Elections are the bedrock of our democracy, an imperfect system that is still the envy of the world. Every vote carries the will of the people, and it deserves protection worthy of the sacrifices made for it over generations. Protecting it may require working with the Legislature to pass bills or with the courts for clarity. I have experience in both, serving 16 years in the Minnesota House and Senate and 11 years as a district court judge in the 10th Judicial District. This office also registers every business in Minnesota. As a small business owner, I know what honest businesses need from that process, and what it costs taxpayers when fraudulent ones go
unchecked. On day one, I will start making our elections transparent and verifiable.
My priorities are to secure the vote, end fraud tourism, and put restoring the 1983 flag to a vote in the Legislature or by the public.
Minnesotans want a government that reflects their will and earns their trust. Every law exists because of an election, so a secure vote is the foundation of good government. Fraud diverts money from the taxpayers and people in need, and every business registers with this office
The most pressing issue is restoring confidence in our elections. The election integrity debate has hardened into two positions. One is convinced there is widespread cheating, and the other refuses
to look. Verification is how we settle the question. One voter can vouch for eight others, a ballot can be cast without photo ID, and anyone can register online with four digits of a Social Security
number. Those gaps invite doubt, and doubt keeps people home on Election Day. Minnesota can do better.
Minnesota leads the nation in turnout, and my job is to honor that commitment to voting. Most judges reach the bench by appointment and then run as incumbents, and voters need that
information to make an informed decision. Elections themselves are run by county, city, and school district staff who need foolproof supplies, clear guidance, and trained election judges. And every voter deserves to know their ballot counted and was not canceled out by an unlawful one.
Confidence comes from verification. Minnesota should use the federal SAVE database to confirm that registered voters are citizens and eligible. I will work with the Legislature to require
a photo ID at the polls, which roughly 80 percent of Americans support. Both parties should be represented on every absentee ballot board. Minnesota should also join the majority of
states that use provisional ballots, so a vote can be reviewed before it's counted when eligibility is unclear.
I am a life-long Minnesotan - born and raised in Baudette, political science grad from St. John’s University & College of St. Benedict, and resident of the Twin Cities since 2006. I have a combined 20 years of work experience in cooperatives, for-profit businesses, and nonprofits as well as 16 years of board service with cooperatives, nonprofits, and political organizations.
I am running as a Green Party candidate on a platform that ties their pillars of Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Nonviolence, and Ecological Wisdom to the work of the SOS Office. I do not accept donations from corporations, PACs, or lobbyists. I have the experience, ideas, and independence to bring about a stronger and more diverse MN democracy and economy.
1) Elect MN House members by Proportional Representation and statewide offices by Ranked Choice Voting for a more diverse democracy that honors the will of MN voters. 2) Growth of democratically controlled businesses and recognition of worker-friendly employers for a healthy business and worker environment. 3) Divest from genocide, weapons manufacturers, nuclear power and fossil fuel extraction, animal harm, and any such companies that profit from those actions for principled state investments.
The increasing concentration of economic and political power that taints our elections and public policy. We need leadership that stands up for a restored democracy and an electorate that has the courage to support those leaders. I think a key piece of this is to amend the MN constitution to establish that money is not speech and human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights. That would strip the influence of special interests on our elections and democratic institutions.
Through continuation of early and absentee voting as well as same-day registration. I would oppose any proposed voting restrictions (i.e. photo ID). MN is a national leader in voter turnout. Though, in non-presidential, even-year elections since 2000 half to one-third of eligible MN voters do not cast a ballot. I would support establishing Election Day as a paid state holiday and would push for the electoral system changes mentioned above to open the political process to more voices and choices.
Upholding election integrity is essential to the work of the MN Secretary of State’s Office. Under my leadership, the Office would achieve those goals through continuing the use of paper ballots, protecting voter information, and cultivating strong relationships with local election officials. Those relationships would be centered around training that meets the unique needs of each locality and ongoing exchange of ideas to improve upon procedures and identify changes to state election laws.
As Minnesota Secretary of State, I have repeatedly and successfully overseen elections that are fair, accurate, honest, and secure. Working with partners across the state, I’ve helped Minnesota lead the nation in voter turnout for multiple elections, and I’m proud that we were recently recognized as the top state in America for overall election performance based on both voter access and security. I wrote the law giving eligible Minnesotans the option to vote from home, and I’ve championed reforms that make Minnesota a national model, leading to high voter confidence in the integrity of our elections.
My mission is to defend and strengthen the freedom to vote for every eligible Minnesota. I’ll keep pushing back against unjustified federal interference in our elections. I’ll also protect against assaults on the longstanding bipartisan reforms that have made Minnesota the envy of the nation, like same-day voter registration and the option to vote from home. I’ll push for even greater transparency, and for more opportunities to connect voters with information about the election system.
Unjustified federal interference in our elections is an immediate challenge that will require pushback in the courts and stepped-up planning by election administrators. We also need to confront disinformation that aims to erode well-earned trust and confidence in our election system. Modernization of databases, equipment, and cybersecurity tools is also a priority. Although Minnesota leads the nation in voter turnout, we can always do better.
Minnesota is typically the best state in America for voter turnout. That’s no accident. It’s the product of good laws and a positive voter culture. I routinely visit all 87 counties in Minnesota as part of the statewide nonpartisan voter outreach effort that my office leads. Engaging our youngest voters will remain a priority, as will making sure eligible voters with disabilities can easily vote. Countering election misinformation is also a crucial part of ensuring high turnout.
I’ll maintain and grow our high level of voter confidence. Minnesotans know that our elections are fundamentally honest, clean, and well-run. We need to push back against disinformation and conspiracy theories that erode our democracy. That means countering lies by talking about the checks and balances in our locally-run elections. It also means finding new ways to make elections transparent and understandable. The more that people know about how our elections are run, the more trust they have.
This office needs an independent perspective. A Republican or a Democrat does not have the mindset, or perhaps the freedom, to pursue impactful reforms. According to Gallup, 45% of Americans identify as politically independent, and we need a Secretary of State who will give them voice. Many Minnesotans have told me they don’t vote because they refuse to settle for the “lesser of two evils.” I don’t want to see any Minnesotans checked out on the sidelines. At age 62, this will not be a stepping stone for another position. I want to apply my life experience to this office.
1) Establish a secure online portal for nominating petitions. It will enable more candidates to qualify, save administrative resources, protect privacy, and accommodate persons with disabilities.
2) Writs of special election must allow sufficient time for candidates to qualify, and the legislature should lengthen the signature collection period in general elections and reduce signature thresholds.
3) Urge enactment of legislation to enable viable minor parties to regularly field candidates.
We need to end political polarization. Period. And the best way to do that is to foster the development of multiple parties, but we can’t do that if alternative candidates cannot qualify for the ballot in the first place. With more parties, we will see coalition-building on an issue-by-issue basis instead of the current party in power muscling through its agenda. #MorePartiesMoreFun
Great question! Simple answer: Fix our regressive ballot access laws so voters have more choices on their ballots. Minnesota policymakers have done about all they can to make it possible for people to cast a vote. To take Minnesota to the next level in terms of voter turnout, we need to focus on citizens who won’t settle for the lesser of two evils. If we tear down the obstacles that needlessly prevent candidates from appearing on the ballot, more people will want to vote.
We need to maximize voting and security, and despite what the two major parties say, we can do both. Voting is a constitutional right, so no eligible voter should ever be turned away from the ballot box. Minnesota’s efforts to expand voting is admirable (same-day registration, no-excuse absentee ballots and even vouching). But if there are valid concerns about a voter’s eligibility, their ballots should be put in a sealed envelope and tabulated only after their eligibility is confirmed.
