Michael Tonsager Calls for Clean Voter Rolls in Sherburne County

Candidate for County Auditor cites New Jersey’s 6,600 non-citizen registrations, DHS findings of over 250,000 non-citizens on rolls in four states, and threats to voter databases; urges rigorous citizenship, death, and residency screening

ELK RIVER MN, Sept. 5 2026 — Michael Tonsager, candidate for Sherburne County Auditor, today released a policy position paper calling for rigorous, ongoing maintenance of the county’s voter rolls to ensure only legal U.S. citizens who reside in the county appear on the official list. Citing New Jersey’s recent disclosure of approximately 6,600 non-citizens improperly registered to vote, Department of Homeland Security findings of more than 250,000 non-citizens on public voter files in just four states, and documented threats to statewide voter registration databases, Tonsager said list hygiene is a core duty of the Auditor’s office and cannot be treated as routine bureaucracy.

“Accurate voter rolls are the foundation of election integrity,” Tonsager said. “When the list contains non-citizens, deceased individuals, or people who have permanently moved away, public confidence erodes and the principle of one citizen, one vote is undermined. Sherburne County should not wait for a federal letter or a scandal. As Auditor, I will make continuous citizenship, death, and residency checks a priority so that only eligible residents appear on our rolls.”

In July 2026, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill disclosed that a software error at the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission improperly registered roughly 6,600 non-citizens between June 2023 and June 2024—individuals who had truthfully indicated they were not U.S. citizens. A preliminary review found that fewer than 400 of them later cast ballots. Separately, a Department of Homeland Security summary of national security investigations reported that review of public voter files from California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada identified over 250,000 non-citizens illegally registered to vote. States that have processed voter lists through the enhanced SAVE system have identified more than 28,000 non-citizens and over 400,000 deceased registrants.

Tonsager’s position paper also draws on a July 2026 analysis of threats to statewide voter registration databases, which documents a decade of attempted and successful breaches. Hackers have targeted systems in all 50 states, with confirmed successes in at least 20. Compromised data—names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers—can be used months or years later to request absentee ballots, alter registration records, or delete registrants. “Data does not go stale,” the paper notes. Regular backups and cybersecurity measures must be paired with ongoing list maintenance so that even if data is exposed, the underlying rolls remain limited to eligible citizens.

Tonsager proposes that the Auditor’s office treat voter-roll maintenance as a core duty and implement systematic procedures to:

• Screen for citizenship using available tools and cross-checks, and promptly and lawfully remove non-citizens identified through errors, software failures, or false claims;

• Conduct routine death-record matching so the rolls reflect living voters only;

• Identify and remove or transfer individuals who have permanently moved out of the county through regular National Change of Address processing and other residency checks;

• Strengthen cybersecurity practices around voter registration data and report regularly to the public on the condition of the rolls and maintenance work performed.

“These steps require leadership and a commitment to best practices—not new legislation,” Tonsager said. “Clean voter rolls are not a partisan issue. They are a prerequisite for free and fair elections. Sherburne County residents deserve an Auditor who treats that responsibility with the seriousness the evidence demands.”

Tonsager, a U.S. Navy veteran and local resident with a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership, is running to bring greater transparency, accountability, and modernized processes to the County Auditor’s office.

For media inquiries or to request the full position paper, contact:

Michael Tonsager Campaign

Email: michaelgtonsager@gmail.com

Phone: 763-412-6766

Website: sherburnecountyauditor.com

About Michael Tonsager

Michael Tonsager is a candidate for Sherburne County Auditor. A U.S. Navy veteran who held a Top-Secret security clearance, he brings more than 15 years of experience managing high-volume operations and a commitment to transparent, secure local government.

This is a non-partisan campaign paid for by the Campaign Fund of Michael Tonsager.