A Minnesota election judge has been charged after allegedly permitting unregistered individuals to vote in the 2024 election. Timothy Micheaal Scouton, who served as head election judge for Badoura Township Precinct in Hubbard County, faces one count of accepting unregistered votes and another of neglect of duty as an election official.
The charges stem from a discovery by an election auditor, who found that 11 voters had not properly registered but were still allowed to cast ballots. Despite the lack of required registration forms, Scouton reportedly gave these voters permission to vote. This failure to follow proper election procedures has prompted concerns about the integrity of the election in Hubbard County.
BREAKING: An ELECTION JUDGE in Hubbard County, Minnesota, has been ARRESTED and charged with two felony counts for allowing 11 UNREGISTERED people to vote in the 2024 election.
His name is Timothy Scouton, and he's now facing up to ten years in prison and up to $20,000 in… pic.twitter.com/xGh2CvKjuk
— Candace (@roycan79) November 16, 2024
Scouton had completed his election judge training in July, which makes the incident all the more troubling. According to other election judges who worked with Scouton, he instructed them to disregard the proper registration forms. One judge confirmed that Scouton told her not to use the correct forms, while another judge stated that Scouton directed her to have voters sign a book instead of completing the proper registration process.
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office has expressed its concern over the charges, calling the incident “extremely serious.” The office emphasized that election judges are entrusted with upholding the law, and any violation of that trust undermines the electoral process. “A failure to conduct elections according to the law is a betrayal of public trust,” the statement read.
ELECTION INTEGRITY: Another election judge has been arrested after authorities in Minnesota learned he was allowing people who were NOT registered to vote in the 2024 election. MN allows same-day registration with ID but the judge just had people sign his book instead. pic.twitter.com/BHcnWaaN7O
— @amuse (@amuse) November 18, 2024
Minnesota election judge charged with 2 felonies for allegedly letting 11 unregistered people vote https://t.co/nlw4hUfXOp
— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) November 16, 2024
The Hubbard County Auditor took swift action by notifying local authorities of the discrepancies, which led to the investigation. As the case moves forward, it serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining transparency and following election protocols to ensure the integrity of the voting process.
