This bill proposes significant amendments to Minnesota's election scheduling and procedures, particularly by aligning the state primary date with the presidential primary nomination date. It establishes that the state primary will now occur on the first Tuesday of March in even-numbered years and coincide with the presidential nomination primary during presidential election years. The bill also introduces new requirements for ballots, ensuring that separate ballots for the presidential nomination primary are included alongside the state primary ballot. Additionally, it modifies provisions regarding combined polling places and the appointment of election judges, requiring changes to election precinct boundaries to be posted 56 days prior to elections and shifting the deadline for political parties to submit lists of eligible voters for election judges from May to December.

Moreover, the bill includes provisions that mandate the presidential nomination primary ballot to be listed first on the state primary ballot and specifies that the alternation of candidate names on electronic voting systems should be based on the number of registered voters as of December prior to the election. It also requires plans for electronic voting systems to be submitted to the secretary of state more than 60 days before elections. The bill repeals certain sections related to the notice of the presidential nomination primary and local expense reimbursements, establishing a new effective date of December 1, 2025, for these changes, which will apply to primary elections held on or after that date. Overall, the amendments aim to streamline the electoral process and enhance voter participation in Minnesota.

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