Protecting Election Integrity at the Polls: Why a Sergeant-at-Arms Is Essential During the 45-Day Early Voting Period
As a candidate for Sherburne County Auditor, I believe the integrity of our elections depends on orderly, lawful, and secure conditions at every stage of the voting process. The Auditor’s office is responsible for administering early voting at the Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer’s Office. When that process is disrupted by coordinated group activity, confusion over oaths, handling of ballots by non-staff, and documented instances of unlawful voting, public confidence is damaged and dedicated election workers are placed in an impossible position.
The events of the 2024 early voting period demonstrated that our current staffing model is insufficient when large, organized groups arrive repeatedly, sometimes multiple times a day. Election workers are trained to process ballots and verify eligibility, not to maintain order, confront potential violations, or manage security. This paper explains why appointing a Sergeant-at-Arms for the entire 45-day pre-election early voting period is a necessary, practical, and non-partisan safeguard.
The 2024 Evidence: Documented Chaos and Unlawful Voting
Double Voting Confirmed by Surveillance and Investigation
On October 4, 2024, surveillance video at the Sherburne County Government Center captured an individual casting two separate absentee ballots on the same day. A subsequent search warrant and investigation by the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the double voting. The Sheriff’s Incident Report (24-027575) details how the voter was directed and assisted throughout the process by a male who physically handled applications and ballots, sealed at least one ballot envelope, and directed the voter to different counters.
When later confronted by a deputy, that same individual provided a false name and date of birth, claimed he had no identification or credit cards, and was found to be driving groups of voters in a rental vehicle while lacking a valid Minnesota driver’s license. The investigation further revealed a pattern of large groups—often five to ten or more at a time—being transported and assisted by the same individuals acting as translators and directors.
Staff Accounts of Overwhelming Conditions
In sworn interviews conducted by the Sheriff’s Office, Auditor/Treasurer staff described the scene as chaotic. Groups arrived daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Applications were handled repeatedly by non-staff. Voters appeared confused about the oath they were signing. One worker estimated that over half the voters brought in by these groups may not have fully understood what they were swearing to. Proof-of-residency documents raised questions. Campaign materials linked to a specific candidate were observed near the groups outside the building.
Election workers were left trying to manage crowded counters, verify registrations, read oaths, confront potential violations, and still keep the voting process moving fairly for every citizen—all while performing their regular duties. They are not trained security personnel. As one public comment to the County Commission correctly stated: “These dedicated county employees were put in an impossible position.”
A Pattern Beyond a Single Incident
The Sheriff’s investigation established that the same individual associated with the double-voting incident had been bringing groups to the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office for weeks, including during the primary period. Similar concerns about voter assistance and direction were reported in neighboring Stearns and Benton Counties. Staff observed lingering, repeated handling of paperwork by non-employees, and instances in which voters appeared not to match identification documents. The volume and coordination of the activity exceeded what the existing staff complement could reasonably manage while maintaining both efficiency and the strict requirements of Minnesota election law.
Why a Sergeant-at-Arms Matters
A Sergeant-at-Arms stationed at the early voting location during the full 45-day pre-election period would provide real-time, on-site support so that election workers can focus on their core duties: verifying eligibility, processing applications and ballots, and ensuring every lawful vote is counted accurately. The presence of trained authority deters disruptions, allows immediate response to potential violations, and restores public confidence that the process is orderly and lawful.
Without such support, the same conditions that produced documented double voting, false identification to law enforcement, and widespread staff concerns in 2024 can recur. The cost of a single trained presence for 45 days is modest compared with the damage to trust that results when voters and workers experience chaos, or when unlawful voting is confirmed after the fact.
What Sherburne County Needs: A Clear Standard
As Auditor, I will treat orderly administration of early voting as a core duty. The standard is straightforward:
Continuous on-site presence of a Sergeant-at-Arms or equivalent trained security authority at the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office throughout the entire 45-day early voting period.
Clear authority to maintain order, enforce polling-place rules regarding assistance and lingering, and immediately involve law enforcement when potential violations of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 204C or related provisions are observed.
Support for election workers so they are not forced to choose between processing ballots efficiently and confronting disruptive or suspicious activity themselves.
These measures are interdependent. An Auditor who takes both the mechanics of elections and the safety of staff seriously will implement them as standard practice rather than waiting for another documented failure.
Why the Auditor’s Role Matters
County auditors in Minnesota are responsible for key aspects of election administration, including the operation of early voting sites. The quality of that administration directly affects public confidence, the experience of voters, and the ability of staff to perform their duties without fear or exhaustion. When large coordinated groups overwhelm the counter, when ballots are handled by non-staff, and when workers must repeatedly stop their work to address concerns, the process itself is compromised.
The 2024 Sheriff’s report and the sworn statements of Auditor/Treasurer staff make the stakes clear. An Auditor who treats early-voting security as an afterthought leaves both workers and the integrity of the process exposed. An Auditor who prioritizes trained, continuous on-site support strengthens the mechanics of elections and the confidence of Sherburne County voters.
My Commitment as Auditor
If elected, I will:
Request and support the formal appointment of a Sergeant-at-Arms (or equivalent trained security presence) to serve at the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office throughout the entire 45-day pre-election early voting period
Ensure that election workers receive real-time, on-site support so they can focus on lawful, efficient processing of applications and ballots
Coordinate with the Sheriff’s Office and County Commission to establish clear protocols for maintaining order, enforcing polling-place rules, and responding to potential violations
Document and publicly report on the conditions of early voting so that residents can see that integrity is being actively protected
Treat the safety and effectiveness of election workers as a non-negotiable priority equal to the accuracy of the voter rolls themselves.
Orderly early voting is not a partisan issue. It is a prerequisite for free and fair elections. Sherburne County residents and the dedicated employees who administer our elections deserve an Auditor who treats that responsibility with the seriousness the 2024 evidence demands.
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