Oral arguments were presented before the Minnesota Supreme Court on January 4 in an election lawsuit that could dramatically change how cities and counties conduct future statewide elections.
While Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA) v. Ramsey & Olmsted Counties (Case number: A20-1294) involves just two counties, MVA points out that there are hundreds of governing bodies (cities, counties, school districts) across Minnesota ignoring the requirements in state election law to maintain 'party balance' on their ballot boards.
MVA maintains that many cities and counties are shutting out Republican election judges from accepting and rejecting absentee ballots by exclusively appointing partisan government unionized employees to this critical role when the statutes clearly require election judges from both parties.
This case focuses on the duty to:
- establish a ballot board,
- appoint a sufficient number of election judges to a ballot board to accept and reject ballots,
- exhaust election judge lists submitted by the political parties, and
- maintain party balance on ballot boards.
MVA asserts these counties have breached all of these clearly mandated duties resulting in the elimination of bi-partisan oversight of elections in Minnesota.
The Republican Party of Minnesota is a co-plaintiff along with State Representative Duane Quam and several election judges. The MVA is represented in the case by Gregory J. Joseph of Joseph Law Office PLLC and Erick Kaardal of Mohrman, Kaardal & Erickson P.A.
MVA’s final reply brief that was submitted to the Supreme Court can be read as a document CLICK HERE