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Minnesota Voters Alliance files new Petition in Minnesota Supreme Court against the
counties of Hennepin and Anoka, and the City of Plymouth
PRESS RELEASE —FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Paul, Minnesota – August 7, 2026
Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA) has just filed a new petition with the Minnesota Supreme
Court to enforce current election law governing absentee ballot boards. The petition names the
City of Plymouth, Hennepin County, and Anoka County for failing to establish ballot boards in
the manner required by state law.
Elections are built on trust. Trust requires transparency. Without transparency, there is no trust.
Absentee ballot boards are responsible for accepting and rejecting absentee ballots and must
consist of party-balanced election judges and may employ deputy county auditors or deputy city
clerks.
For at least the last twelve years, a wall of secrecy has been erected in cities and counties across
Minnesota. These local governing bodies are tasked with specific responsibilities in election
administration, including the duty to select the people who will decide whether or not your vote
counts. Your elected officials wanted the public to know the names of the people performing
this duty to build trust in the institution and to create accountability for bad actors.
But the statutory process is being abused by counties like Hennepin and Anoka, and cities like
Plymouth. The result is that the people who are accepting and rejecting ballots remain hidden
from the voting public, chosen behind closed doors by people who remain anonymous to this
day. The Minnesota Secretary of State is facilitating this conduct. Accountability and
transparency - - the primary goals of the statute - - have been destroyed on a local level.
Since these governmental bodies have failed to properly establish or appoint members to these
boards and the 2026 election season is already upon us, we’ve brought the case straight to the
Minnesota Supreme Court for speedy resolution under Minnesota’s Errors and Omissions
election statute.
While only three governing bodies are named in the case, the High Court’s opinion will provide
a statewide precedent and clarity of the laws governing the establishment of absentee ballot
boards.
Absentee ballots now account for a large share of Minnesota’s votes and MVA argues that voters
deserve to know who is making the important decisions about accepting and rejecting our
ballots. Further, election procedures should be applied uniformly across the state, but our
investigation has shown wide variation in how different local governments are establishing and
operating their ballot boards.
The relief we’ve requested is straightforward: declare the challenged ballot boards unlawful,
require properly established ballot boards with named members and party-balanced election
judges before this November’s election.
The Minnesota Voters Alliance filed a Petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court on
Wednesday, August 5th. "A sound decision by the State's highest Court will smash the wall of
secrecy in local governments by shining sunlight on the people most directly responsible for
accepting or rejecting ballots, just as the Legislature intended," said attorney Gregory Joseph,
who represents the Minnesota Voters Alliance in the suit.
Oral argument has not been scheduled at the time of this writing, but the Petition seeks resolution
by the Court prior to early voting on September 18th.
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