Major party candidates certification by a major party before being placed on the ballot requirement provision, ballot placement and petition requirements amendment provisions

SF 786 requires major political parties in Minnesota to officially certify candidates for partisan offices before they can appear on the ballot. To be certified, a candidate must receive at least 30% of the vote at a party convention, and the party chair must submit this certification to the secretary of state by specific deadlines (seven days before filing period for most offices). County auditors and election officials must then verify that a candidate's name appears on the certified list before accepting their ballot filing. This bill directly affects candidates seeking nomination from major parties (like DFL or Republican) for state or congressional offices, while nonpartisan candidates and presidential electors remain unaffected.