A Minnesota election judge has been charged with a felony for allegedly allowing unregistered voters to vote in the 2024 election, officials announced.
Hubbard County Auditor Kay Rabe filed the criminal complaint after she was unable to find a completed registration form among the ballots she received from Badulla Township Supervisor of Elections Judge Timothy Michael Scruton. obtained NBC Chicago said.
Mr. Skuton, 64, was overseeing the election process in a small town just about 100 meters away. 100 peopleabout 270 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
According to the complaint, authorities began their investigation after receiving a complaint from Mr. Leib, but later on election night, another judge who had worked with Mr. Skuton told investigators from the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office that Mr. Scruton He said he told voters not to fill out the Minnesota Voter Registration Application.
According to the criminal complaint, yet another election judge told investigators he didn't even know the Minnesota Voter Registration Application existed and that Scruton said new voters were supposed to sign the back of the book. He said that he told him that he was alone.
Officials said the false statement led to 11 people voting illegally.
investigator Found outside Skuton's son also works as an election judge and was supposed to be in charge of registering applications, FOX9 reported.
Mr. Scruton was arrested by the sheriff's office last week and charged with one count of accepting a ballot from an unregistered voter and one count of neglect of duty by an election official, both felonies.
According to the complaint, Scruton “refused to make a statement” during his arrest.
The arrested election judges reportedly completed basic and chief election judge training in July.
The Minnesota Secretary of State's office said in a statement to FOX9 that it takes the allegations seriously.
“These allegations are very serious and must be fully and thoroughly investigated. Election judges are sworn to administer elections in accordance with the law, but willful failure to do so is illegal and requires a complete and thorough investigation. This is a betrayal of trust,” the office said. “Minnesota's elections depend on the dedication and public service of 30,000 people, who are expected to conduct their elections fairly and equitably within the terms of the law,” the statement continued. “The Hubbard County Auditor took prompt and appropriate action to notify local authorities of the discovered discrepancies and allow local authorities to investigate.”
