Minnesota appears on track to lead the nation in voter turnout for the second consecutive presidential election, with preliminary data showing 76.35% of eligible voters casting ballots in 2024. Secretary of State Steve Simon attributed the state’s high participation to same-day registration and a strong “pro-voting” culture.
“We are still first place in the nation once again for voter turnout,” Simon said Monday. “I caution that that could change. There’s still a few more ballots left to count in the state of Wisconsin. It’s nip and tuck, but as of this morning, we’re still ahead and number one. We won’t know the final result in a couple weeks.”
Despite the positive turnout, an election irregularity emerged in Hubbard County, where election judge Timothy Scouton is accused of allowing 11 unregistered voters to cast ballots without completing registration forms. Simon emphasized the rarity of such cases, highlighting the integrity of Minnesota’s election system.
“It was caught. It was detected. It was determined that there were 11 people who weren’t properly registered,” Simon explained. “This person, if the allegations are true, will be brought to justice as he should be. This is a very serious crime.”
Scouton faces two felony charges for accepting votes from unregistered voters and neglect of duty. Simon underscored that Minnesota’s election judges overwhelmingly uphold their responsibilities. “We have 30,000 election judges. 99.9999% of them do their jobs well, legally, conscientiously, thoroughly. But you’re going to have, just based on the law of averages, someone who does the wrong thing.”
The alleged irregularities were detected and reported promptly, showcasing the system’s safeguards. Full results and a final determination on turnout rankings are expected in the coming weeks.
