This bill proposes significant changes to Minnesota's election scheduling and procedures, particularly by aligning the state primary date with the presidential primary nomination date. It amends various sections of the Minnesota Statutes, including sections 204B.14, 204D.03, and 205A.03, to establish that the state primary will now occur on the first Tuesday of March in even-numbered years, coinciding with the presidential nomination primary in presidential election years. The bill also introduces provisions for separate ballots for the presidential nomination primary and the state primary, allowing voters to participate in one or both elections.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing election procedures, including deadlines for establishing combined polling places and requirements for political parties to submit lists of eligible election judges. It shifts the timeline for notifying voters about boundary changes and adjusts procedures for municipal and school district primaries, moving relevant deadlines to October in the year prior to the general election. The bill also mandates that the presidential nomination primary ballot be listed first on the state primary ballot and updates the timeline for electronic voting system plans. It repeals certain sections related to the notice of the presidential nomination primary and local expense reimbursements, with an effective date of December 1, 2025, for these changes. Overall, the amendments aim to streamline the electoral process and enhance voter participation.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 204B.14, 204B.21, 204C.10, 204D.03, 204D.05, 204D.08, 204D.09, 204D.28, 205.065, 205A.03, 205A.11, 206.61, 206.82, 207A.12, 207A.13