1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; requiring a candidate to file a petition in certain 
1.3 	circumstances; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.11, subdivision 
1.4 	2.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 204B.11, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 2.Petition ~~in place of filing fee~~. (a) Except as provided in this paragraph, 
1.8 	at the time of filing an affidavit of candidacy, ~~a~~ any candidate may present a petition 
1.9 	in place of the filing fee. A candidate must present a petition, and may not submit a 
1.10 	filing fee, if the candidate will not have resided in the state for at least one year, or will 
1.11 	not have resided in the district from which the candidate seeks to be elected for at least 
1.12 	six months, as of the date of the election.
1.13 	(b) The petition may be signed by any individual eligible to vote for the candidate. A 
1.14 	nominating petition filed pursuant to section 204B.07 is effective as a petition ~~in place of a~~ 
1.15 	~~filing fee~~ under this subdivision if the nominating petition includes a prominent statement 
1.16 	informing the signers of the petition that it will be used for that purpose.
1.17 	(c) The number of signatures on a petition ~~in place of a filing fee~~ shall be as follows:
1.18 	~~(a)~~(1) for a state office voted on statewide, or for president of the United States, 
1.19 	or United States senator, 2,000;
1.20 	~~(b)~~ (2)  for a congressional office, 1,000;
1.21 	~~(c)~~ (3)  for a county or legislative office, or for the office of district judge, 500; and
1.22 	~~(d)~~ (4)  for any other office which requires a filing fee as prescribed by law, municipal 
1.23 	charter, or ordinance, the lesser of 500 signatures or five percent of the total number of 
2.1 	votes cast in the municipality, ward, or other election district at the preceding general 
2.2 	election at which that office was on the ballot.
2.3 	An official with whom petitions are filed shall make sample forms for petitions in 
2.4 	place of filing fees available upon request.