Minnesota is a national leader in elections, and the 2025 Elections Omnibus bill continues that proud tradition by protecting historic investments in our democracy from 2023 and 2024, while also enacting new reforms to strengthen and modernize elections across the state. The Senate DFL stands for pro-democracy reforms that will help our state remain an example to the rest of the nation in what it means to protect and expand the freedom to vote.
Key Provisions:
HAVA Funding ($200k)
Matching funding provided to the Secretary of State’s office will help MN access federal Help America Vote Act funding (HAVA). HAVA funds are generally used for physical security, cybersecurity, and accessibility of election systems, and are matched at a 5:1 rate. This funding will allow the Secretary of State to utilize $1m from the 2024 HAVA allocation for their security navigator team, as well as for updates to the statewide voter registration system.
Campaign Finance Board
The Elections bill included the Campaign Finance Board’s (CFB) base funding and an operating increase of $79k in FY 26-27 and $106k in FY 28-29. An additional $760k in FY 25 was appropriated to the CFB to cover legal fees stemming from the 2024 lawsuit Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi, which centered around a provision in the 2023 Democracy for the People Act (HF 03) that limited political spending by foreign-influenced corporations.
Elections Administration Updates
The Elections bill includes a wide variety of elections administration reforms, including several changes to address incidents which occurred in the 2024 election – including the lost absentee ballots in Scott County and the absentee ballot delivery issue in Edina. Major updates include:
• Absentee ballot procedures: Best practices for processing absentee ballots have been codified, including a new requirement that two absentee ballot board members must verify and record counts of envelopes and ballots, as well as a new requirement that all envelopes must be retained for at least 48 hours after the contest period ends. (Scott County)
• Chain of Custody: County auditors are newly required to develop chain of custody plans accounting for the physical and cybersecurity of election materials, and to file those plans with the Secretary of State. (Edina)
• Errors and Omissions: A new process has been established to resolve ballots errors without going to court if all candidates for an office and relevant election officials agree on a remedy. A candidate who declines to enter an agreement and later fails to prevail in a court proceeding is liable for court costs to the prevailing party, subject to the discretion of the court.
• Proof of Residence: Candidates who file for office by mail are newly required to provide proof of residence.
• Election Reporting: A current practice requiring counties to use the Election Reporting System to report unofficial election results has been codified, alongside a new requirement that county auditors must test reporting systems at least one week before election day. This change is intended to help increase efficiency of unofficial result reporting on election night.
• Expanded Voting Access: A 2023 provision which allows federally recognized Tribes to establish temporary polling places has been expanded to also encompass off-reservation Tribal lands. Additional reforms regarding the use of student lists will help to lower barriers to the polls for college voters.
• Local Elections Administration: Multiple reforms to strengthen and streamline local elections administration passed as well, including a requirement that voters provide two ID numbers when applying for an absentee ballot online (or swear they don’t have both) – which is intended to decrease ballot rejections, allowing combined polling places to use combined electronic rosters, requiring affidavits of candidacy to provide phonetic spelling or pronunciation explanations or a waiver to accept the default machine generated pronunciation, and other technical and minor updates.
Lobbying Registration Updates
The Campaign Finance Board’s 2025 recommendations on state and local lobbying in addition to other lobbying updates passed this session – including a new exemption for expert witnesses (with reporting required by the lobbyists they work with), a new CFB handbook on lobbying registration standards, new exemptions specific to certain conduit financing projects at the local level, and other updates to the definitions of “lobbyist” and “local official” that will help clarify standards on what activities apply towards lobbying registration thresholds. (SF 2562)
Inaugural and Transition Expenses
Under prior law, fundraising and spending through inaugural or transition committees were not subject to the same restrictions as principal campaign committees around spending and contribution limits, reporting, contributions from corporations and lobbyists, and fundraising during the legislative session. The Elections bill included a new provision prohibiting constitutional officers from accepting contributions or making expenditures for inauguration or transition expenses, unless they do so through their principal campaign committees or through state funding provided for that purpose. The bill also extended funding which is currently provided to the Governor to also include the Attorney General, State Auditor, and Secretary of State. (SF 1996)
Absentee Ballot Applications and Sample Ballots Mailings
Absentee ballot applications and sample ballots which are mailed by non- governmental entities are newly required to include a disclaimer stating that the mailing is not an official governmental elections communication, and that sample ballots are not official ballots. This disclaimer must be clearly visible at the time that the mailing is opened, and the envelope must additionally include the name and
address of the organization is sending the mailing. (SF 2232)
Absentee Ballot Delivery
The deadline for in-person delivery of absentee ballots on election day has been shortened from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Special Election Timing
The filing period for special elections during the legislative session has been updated to require at least a 3-day filing period within the 35-day period, as well as to shorten the prohibition on special elections from being held within 4 days of a holiday to instead be within 2 days of a holiday. The filing period for special elections outside of the legislative session has been lengthened to require a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 10 days.
Election Judge Party Balance
Existing requirements for election judge party balance have been expanded to include any location where ballots are counted. This was a GOP priority, however the provision was significantly narrowed in scope to largely overlap with current practices.
Self-Financed Candidates
Candidates who self-fund their campaigns beyond the amount allowed to candidates who sign public subsidy agreements are now required to file new reports by the next business day.
Others
Other minor or technical policy additions include an update to notice requirements and times during which access to multifamily buildings must be provided to candidates and canvassers, prohibiting polling places from being located in or near buildings where cannabis products are served or sold, a change in how voters can join the permanent absentee voter list, new deadlines for candidates to file statements of economic interest, updated local candidate filing timelines, and other technical and minor election administration changes.
Did Not Pass:
Senate GOP Election Integrity Act
Numerous bills authored by Senate Republicans containing anti-democratic proposals which sought to limit voter access, including through provisional ballot and photo ID requirements, did not pass this year. (SF 1166, etc.)
SAVE Act Language
Language taken directly from the federal “SAVE Act,” which proposes to create an in- person documentary proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration as well as required voter roll purges was offered as an amendment by Sen. Lucero and defeated on the Senate Floor. Provisions from the SAVE Act would be disenfranchising for tens of thousands of eligible Minnesota voters, including for anyone whose name doesn’t match their birth certificate, or who doesn’t have easy access to a passport or birth certificate. Only ~15% of Minnesotans currently have enhanced drivers’ licenses that may meet the proof of citizenship requirement, and it is estimated that only about half of Americans have U.S. passports. This change would be especially disenfranchising for thousands of women (69 million nationwide) whose birth certificates don’t match their IDs due to a name change after marriage – as well as for as well as for trans Minnesotans, seniors, members of the military, and voters in rural areas who face barriers to travelling for in-person voter registration.
Musk Anti-Bribery Language
A provision which expanded existing felony protections against attempts to influence a voter was blocked by House and Senate Republicans. The new language would have prohibited promising a chance to win money in an attempt to induce a voter to vote, to register to vote, or to sign a petition that is directly related to an election. This provision stemmed from a recent issue in Wisconsin, where “America PAC,” a group funded by Elon Musk, offered voters $100 to sign a petition opposing “activist judges” in the lead-up to Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election, as well as an additional chance to win $1m. Musk used a similar tactic during the 2024 presidential election, where a PAC funded by the billionaire offered to a chance to win $1m/day in several battleground states to voters who signed petitions supporting the 1st and 2nd amendments. (SF 1812)
Scam PACs
Language prohibiting individuals from fraudulently misrepresenting themselves as speaking, acting, or fundraising on behalf of a candidate, party, or other organization with intent to defraud was blocked by House republicans. The provision was bipartisan in the Senate (Sen. Draheim was a co-author), and it sought to create protections against predatory fundraising practices which regularly target seniors and other vulnerable Minnesotans. The FBI has noted that Scam PACs are on the rise, and the Campaign Legal Center notably filed recent complaints with the FEC against several scam PACs, including “Patriots for American Leadership,” which fraudulently used President Trump’s voice to fundraise over $1.4m in the 2024 election – only 3% of which was reported as going towards political donations. (SF 1851)
Worker Reprisal Protections
A provision which expanded existing protections against political reprisals against workers to newly include protections for candidates against being fired for running for office did not pass, nor did an additional provision to prevent employers from requiring employees to lobby on their behalf. (SF 863/SF 1854)
Campaign Finance Reforms
Several significant campaign finance reforms were not adopted in conference, including the broadening of standards around independent expenditures to encompass a federal standard of communications which “promote, attack, support, or oppose” a candidate (PASO). An expansion of coordination protections to include electioneering communications (also a federal standard) as well as new prohibitions on “red boxing” – a practice in which candidates post information on their website in an attempt to circumvent coordination laws, were blocked as well. Additional new language establishing standards for disclaimers on outdoor signs as well as digital campaign materials was also not adopted in conference committee. (SF 1996)
Economic Interest Statements
A provision was removed in conference which expanded filing requirements for statements of economic interest and conflict of interest disclosures to newly include charter and public school board officials as well as all local officials statewide, and not only the current standard of public officials and local officials in a metropolitan governmental unit. This change would have encompassed some staff who have the authority to impact major decisions related to public funds, and it was opposed by local government groups who argued that filing statements would deter recruitment in small communities. (SF 2412)
Party Lists
New practices for appointing election judges from party lists did not pass – including changes to the deadline by which parties must submit lists, new guidelines for when local official can recruit and hire others after a list has been exhausted, and new
requirements that lists have sufficient information and are received on a timeline that allows local election officials to recruit and train election judges. This provision stemmed from a 2024 lawsuit in Hennepin County regarding the use of party
provided lists. (SF 2384)
Expanded Stock Reporting
Required disclosure on the statement of economic interest that was expanded to include information on stock, stock options, and virtual currency did not pass. The stock portion of this provision came from Sen. Draheim. (SF 1259)
Absentee Ballot Application Requests
A removed provision would have delayed the deadline by which absentee ballot applications could be requested from the current standard of the day before the election to one week before election day for online applications, and to 5 days before election day for mail and email applications. This change was intended to prevent situations where individuals request absentee ballots without enough time for mailing and processing to take place in time before election day, and it was a priority of MACO. (SF 2232)
Ranked Choice Voting
A ranked choice voting local option bill was heard in committee but did not advance this session. (SF 1071)