as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 05/08/2023 09:42am
A bill for an act
relating to elections; providing for the election of state legislators without political
party designation; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 204D.08,
subdivisions 4, 6; 204D.13, subdivision 1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.08, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
The state partisan primary
ballot shall be headed by the words "State Partisan Primary Ballot." The ballot shall be
printed on white paper. There must be at least three vertical columns on the ballot and each
major political party shall have a separate column headed by the words ".......... Party,"
giving the party name. Above the party names, the following statement shall be printed.
"Minnesota Election Law permits you to vote for the candidates of only one political
party in a state partisan primary election."
If there are only two major political parties to be listed on the ballot, one party must
occupy the left-hand column, the other party must occupy the right-hand column, and the
center column must contain the following statement:
"Do not vote for candidates of more than one party."
The names of the candidates seeking the nomination of each major political party shall
be listed in that party's column. If only one individual files an affidavit of candidacy seeking
the nomination of a major political party for an office, the name of that individual shall be
placed on the state partisan primary ballot at the appropriate location in that party's column.
In each column, the candidates for senator in Congress shall be listed first, candidates
for representative in Congress second, deleted text begin candidates for state senator third, candidates for state
representative fourthdeleted text end and then candidates for new text begin partisan new text end state office in the order specified by
the secretary of state. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed with
other offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will be
elected for a full term.
The party columns shall be substantially the same in width, type, and appearance. The
columns shall be separated by a 12-point solid line.
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.08, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
The state and county nonpartisan
primary ballot shall be headed "State and County Nonpartisan Primary Ballot." It shall be
printed in the manner provided in the rules of the secretary of state. The names of candidates
for nomination to the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, district court, new text begin state senator, state
representative, new text end and all county offices shall be placed on this ballot.
No candidate whose name is placed on the state and county nonpartisan primary ballot
shall be designated or identified as the candidate of any political party or in any other manner
except as expressly provided by law.
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204D.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
The candidates for partisan offices shall be placed on
the state general election ballot in the following order: senator in Congress shall be firstdeleted text begin ;deleted text end new text begin
andnew text end representative in Congress, seconddeleted text begin ; state senator, third; and state representative, fourthdeleted text end .
The candidates for new text begin partisan new text end state offices shall follow in the order specified by the secretary
of state. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor shall appear so that a single vote
may be cast for both offices. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed
with other offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will
be elected for a full term.
new text begin
Sections 1 to 3 are effective August 1, 2024, and apply to elections conducted on or after
that date.
new text end