Raising and spending funds to seek endorsement as lieutenant governor may be done either through a separate principal campaign committee established by the lieutenant governor candidate or through a joint principal campaign committee of the governor and lieutenant governor candidates.
A principal campaign committee that makes expenditures and authorizes approved expenditures to seek endorsement for the office of lieutenant governor at the convention of a political party and intends those expenditures to be in addition to the expenditure limit established by Minnesota Statutes, section 10A.25, subdivision 2, shall maintain a separate record of those expenditures.
Separate committees of a candidate for governor and lieutenant governor must be merged not later than five business days after the joint endorsement or filing for office by the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. The merger must be accomplished by amending the statement of organization of one of the committees making it a joint committee and by terminating the remaining committee. All funds, assets, and debt of the terminated committee must be transferred to the joint committee at the time of the merger. The transfer of debt must be by means of an agreement meeting the requirements of part 4503.0300, subpart 3.
Prior to the merger of separate principal campaign committees for governor and lieutenant governor, each committee may accept contributions up to the limits set forth in Minnesota Statutes, section 10A.27, subdivision 1, clause (a), for governor and lieutenant governor running together. After the merger of the committees, contributions to either committee from a single source must be aggregated in determining whether the contribution limit for the joint committee has been reached or exceeded. If the limit has been exceeded, contributions must be returned in accordance with subpart 5.
Funds transferred to the joint committee which result in aggregate contributions in excess of the applicable limits may be returned to the contributor within 60 days of the transfer of funds to the joint committee.
A public subsidy agreement signed by a candidate for governor or lieutenant governor is binding on both candidates and on the surviving principal campaign committee after a merger accomplished under this part.
Minn. R. agency 143, ch. 4503, pt. 4503.1300
Statutory Authority: MS s 10A.02