A Minnesota election judge faces criminal charges following allegations of allowing people not properly registered before the 2024 elections to vote. Timothy Michael Scouton, who operated as the head election judge for Badoura Township Precinct in Hubbard County, has been charged with two felonies: accepting votes from unregistered individuals and neglecting his duties as an election official.
An election auditor alerted authorities that at least 11 individuals were permitted to vote despite not completing the required registration forms intended to verify voter identity. Another judge working with Scouton on election night informed the police that Scouton instructed her to bypass the proper registration procedures.
Local officials, including the Minnesota Secretary of State, have expressed concern over the allegations. The Secretary of State’s office described the charges as “very serious,” emphasizing the importance of all election judges adhering to election laws.
Election fraud and voter integrity were a major issue during the 2024 presidential race, with states purging many ineligible voters leading up to the vote. North Carolina announced it purged over 747,000 ineligible voters in September, which included nearly 200,000 deceased people. Texas, likewise, stated they removed over a million voters from the state rolls, including illegal aliens.
However, the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) issued guidelines for state and local officials that one former DOJ attorney said were tantamount to political intimidation. Gene Hamilton, a former attorney with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, stated that the guidelines discourage officials from effectively ensuring that only eligible voters can participate in the election.
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