Subd. 1. Limits are voluntary.

The expenditure limits imposed by this section apply only to a candidate who has signed an agreement under section 10A.322 to be bound by them as a condition of receiving a public subsidy for the candidate's campaign.

Subd. 2. Amounts.

1. (a) In a year in which an election is held for an office sought by a candidate, the principal campaign committee of the candidate must not make campaign expenditures nor permit approved expenditures to be made on behalf of the candidate that result in aggregate expenditures in excess of the following:

   1. (1) for governor and lieutenant governor, running together, $1,626,691;
   2. (2) for attorney general, $271,116;
   3. (3) for secretary of state and state auditor, separately, $135,559;
   4. (4) for state senator, $40,669;
   5. (5) for state representative, $20,335.
2. (b) In addition to the amount in paragraph (a), clause (1), a candidate for endorsement for the office of lieutenant governor at the convention of a political party may make campaign expenditures and approved expenditures of five percent of that amount to seek endorsement.
3. (c) If a special election cycle occurs during a general election cycle, expenditures by or on behalf of a candidate in the special election do not count as expenditures by or on behalf of the candidate in the general election.
4. (d) The expenditure limits in this subdivision for an office are increased by ten percent for a candidate who is running for that office for the first time and who has not run previously for any other office whose territory now includes a population that is more than one-third of the population in the territory of the new office.

Subd. 2a. Aggregated expenditures.

If a candidate makes expenditures from more than one principal campaign committee for nomination or election to statewide office in the same election year, the amount of expenditures from all of the candidate's principal campaign committees for statewide office for that election year must be aggregated for purposes of applying the limits on expenditures under subdivision 2.

Subd. 3. Governor and lieutenant governor a single candidate.

For the purposes of sections 10A.11 to 10A.34, a candidate for governor and a candidate for lieutenant governor, running together, are considered a single candidate. Except as provided in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), all expenditures made by or all approved expenditures made on behalf of the candidate for lieutenant governor are considered to be expenditures by or approved expenditures on behalf of the candidate for governor.

Subd. 4.

Repealed by amendment, 1999 c 220 s 30

Subd. 5. Contested primary races.

Notwithstanding the limits imposed by subdivision 2, the winning candidate in a contested race in a primary who received fewer than twice as many votes as any one of the candidate's opponents in that primary may make expenditures and permit approved expenditures to be made on behalf of the candidate equal to 120 percent of the applicable limit as set forth in subdivision 2, but no more than 100 percent of the limit until after the primary.

Subd. 6. Limit in nonelection year.

During an election cycle, in any year before the election year for the office held or sought by the candidate, a candidate must not make campaign expenditures nor permit approved expenditures to be made on behalf of the candidate that exceed 20 percent of the expenditure limit set forth in subdivision 2.

Subd. 7.

Repealed by amendment, 1999 c 220 s 30

Subd. 8.

Repealed, 1978 c 463 s 109

Subd. 9.

Repealed, 1978 c 463 s 109

Subd. 10. Effect of opponent's conduct.

1. (a) A candidate who has agreed to be bound by the expenditure limits imposed by this section as a condition of receiving a public subsidy for the candidate's campaign is released from the expenditure limits but remains eligible to receive a public subsidy if the candidate has an opponent who does not agree to be bound by the limits and receives contributions or makes or becomes obligated to make expenditures during that election cycle in excess of the following limits:

   1. (1) up to ten days before the primary election, receipts or expenditures equal to 20 percent of the expenditure limit for that office as set forth in subdivision 2; or
   2. (2) after ten days before the primary election, cumulative receipts or expenditures during that election cycle equal to 50 percent of the expenditure limit for that office as set forth in subdivision 2.
2. (b) A candidate who has not agreed to be bound by expenditure limits, or the candidate's principal campaign committee, must file written notice with the board and provide written notice to any opponent of the candidate for the same office within 24 hours of exceeding the limits in paragraph (a), clause (2). The notice must state only that the candidate or candidate's principal campaign committee has received contributions or made or become obligated to make campaign expenditures in excess of the limits in paragraph (a), clause (2). Upon receipt of the notice, the candidate who had agreed to be bound by the limits is no longer bound by the expenditure limits.

Subd. 11.

Renumbered 10A.257, subdivision 1

Subd. 12.

Renumbered 10A.257, subd. 2

Subd. 13.

Repealed by amendment, 1999 c 220 s 30