Contact Phone
612-447-4462
telephone
6124474462
Elections are the bedrock of our democracy, an imperfect system that is still the envy of the world. Every vote carries the will of the people, and it deserves protection worthy of the sacrifices made for it over generations. Protecting it may require working with the Legislature to pass bills or with the courts for clarity. I have experience in both, serving 16 years in the Minnesota House and Senate and 11 years as a district court judge in the 10th Judicial District. This office also registers every business in Minnesota. As a small business owner, I know what honest businesses need from that process, and what it costs taxpayers when fraudulent ones go
unchecked. On day one, I will start making our elections transparent and verifiable.
My priorities are to secure the vote, end fraud tourism, and put restoring the 1983 flag to a vote in the Legislature or by the public.
Minnesotans want a government that reflects their will and earns their trust. Every law exists because of an election, so a secure vote is the foundation of good government. Fraud diverts money from the taxpayers and people in need, and every business registers with this office
The most pressing issue is restoring confidence in our elections. The election integrity debate has hardened into two positions. One is convinced there is widespread cheating, and the other refuses
to look. Verification is how we settle the question. One voter can vouch for eight others, a ballot can be cast without photo ID, and anyone can register online with four digits of a Social Security
number. Those gaps invite doubt, and doubt keeps people home on Election Day. Minnesota can do better.
Minnesota leads the nation in turnout, and my job is to honor that commitment to voting. Most judges reach the bench by appointment and then run as incumbents, and voters need that
information to make an informed decision. Elections themselves are run by county, city, and school district staff who need foolproof supplies, clear guidance, and trained election judges. And every voter deserves to know their ballot counted and was not canceled out by an unlawful one.
Confidence comes from verification. Minnesota should use the federal SAVE database to confirm that registered voters are citizens and eligible. I will work with the Legislature to require
a photo ID at the polls, which roughly 80 percent of Americans support. Both parties should be represented on every absentee ballot board. Minnesota should also join the majority of
states that use provisional ballots, so a vote can be reviewed before it's counted when eligibility is unclear.
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Contact Phone
763-607-6385
As Minnesota Secretary of State, I have repeatedly and successfully overseen elections that are fair, accurate, honest, and secure. Working with partners across the state, I’ve helped Minnesota lead the nation in voter turnout for multiple elections, and I’m proud that we were recently recognized as the top state in America for overall election performance based on both voter access and security. I wrote the law giving eligible Minnesotans the option to vote from home, and I’ve championed reforms that make Minnesota a national model, leading to high voter confidence in the integrity of our elections.
My mission is to defend and strengthen the freedom to vote for every eligible Minnesota. I’ll keep pushing back against unjustified federal interference in our elections. I’ll also protect against assaults on the longstanding bipartisan reforms that have made Minnesota the envy of the nation, like same-day voter registration and the option to vote from home. I’ll push for even greater transparency, and for more opportunities to connect voters with information about the election system.
Unjustified federal interference in our elections is an immediate challenge that will require pushback in the courts and stepped-up planning by election administrators. We also need to confront disinformation that aims to erode well-earned trust and confidence in our election system. Modernization of databases, equipment, and cybersecurity tools is also a priority. Although Minnesota leads the nation in voter turnout, we can always do better.
Minnesota is typically the best state in America for voter turnout. That’s no accident. It’s the product of good laws and a positive voter culture. I routinely visit all 87 counties in Minnesota as part of the statewide nonpartisan voter outreach effort that my office leads. Engaging our youngest voters will remain a priority, as will making sure eligible voters with disabilities can easily vote. Countering election misinformation is also a crucial part of ensuring high turnout.
I’ll maintain and grow our high level of voter confidence. Minnesotans know that our elections are fundamentally honest, clean, and well-run. We need to push back against disinformation and conspiracy theories that erode our democracy. That means countering lies by talking about the checks and balances in our locally-run elections. It also means finding new ways to make elections transparent and understandable. The more that people know about how our elections are run, the more trust they have.
