The Law Requires Party-Balance in Election Judges, but is Your Community Complying?

| Early Voting is Underway – Are Your Ballots Being Handled Legally? Maybe Not! |

The Minnesota Supreme Court has made one thing unmistakably clear: Early voting is still voting, and Minnesota’s election laws still apply.

Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA), represented by the Upper Midwest Law Center, petitioned the Supreme Court after learning that Minneapolis did not intend to staff its early-voting polling places with election judges as required by law (Minneapolis was one of many localities not complying).

On August 14, the Court ruled in our favor.  Read the Supreme Court Order, here: SC_Order

The Court held that election judges must be present during the 18-day early-voting period and ordered that their appointment comply with Minn. Stat. § 204B.21.

That statute requires election judges to be selected from lists provided through the major political parties. Only after those lists have been exhausted may other qualified individuals be appointed.

The Court also held that election judges of two different political parties are required for some duties, like handling voter status challenges, vouching, ballot-marking assistance, and curbside voting. If a municipality fails to employ a sufficient number of judges representing different parties, who is handling those duties?

The Supreme Court has now provided a clear ruling that election officials must follow Minnesota election law during early voting. Unfortunately, evidence is mounting that many counties and municipalities are continuing to operate with potentially biased election staff without legally required party-balance in early voting locations.

NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP
This victory matters only if Minnesota’s cities and counties follow the law.

• Notify your local officials.
  Send them the Supreme Court’s ruling and remind them that early voting requires properly appointed, party–balanced election judges.
• Ask whether your community is complying.
  Find out whether your municipality is using the party-provided lists, exhausting those lists before turning to other sources.
• Tell us if you find a problem.
  If your city or county isn’t complying, document what you find and contact Minnesota Voters Alliance. Include the municipality, polling location if applicable, what you observed or were told, and any supporting documentation.
• CONTACT MINNESOTA VOTERS ALLIANCE.