A head election judge from a Minnesota township has been charged with two felony counts for allegedly allowing 11 individuals to vote without being registered.
The investigation was initiated after Hubbard County Auditor Kay Rave discovered that no completed voter registration forms were submitted along with the ballots and materials returned by Timothy Michael Scouton, 64, from Nevis. Scouton served as the head election judge in Badoura Township during the election in question, according to a criminal complaint filed recently.
According to the complaint, another election judge informed a sheriff’s office investigator that Scouton instructed them not to utilize the registration forms. Moreover, he allegedly told others that newly registered voters only needed to sign a book’s back instead of submitting formal paperwork.
The investigator later met with Scouton at the sheriff’s office, where he was informed of his rights. However, he chose not to provide a statement and was subsequently taken into custody. The complaint does not clarify what may have motivated Scouton’s actions.
Scouton appeared in court for the first time on the charges and was released while awaiting his next hearing scheduled for January 6. Attempts to reach him for comments were unsuccessful, and his legal counsel has also refrained from commenting on the matter.
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, headed by Steve Simon, labeled the allegations as “extremely serious,” emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation.
“Election judges take an oath to administer elections in accordance with the law, and deliberately failing to do so breaches public trust and constitutes unlawful behavior,” the office stated in a public announcement.
If convicted, Scouton faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine for these charges.
Badoura Township is situated east of Park Rapids, roughly 160 miles (257 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis.