1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to elections; changing the time for filing 
  1.3             for office and the date of the state primary; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 204B.09, subdivision 
  1.5             1; 204D.03, subdivision 1; and 205.13, subdivision 1a. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 204B.09, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [CANDIDATES IN STATE AND COUNTY GENERAL 
  1.10  ELECTIONS.] Except as otherwise provided by this subdivision, 
  1.11  affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions for county, 
  1.12  state and federal offices filled at the state general election 
  1.13  shall be filed not more than 70 56 days nor less than 56 42 days 
  1.14  before the state primary.  The affidavit may be prepared and 
  1.15  signed at any time between 60 days before the filing period 
  1.16  opens and the last day of the filing period.  Notwithstanding 
  1.17  other law to the contrary, the affidavit of candidacy must be 
  1.18  signed in the presence of a notarial officer.  Candidates for 
  1.19  presidential electors may file petitions on or before the state 
  1.20  primary day.  Nominating petitions to fill vacancies in 
  1.21  nominations shall be filed as provided in section 204B.13.  No 
  1.22  affidavit or petition shall be accepted later than 5:00 p.m. on 
  1.23  the last day for filing.  Affidavits and petitions for offices 
  1.24  to be voted on in only one county shall be filed with the county 
  1.25  auditor of that county.  Affidavits and petitions for offices to 
  2.1   be voted on in more than one county shall be filed with the 
  2.2   secretary of state. 
  2.3      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 204D.03, 
  2.4   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.5      Subdivision 1.  [STATE PRIMARY.] The state primary shall be 
  2.6   held on the first Tuesday after the second fourth Monday in 
  2.7   September in each even-numbered year to select the nominees of 
  2.8   the major political parties for partisan offices and the 
  2.9   nominees for nonpartisan offices to be filled at the state 
  2.10  general election, other than presidential electors.  
  2.11     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 205.13, 
  2.12  subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 
  2.13     Subd. 1a.  [FILING PERIOD.] An affidavit of candidacy for a 
  2.14  town office to be elected in March must be filed not more than 
  2.15  eight weeks nor less than six weeks before the town election.  
  2.16  In municipalities nominating candidates at a municipal primary, 
  2.17  an affidavit of candidacy for a city office or town office voted 
  2.18  on in November must be filed not more than 70 56 days nor less 
  2.19  than 56 42 days before the first Tuesday after the second fourth 
  2.20  Monday in September preceding the municipal general election.  
  2.21  In all other municipalities, an affidavit of candidacy must be 
  2.22  filed not more than 70 56 days and not less than 56 42 days 
  2.23  before the municipal general election.