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HF 4564

Petitions and certifications of persons nominated as presidential electors and alternate presidential electors required to include a certification attesting to the eligibility of the candidates for president and vice president to be elected to office.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alex Falconer and 5 co-sponsors

HF 4564 requires under-oath eligibility certifications on petitions and notarized candidacy affidavits for presidential/vice presidential nominees outside major parties to appear o

Introduction and first reading, referred to Elections Finance and Government Operations
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Bill Summary · HF 4564

Summary of HF 4564 (2025-2026) – Minnesota

Purpose and Intent

HF 4564 requires petitions nominating presidential electors and alternates to include an explicit certification attesting to the eligibility of the presidential and vice presidential candidates to be elected to office. The bill also adds related certification and affidavit requirements for candidates, and tightens certification obligations for major political parties. The overall aim is to strengthen verification of candidate eligibility under constitutional requirements before presidential electors are placed on the ballot.

Key Provisions

  1. Petitions for presidential electors and alternates (new certification requirement)

    • In petitions nominating presidential electors or alternates (excluding major party candidates, who are already certified under section 208.03), the petition must:
      • Add the names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates to the petition.
      • Include a certification, under oath, that those candidates meet all eligibility requirements to be elected to the office, including the U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 1, and Amendment XXII (term limits/extensions as applicable).
      • Require the Secretary of State to exclude the candidates’ names from the general election ballot if this certification is not provided on the petition.
      • State that the slate of electors and alternates associated with that candidate is ineligible if the certification is lacking.
    • One petition may nominate a slate of electors equal in number to the state’s Electoral College allocation, plus an alternate for each elector.

  2. Affidavit of candidacy (new requirement)

    • In addition to the petition, each nominated candidate must submit a signed, notarized affidavit of candidacy for president or vice president containing:
      • Candidate’s name as it should appear on the ballot.
      • Campaign address, website, phone number, and email address.
      • The name of the political party or principle stated on the petition.
      • The office sought (president or vice president).
      • A declaration that the candidate is aware of and will follow all applicable election laws and campaign finance laws.

  3. Nomination process for major parties (updated certification language)

    • Section 208.03 (nomination of presidential electors and alternates) is amended to:
      • Require the chair of the major political party to certify, under oath, that:
      • The party candidates for president and vice president have no affidavit on file as a candidate for any other office in the upcoming general election.
      • The party candidates meet all eligibility requirements to be elected to the office (including U.S. Constitution Article II, Section 1, and Amendment XXII).
      • Require the Secretary of State to withhold placing the names of party Candidates on the general election ballot if these certifications are not provided, and to deem the corresponding slate of electors/alternates ineligible to be elected.

Affected Parties and Entities

  • Presidential and vice presidential candidates who are not from major parties (and thus file petitions for electors/alternates).
  • Electors and alternates nominated on petitions.
  • Affidavits of candidacy filed by non-major-party presidential/vice-presidential candidates.
  • Major political parties’ nominees for president and vice president (changes affect certification language and procedures for ballot placement).
  • Secretary of State (responsible for ballot placement decisions based on certifications).
  • Electoral process participants (candidates, petition circulators, party organizations).

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • The bill references existing timing in current law:
    • Major parties already nominate electors/alternates and certify their nominees no later than at least 71 days before the general election.
  • HF 4564 adds the new “under oath” certification to petitions and adds notarized affidavits, which introduces additional compliance steps and documentation that must accompany nominations.
  • If the required certifications are not provided, the Secretary of State must not place the candidate’s name on the general election ballot, and the corresponding slate of electors/alternates would be ineligible to be elected.

Practical Impact

  • Increases the specificity and scrutiny of eligibility verification for presidential candidates outside major parties.
  • Creates heightened risk (ballot access risk) for candidates and slates that fail to supply the required certifications and affidavits.
  • Potentially reduces the risk of ineligible electors being seated, by ensuring only candidates who meet constitutional eligibility are nominated and ballot-listed.
  • May impose additional administrative workload on candidates, petition circulators, and party organizations to gather and certify compliance.

Status

  • Introduced and referred to Elections, Finance, and Government Operations on March 23, 2026.
  • Primary sponsors include multiple co-sponsors (Katie Jones, Alex Falconer, Athena Hollins, Larry Kraft, Kristi Pursell, Emma Greenman).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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