Head election judge arrested over questionable ballots in Walz's home state

A man working as an election judge in Minnesota — home of failed Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz — has been accused of allowing nearly a dozen people to cast ballots even though they were not registered to do so.

Shortly after Election Day, Timothy Michael Scouton, 64, of Nevis, was arrested after auditor Kay Rave could not find voter registrations for 11 new voters who had cast ballots in the Badoura Township Precinct in Hubbard County, about 175 miles north of Minneapolis.

According to one election judge, Scouton told the registrants not to use the forms. According to the other, Scouton insisted to the registrants that they need only sign the back of a book.

Minnesota is one of 23 states that allow same-day voter registration — so long as the prospective voters provide proof of residence, take an oath, and complete an application, according to Bring Me the News. As Scouton was serving as the head election judge for the precinct, he should have had voter registration materials for each of those new voters.

When questioned, Scouton allegedly said he could not locate the proper forms. When Rave found them, Scouton allegedly said he did not use them.

Two days after the election, Rave sent an email to the county attorney, prompting an investigation from the county sheriff's office.

Investigators then spoke with two other election judges familiar with the situation. According to one of them, Scouton told the registrants not to use the forms. According to the other, Scouton insisted to the registrants that they need only sign the back of a book, the AP reported.

One of those two election judges further claimed that Scouton's son was also working as an election official involved in same-day voter registration in the same precinct, according to KSTP. The outlet did not indicate that Scouton's son has been accused of involvement in any of his father's alleged schemes.

Officials confirmed that Scouton completed required trainings to become a head election judge back in July.

Scouton was later questioned at the sheriff's office, where he was apprised of his rights but declined to make a statement. He was subsequently arrested and charged with two felonies: accepting the vote of an unregistered voter and neglect of duty by an election official.

The criminal complaint did not offer a possible motive.

Scouton appeared in court on Friday and is now out without bond pending another hearing on January 6, per Minnesota Public Radio News. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The office of Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a member of the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, demanded a thorough investigation into the allegations, which he described as "extremely serious."

"Election judges take an oath to administer elections in accordance with the law. A deliberate failure to do so is unlawful and a betrayal of the public trust," Simon's office said in a statement, according to the AP.

Scouton did not respond to the outlet's request for comment, and his attorney declined the request on Saturday.

Legacy media outlets have frequently reported that instances of voter fraud are "rare."

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