Jonah Patel
Political campaigns in Minnesota are governed by a set of laws and regulations that candidates and committees must adhere to. These laws encompass various aspects of campaigning, including campaign finance, fair campaign practices, and the use of campaign signs. One of the key requirements is the establishment of a campaign committee, which becomes necessary when a candidate expects to receive more than $750 in contributions or intends to receive public funds. This committee, headed by a treasurer, oversees all financial transactions, record-keeping, and reporting to the FEC. Additionally, Minnesota laws outline restrictions on false claims, endorsements, and the use of terms like reelect. Local jurisdictions may also have specific ordinances regulating the number and size of campaign signs. Understanding and complying with these regulations are essential for conducting a lawful and successful political campaign in the state of Minnesota.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Campaign finance laws | Candidates, campaigns, and committees in Minnesota must follow Minnesota's laws on Fair Campaign Practices. |
| Campaign committee | If a candidate anticipates receiving more than $750 from supporters or intends to receive public money, they must form a campaign committee with a chair and treasurer. |
| Campaign finance reports | Detailed financial reports must be made to the FEC every quarter, with additional reports due before primaries and general elections. In non-election years, a single report is due on January 31 of the following year. |
| Campaign contributions | Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates are in place, but individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want up to the federal limit. |
| Campaign signs | Local jurisdictions may have ordinances restricting the number and size of signs, but these cannot be enforced in an even year before and after election day. |
| Polling place rules | Campaigning is not allowed within 100 feet of a polling place. Campaign t-shirts, buttons, or literature related to specific candidates or parties are not allowed inside. |
| Political activity | State employees or officials cannot use their authority to compel membership in a political organization or contribution to a political party. Political subdivisions cannot impose additional limitations on the political activities of their employees. |
| False claims | Candidates or individuals cannot make false claims about the endorsement of a candidate or ballot question by a political party or organization without written permission. |
| Corporate contributions | Corporations may make contributions to promote or defeat a ballot question or express views on public issues but cannot contribute directly to a candidate or their committee. |
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What You'll Learn
Campaign finance laws in Minnesota
Minnesota has long been a leader in campaign finance reform. It had campaign reporting requirements and spending limits for decades before Watergate. In 1974, in response to Watergate, it enacted an ethics in government act, which included several campaign finance reforms. It imposed new contribution limits and spending limits, and provided public financing for candidates for statewide office and for legislators through an income tax checkoff.
According to Minnesota campaign finance laws, if a candidate anticipates receiving more than $750 from supporters or intends to receive public money, they must form a campaign committee. All campaign financial transactions must be made through the committee, and the committee must have a chair and a treasurer, each of whom is chosen by the candidate. The candidate may, at their discretion, serve as the committee chair and/or treasurer. The treasurer is the key financial agent in the committee and is responsible for keeping records, reconciling the campaign's books, and meeting reporting requirements. The committee must keep a separate bank account, over which the treasurer must have signing authority. The campaign committee must register with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. This registration includes basic information, such as the names and addresses of the candidate, the committee, the committee's officers, and the committee's bank account. The registration must be signed by the candidate or the treasurer and submitted within 14 days of receiving more than $750 in contributions or making more than $750 in expenditures.
Campaign committees are required to file regular campaign finance disclosure reports with the Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board. Each report covers the time period from the beginning of the year to the date of the report, and reports must be filed every year until the committee closes, even if no money is collected or spent during the year. An Initial Report must be filed within 14 days after a candidate or committee raises or spends more than $750. A Year-End Report is due on January 31 of each year after the Initial Report is filed. A Pre-Primary Report is due 10 days before the primary or special primary, and a Pre-General Report is due 10 days before the general election or special election when the candidate's name or ballot question appears on the ballot.
In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions, and overseeing public funding of presidential elections. According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once they have either raised or spent $5,000 in their campaign. Within 15 days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee.
Local jurisdictions in Minnesota may have ordinances restricting the number and size of signs. If a jurisdiction has such ordinances, in an even year, these ordinances cannot be enforced for a specified time before and after election day. In jurisdictions that do not have sign ordinances, campaign signs may be posted in any size and number throughout the year.
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Fair Campaign Practices
In Minnesota, all candidates, campaigns, and committees must adhere to the state's laws on Fair Campaign Practices. These laws are outlined in the Campaign Manual and its additions. Violations of Fair Campaign Practices can be reported to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), which provides information on how to file a complaint.
One key aspect of Fair Campaign Practices in Minnesota is financial disclosure and transparency. Candidates are required to disclose their financial activities, including the money they raise and spend during campaigns. If a candidate expects to receive more than $750 from supporters or intends to receive public funds, they must form a campaign committee. All financial transactions related to the campaign must be made through this committee, which must have a designated chair and treasurer. The treasurer is responsible for maintaining financial records, reconciling the campaign's books, and meeting reporting requirements. Detailed financial reports must be submitted to the FEC every quarter, as well as before primaries and the general election.
Another important aspect of Fair Campaign Practices is the prohibition of certain campaign activities. In Minnesota, campaigning is not permitted within polling places or within 100 feet of the building. This includes displaying campaign-related t-shirts, buttons, or literature that supports specific candidates, official political parties, or ballot questions. Additionally, local jurisdictions may have ordinances restricting the number and size of campaign signs.
By enforcing these Fair Campaign Practices, Minnesota aims to ensure that political campaigns are conducted fairly and transparently, providing voters with the information they need to make informed decisions while protecting their right to privacy and a unbiased voting experience.
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Polling place rules
Minnesota has strict laws about what can and cannot be done at polling places. Only authorized people are allowed inside a polling place during voting hours. This includes voters and their minor children, poll workers, and those assisting a voter. People may not gather or linger inside or within 100 feet of the building.
Campaigning is not allowed inside the polling place or within 100 feet of the building. If the polling place is on public property, campaigning is prohibited anywhere on the property, even beyond 100 feet. However, this does not apply to adjacent private property. Campaign t-shirts, buttons, or literature relating to specific candidates, official political parties, or ballot questions on the ballot that day are not allowed and must be covered up or removed.
Voters are not allowed to place pre-printed stickers on their ballots in the write-in space. While there is no law prohibiting taking photos or videos inside the polling place, it is discouraged by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. This is to protect the privacy of voters and prevent disruptions. Voters are also prohibited from showing their marked ballots to others.
During voting hours, no one except individuals receiving, marking, or depositing ballots shall approach within six feet of a voting booth, ballot counter, or electronic voting equipment without lawful authorization. Teachers and elementary or secondary school students participating in an authorized educational activity may be present at the polling place during voting hours. Each official on duty must wear an identification badge that does not show their party affiliation. Representatives of the secretary of state's office, the county auditor's office, and the municipal or school district clerk's office may also be present to observe election procedures.
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Campaign advertising signs
In Minnesota, all candidates, campaigns, and committees must follow the state's laws on Fair Campaign Practices. These laws are found in the Campaign Manual and its additions. Candidates and campaigns are often required to make information public about the money they raise and spend.
In Texas, it is illegal to place campaign signs on public lands or within the right of way. This includes posting signs on trees, telephone poles, traffic signs, and other objects on the right of way. Campaign signs can be placed on private property with the owner's permission.
In California, candidates and political committees must put disclosures on campaign advertisements that identify the committee that paid for or authorized the communication. "Online platform-disclosed advertisements" have different disclosure requirements than other types of advertisements. These are either electronic media advertisements made via an online platform that allows users to engage in discourse and post content or any other type of social media, or graphic/image-based advertisements that do not include a hyperlink to a website containing the required disclosures.
In addition, temporary political signs in California must meet certain criteria: they must encourage a particular vote in a scheduled election, be placed no sooner than 90 days before the election and removed within 10 days after, be no larger than 32 square feet, and have a filed Statement of Responsibility certifying a person responsible for removing the sign. They must not be placed within the right-of-way of any highway or within 660 feet of a classified landscaped freeway.
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Corporate funding
In Minnesota, corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited, according to the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. This decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.
The SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United ruling, held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. However, contribution limits on donations made directly to candidates remained unchanged.
In Minnesota, candidates, campaigns, and committees must follow the state's laws on Fair Campaign Practices, which can be found in the Campaign Manual. These laws include requirements for public disclosure of campaign finances. If a candidate anticipates receiving more than $750 from supporters or intends to receive public funds, they must form a campaign committee through which all financial transactions must be made. The committee must have a chair and a treasurer, and its basic information, such as the names and addresses of the candidate, committee, and officers, must be registered with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
Campaign finance reports are required by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 211A for candidates for county, city, township, school district, and other political subdivision offices. These reports must be filed with the filing officer and include all information required by Minnesota Statutes 211A.02, subd. 2. An Initial Report must be filed within 14 days of a candidate or committee raising or spending more than $750, and additional reports must be filed once this threshold is met. A Year-End Report is due on January 31 of each year after the Initial Report, and a Pre-Primary Report is due 10 days before any primary or special primary. A Pre-General Report must be filed 10 days before a general or special election, and a Final Report can be filed once all debts are paid and all assets over $100 are disposed of.
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Frequently asked questions
If a candidate anticipates receiving more than $750 from supporters or intends to receive public money, they must form a campaign committee. All campaign financial transactions must be made through the committee, which must have a chair and a treasurer. The committee must keep a separate bank account, over which the treasurer must have signing authority.
Local jurisdictions may have ordinances restricting the number and size of signs. Campaign signs may be posted in any size and number throughout the year in jurisdictions that have no sign ordinance.
Yes, a person or candidate may not knowingly make false claims stating or implying that they have the support or endorsement of a major political party, organisation, or individual without first getting written permission. In addition, a candidate may not use the term "reelect" in a campaign unless they are the incumbent of that office.
Yes, corporations may make contributions or expenditures to promote or defeat a ballot question, or to express their views on issues of public concern. However, they may not contribute directly to a candidate or a committee organised to promote or defeat a candidate.
