Subdivision 1. Order of offices. The candidates for partisan offices shall be placed on the state general election ballot in the following order: senator in Congress shall be first; representative in Congress, second; state senator, third; and state representative, fourth. The candidates for state offices shall follow in the order specified by the secretary of state. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor shall appear so that a single vote may be cast for both offices. Vacant offices being filled by special election must be listed with other offices of that type, but after any office of that type for which a candidate will be elected for a full term.
Subd. 2. Order of political parties. The first name printed for each partisan office on the state general election ballot shall be that of the candidate of the major political party that received the smallest average number of votes at the last state general election. The succeeding names shall be those of the candidates of the other major political parties that received a succeedingly higher average number of votes respectively. For the purposes of this subdivision, the average number of votes of a major political party shall be computed by dividing the total number of votes counted for all of the party's candidates for statewide office at the state general election by the number of those candidates at the election.
Subd. 3. Nominees by petition; placement on ballot. The names of candidates nominated by petition for a partisan office voted on at the state general election shall be placed on the state general election ballot after the names of the candidates for that office who were nominated at the state primary. No later than 11 weeks before the state general election, the secretary of state shall determine by lot the order of candidates nominated by petition. The drawing of lots must be by political party or principle. The political party or political principle of the candidate as stated on the petition shall be placed after the name of a candidate nominated by petition. The word "nonpartisan" shall not be used to designate any partisan candidate whose name is placed on the state general election ballot by nominating petition.
Subd. 4. [Expired]
1981 c 29 art 6 s 13; 1983 c 253 s 20; 1996 c 419 s 8,10; 1999 c 132 s 28,29; 2000 c 467 s 23; 2013 c 131 art 2 s 46; 2014 c 264 s 19,20; 2021 c 31 art 3 s 15
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 200 - 212 — Elections
Chapter 204D — Particular Elections
Section 204D.01 — Definitions.
Section 204D.02 — Officers Chosen At State General Election; Terms Of Office.
Section 204D.03 — Time Of State Elections.
Section 204D.04 — Ballot Preparation.
Section 204D.05 — State Primary Ballots; Partisan And Nonpartisan; Official In Charge.
Section 204D.06 — Certification Of Names By Secretary Of State.
Section 204D.07 — Placing Names On Ballots.
Section 204D.08 — State Primary Ballots.
Section 204D.09 — Example Ballots; Sample Primary Ballots.
Section 204D.10 — Primary Results; Nominees.
Section 204D.11 — State General Election Ballots; Candidates; Official In Charge; Rules.
Section 204D.12 — Names Placed On General Election Ballots.
Section 204D.13 — Ballot; Partisan Offices.
Section 204D.14 — Ballots; Nonpartisan Offices.
Section 204D.15 — Ballot; Constitutional Amendment Sample.
Section 204D.16 — Sample General Election Ballots; Posting; Publication.
Section 204D.165 — Sample Ballots To Schools.
Section 204D.17 — State Senator; State Representative; Vacancy In Office; Special Election.
Section 204D.18 — General Election Laws; Application.
Section 204D.19 — Special Elections; When Held.
Section 204D.195 — Date Of Special Election; Certain Times Prohibited.
Section 204D.20 — Nominations; Vacancy.
Section 204D.21 — Time Of Special Primary.
Section 204D.22 — Writ Of Election.
Section 204D.23 — Affidavits Of Candidacy; Nominating Petitions.
Section 204D.24 — Special Elections; Precincts; Election Judges; Voters.
Section 204D.25 — Special Election Ballots.
Section 204D.26 — Congressional Or Legislative Districts; Change In Boundaries.
Section 204D.27 — Special Election Returns.
Section 204D.28 — United States Senate Vacancy; Manner Of Filling.