Closely Contested Minnesota Election Tainted by Ballot Scandal—Votes Allegedly Discarded!

The discovery of 21 missing ballots in Minnesota’s razor-thin House District 54A race has sparked outrage and calls for a new election. The race, covering Shakopee and parts of Scott County, was decided by just 14 votes, flipping the district and costing Republicans their majority in the Minnesota State House. Now, a preliminary investigation reveals that human error likely caused these ballots to be discarded while still in their secrecy envelopes.

Early voting in Shakopee ran from September 20 to November 4, 2024, utilizing two methods: envelope voting and direct ballot voting. Voters who submitted ballots via envelopes before October 18 may have unknowingly had their votes tossed out. Discrepancies became evident on election night, with Precinct 10 showing the most glaring issue: 329 voters were checked in, but only 309 ballots were processed—a 20-vote gap.

By November 7, Scott County staff uncovered the missing ballots during an audit. While a single missing ballot in Precinct 12A was dismissed as insignificant, the 20-ballot discrepancy in Precinct 10 became the focus of a deeper investigation. The findings are both troubling and frustrating:

– The 20 absentee ballots in Precinct 10 were properly accepted for counting on October 17 but were never processed.
– These ballots likely remained in their secrecy envelopes when they were thrown away.
– Efforts to recover the discarded envelopes from recycling and landfill facilities proved futile; the materials had already been shredded.

Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar attributed the loss to “human error” during early absentee ballot processing in Shakopee, acknowledging the confusion caused by mishandling. “This unfortunate situation resulted in a level of confusion that should not have occurred,” Hocevar said, noting that the ballots are unlikely to be recovered or verified.

For Republicans, the stakes are clear. House Republican Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth announced plans to contest the election, citing the missing ballots as proof that the results cannot be trusted. “With 20 ballots missing and confirmation from Scott County that they will likely not be recovered, it’s impossible to declare a winner with a 14-vote margin,” Demuth said.

This debacle raises serious questions about election integrity and highlights the potential vulnerabilities in absentee ballot handling. As Republicans push for a new election, voters in District 54A are left wondering whether their voices were truly heard—or simply thrown away.