Minnesota Republicans and the conservative Minnesota Voters Alliance recently won a court victory that will require Hennepin County, the state’s most-populous county, to redo its selection process for the panel overseeing absentee ballots. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of the groups in a lawsuit over election judges appointed to the absentee ballot board, stating that Hennepin County failed to exhaust a list of Republican-preferred election judges when making selections. The county has until Friday to come into compliance with the court’s order.
The court’s decision requires Hennepin County to redo its election judge selections, giving priority to lists provided by the GOP and contacting potential judges from those lists before selecting judges from outside sources. Absentee ballot boards in Minnesota are responsible for reviewing ballots before they are counted and must have party balance, according to the law. The ruling did not find that Hennepin County was out of compliance with party balance requirements, but rather with the process for selecting judges.
Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann called the ruling a “huge win for election integrity in Minnesota,” emphasizing the importance of complying with election laws. Hennepin County Auditor Dan Rogan stated that the county will be reaching out directly to residents on the major political party lists to recruit election judges for the absentee ballot board. With hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots requested ahead of the election, Hennepin County, with its large population, plays a critical role in the election process. Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
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