A contested Minnesota state House race has drawn scrutiny after 21 ballots were found to be missing in Shakopee, where Democrat Brad Tabke defeated Republican Aaron Paul by just 14 votes. Republican leaders are calling for a new election, citing concerns over election integrity and transparency.
Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar said the ballots were “likely disposed of” in their secrecy envelopes before they were tabulated. An audit revealed discrepancies between the number of voters who checked in and the ballots included in the final count.
Republicans argue that the missing ballots undermine confidence in the results. “With 20 ballots missing and confirmation they will likely not be recovered, it’s impossible to declare a winner,” said House Republican Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth.
The timeline of events reveals significant issues on election night. Shakopee election officials reported delays in processing absentee ballots, leading Scott County to take over tabulation. Despite assurances that the totals matched, later audits revealed the missing ballots.
This race is one of two Minnesota state House contests that flipped from Republican to Democrat leads overnight, further fueling Republican concerns. Aaron Paul initially led by 360 votes with 100% of precincts reporting but ended up losing by 14 votes after late changes to the tally.
The investigation is ongoing, but Republicans insist that a new election is the only way to ensure fairness in District 54A, where the outcome could impact the balance of power in the state House.
