This bill amends Minnesota election laws to establish procedures for filling vacancies in legislative offices under specific circumstances. It introduces a provision that allows the candidate who received the second-most votes in the most recent general election to take office if a vacancy arises due to a successful election contest based on candidate misconduct. The chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate is required to notify the secretary of state of such vacancies, and if no election contest is filed within two business days, the secretary of state must issue a certificate of election to the second-place candidate.

Additionally, the bill modifies the definition of what constitutes a vacancy in legislative offices by adding new criteria, including the ineligibility of an incumbent or candidate due to significant violations of election laws. It also clarifies that special elections are not necessary to fill certain legislative vacancies, streamlining the process for ensuring that legislative seats are filled promptly and efficiently. The amendments to Minnesota Statutes 2024 include changes to sections 209.021, 209.10, and 351.02, with specific insertions and deletions to update the legal language accordingly.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 209.021, 209.10, 351.02