e) All photographs shall be printed in black and white, but may be submitted by
candidates to the secretary of state in color.
new text end

new text begin (f) Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor must submit two photographs as a
combined ticket: one of the candidate for governor and one of the candidate for lieutenant
governor. Candidates for president and vice president must submit two photographs as a
combined ticket: one of the candidate for president and one of the candidate for vice
president.
new text end

Sec. 8.

new text begin [213.08] CANDIDATE STATEMENTS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The maximum number of words for statements submitted by candidates is as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) state representative, state senator, district court judge, 100 words;
new text end

new text begin (2) judge of the court of appeals, justice of the supreme court, secretary of state, attorney
general, state auditor, 200 words; and
new text end

new text begin (3) president and vice president, United States senator, United States representative,
governor and lieutenant governor, 300 words.
new text end

new text begin (b) Governor and lieutenant governor candidates shall submit one statement as a combined
ticket. President and vice president candidates shall submit one statement as a combined
ticket.
new text end

Sec. 9.

new text begin [213.10] DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
AND PHOTOGRAPHS.
new text end

new text begin The secretary of state may, by rule, set a deadline for submission of candidate statements
and photographs for inclusion in the voter information guide. The deadline for submission
of candidate statements and photographs must not be earlier than ten days immediately
following the deadline for filing affidavits of candidacy.
new text end

Sec. 10.

new text begin [213.11] REJECTION OR DISPUTE OF CANDIDATE STATEMENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin References to other candidates. new text end

new text begin A candidate must not identify or
reference another candidate running for office at the same election in their candidate
statement. The secretary of state shall not include any portion of a candidate statement that
violates this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Obscene or other prohibited material. new text end

new text begin If in the opinion of the secretary of
state any candidate statement submitted for inclusion in the voter information guide is
obscene or contains matter that is otherwise prohibited by law from distribution through
the mail, the secretary may petition the Minnesota Court of Administrative Hearings for a
determination that the argument or statement may be rejected for publication or edited to
delete the matter. The court shall not enter such an order unless it concludes that the matter
is obscene or otherwise prohibited for distribution through the mail.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Resolution of disputes. new text end

new text begin Parties to a dispute under this section may agree to
resolve the dispute by rephrasing the statement. The secretary shall promptly provide any
such revision to all parties of the dispute.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Court of Administrative Hearings procedure. new text end

new text begin In an action under this section
the campaign committee or candidate must be named as a defendant and may be served
with process by certified mail directed to the address contained in the secretary's records
for that party. The Court of Administrative Hearings shall give such an action priority on
its calendar.
new text end

Sec. 11.

new text begin [213.12] RULEMAKING.
new text end

new text begin The secretary of state may adopt rules necessary to facilitate the administration of this
chapter.
new text end

Sec. 12. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin This act is effective January 1, 2027.
new text end