On July 9, the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board (the “Board”) voted to stop enforcing contribution limits on coordinated expenditures by political parties to state candidates. The Board’s action responds to the June 30, 2026, U.S. Supreme Court decision in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, which held that federal limits on coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment.

Minnesota Statute § 10A.27 governs contribution limits to candidates, including limits on the aggregate amount a candidate’s principal campaign committee may accept from political party units and dissolving principal campaign committees. In addition, Minnesota law treats certain approved expenditures, including coordinated expenditures, as contributions to candidates. The Board concluded that NRSC v. FEC likely invalidates current Minnesota limits on in-kind contributions and coordinated expenditures from political parties to candidates.  The Board determined that the aggregate party limits set forth in Minnesota Statute 10A.27 should still apply to cash contributions from party units and to all contributions from terminating candidate committees.

In practice, this decision opens the door to political party units making more significant expenditures in coordination with their candidates. However, candidates who have signed public subsidy agreements should be aware that in-kind contributions will still count toward their campaign expenditure limits. This decision comes in the middle of a busy campaign season in which all Minnesota state legislators and constitutional officers are on the ballot in November.  We expect the Board to issue further guidance in the coming weeks so that candidates and party units better understand the new rules.

Further background information provided by the Board may be found on its website or here.

July 10, 2026