Twenty Minnesota ballots went missing in key race that hinges on 14 votes

[Omaha Steve]

Race for state house seat, which will determine whether Republicans win control of chamber, separated by 14 votes

Rachel Leingang in Minneapolis
Thu 5 Dec 2024 07.00 EST

Twenty ballots went missing in a Minnesota precinct this November, the type of error that would typically result in an internal investigation but not receive much public attention. But the implications are much greater right now, as the race for the district’s state house seat is separated by 14 votes, and that seat will determine whether Republicans win control of the chamber.

The missing ballots, which were probably the result of human error, were never counted. Officials tried to track them down, only to learn that they had been sent to the shredder.

As it stands, Democratic representative Brad Tabke won the race over Republican Aaron Paul in Minnesota’s district 54A, which covers an outer suburban area of Minneapolis.

The Minnesota house is currently tied 67-67, meaning the parties will need to negotiate how to share power. If Tabke’s win were overturned, Republicans would gain control. Democrats now hold both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office and have used their trifecta to pass a spate of progressive policies, the promotion of which helped land Tim Walz a spot on the presidential ticket this year.

FULL story: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/05/minnesota-missing-ballots-house-race

[Dave Bowman]

1. "they had been sent to the shredder"

How convenient.

[karynnj]

2. It is unfortunate that the missing ballots could theoretically make a huge difference

From the article itself, it seems that they were mail in or drop box ballots in a city that was more Democratic. While mathematically true, that this pile of 20 ballots still in their envelopes could have gone plus 15 for the Republican, but it would seem very unlikely. Note that if the Republican got 17, that would give him a net of 14 which would be a tie. Getting 90 percent in a Democratic city seems unlikely.

[Wiz Imp]

4. "It is unfortunate that the missing ballots could theoretically make a huge difference"

The probability of those ballots making any difference are 1 in 776 or about 0.1%.

[William Seger]

6. Yes, but the probability would change if they weren't random ballots

That's what the claim will be, and that's why they should never have been shredded!

[karynnj]

8. Agree

If that happens and they are forced to have a new election, i wonder if they could limit to just people who voted in the election.

[karynnj]

7. Sorry, what I was referring to is the fact that IF it were to change the outcome,

It is a huge change. Later, I did say it was unlikely to happen if the votes were accidentally lost from the Democratic district. I agree mathematically it is very unlikely to happen by choice.

This gives the CT election fraud right wing a chance to manufacture a story that after removing the envelope with the signature etc, could a Democrat have discarded 20 Republican registered ballots?

[Biophilic]

3. why would they shred ballots before the winner had been confirmed. Isn't that what paper ballots are for?

[relayerbob]

5. Shredded?

No ballots should ever be destroyed… at least not within a reasonable time frame (like 7 - 10 years). These are hard evidence of the results of an election.

[MagickMuffin]

9. In Texas law NO BALLOTS are to be destroyed for 22 months

However, in Tarrant County they are kept for 36 months.


I called my local elections admin office to ask since I was having a hard time finding it online.