Recount Dispute in Minnesota GOP Primary

Mike Lindell, known for founding MyPillow, is protesting the payment needed for a ballot recount and audit in Minnesota’s Republican primary for governor. His campaign claims that the Secretary of State’s office suggested an illegal recount method. According to current results, Lindell finished second to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.

Initially, Lindell announced he would personally finance the recount. However, a statement from his campaign on Monday disclosed that the required payment of $825,000 wasn’t submitted due to disagreements over the recount’s scope. The campaign contests that recounting only votes from Lindell and Demuth, without including other candidates, breaches Minnesota law. This regulation defines a recount as establishing “the number of votes validly cast for the office or question to be recounted.”

Lindell requests that the state extend the payment deadline until a court evaluates the recount parameters proposed by election officials.

State’s Response and Recount Plan

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s spokesperson, Cassondra Knudson, asserted that the recount plan given to Lindell was sanctioned by the State Canvassing Board on August 18. She affirmed the plan aligns with state law and long-standing recount procedures.

The state agency previously released a contingency plan illustrating a possible statewide hand recount. Paul Linnell, director of elections, would act as the state recount official, authorized to appoint deputies to supervise counting statewide. This recount would be publicly accessible.

There are no official fraud or irregularity findings in the primary results. On primary night, August 11, Lindell declared that he wouldn’t concede without every vote being counted. He mentioned his team’s need to review “anomalies,” without providing evidence then.

Legal Framework and Political Context

Minnesota law dictates that “an apparent losing candidate must submit a request for a discretionary recount along with the funds to cover the cost of the recount within five days of the canvass of a primary election.”

Official reports note that Demuth received 179,683 votes in the primary, whereas Lindell garnered 134,282 votes. The Republican nominee will compete against Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the November 3 general election, aiming to take over from retiring Gov. Tim Walz.