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SF 696

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/23/2012 09:03am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
 relating to elections; changing a date for precinct caucuses; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2010, section 202A.14, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 202A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:


Subdivision 1.

Time and manner of holding; postponement.

(a) In every state
general election year, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the date established pursuant to paragraph
(b), there shall be held for every election precinct a party caucus in the manner provided
in sections 202A.14 to 202A.19.

(b)(1) The chairs of the two largest major political parties shall jointly submit to
the secretary of state, no later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the single date
on which the two parties have agreed to conduct their precinct caucuses in the next
even-numbered year.

(2) On March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall publicly
announce the official state precinct caucus date for the following general election year.

(3) If the chairs of the two largest major political parties do not jointly submit a
single date for conducting their precinct caucuses as provided in this paragraph, then for
purposes of the next general election year, the first Tuesday in deleted text begin Februarydeleted text end new text begin Marchnew text end shall be
considered the day of a major political party precinct caucus and sections 202A.19 and
202A.192 shall only apply on that date.

(4) For purposes of this paragraph, the two largest major political parties shall be the
parties whose candidates for governor received the greatest and second greatest number of
votes at the most recent gubernatorial election.

(c) In the event of severe weather a major political party may request the secretary of
state to postpone caucuses. If a major political party makes a request, or upon the secretary
of state's own initiative, after consultation with all major political parties and on the advice
of the federal Weather Bureau and the Department of Transportation, the secretary of state
may declare precinct caucuses to be postponed for a week in counties where weather
makes travel especially dangerous. The secretary of state shall submit a notice of the
postponement to news media covering the affected counties by 6:00 p.m. on the scheduled
day of the caucus. A postponed caucus may also be postponed pursuant to this subdivision.