In a lawsuit filed in Ramsey County District Court on Monday, the group contends that DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie overstepped his authority when he launched the website in September. More than 2,000 Minnesotans have submitted voter registration applications since then.
Dan McGrath, president of Minnesota Majority, said Monday that the lawsuit will not immediately affect anyone who used the system to register for Tuesday’s local elections. But, he said, it could be used to challenge the results of those elections, particularly in close races. The suit seeks action by mid-December. If a court found that Ritchie lacked the authority to start the website, the group could ask that votes cast by those who registered online be disqualified.
More than 80 city and school board races are being held across the state on Tuesday, including mayoral contests in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
“The voters themselves will likely see no effect, but the elections could be challenged because unauthorized voters cast ballots when they weren’t legally registered.” McGrath said. McGrath and his group led the failed effort in 2012 for a constitutional amendment that would have required voters to show approved photo ID before casting ballots.
Reps. Steve Drazkowski, of Mazeppa, Jim Newberger of Becker, Ernie Leidiger of Mayer and Mary Franson of Alexandria are plaintiffs, along with Minnesota Majority and the Minnesota Voters Alliance. They are represented by attorney Erick Kaardal, who frequently sues governments on a variety of issues. His fees are being paid by the two interest organizations, McGrath said.
Kaardal said he currently represents public watchdog groups in the Woodbury and Pelican Rapids school districts. If the elections are close, he said, “we would certainly be looking at the registration procedures.”
Ritchie has said he was authorized to create the system because of a 2000 law that requires the state to accept electronic signatures, just as it does those on paper. Republican lawmakers asked Ritchie to take down the system in October, but he declined.
