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The Scott County Attorney’s Office released findings, citing human error during early absentee ballot processing as the probable cause.
“Human error during the collection of early absentee ballots at the City of Shakopee likely resulted in the ballots being discarded,” stated County Attorney Ron Hocevar. “This unfortunate situation caused a level of confusion that should not have occurred.”
Hocevar emphasized transparency, adding, “The investigation is ongoing, and we hope more information will be forthcoming.”
Attempts to recover the missing ballots proved futile. Efforts to locate the secrecy envelopes led investigators to recycling and landfill facilities, but the materials were reportedly destroyed.
“A request was made to the City for their secrecy envelopes, and the County was advised they had been thrown into the garbage,” the report explained. “The County tracked the trash and recycling to a landfill in Burnsville and DemCon respectively, but learned that the recycle bale had already been sent for shredding.”
Key Findings
The preliminary report outlined several critical findings:
- Twenty absentee ballots from P10 were accepted on October 17 and should have been counted.
- The ballots likely remained in their secrecy envelopes when discarded.
- Recovery of the ballots is improbable.
- Even if recovered, proving their chain of custody to ensure integrity would be nearly impossible.
House Republicans are responding forcefully to the revelation. Citing the missing ballots as grounds for an election contest, House Republican Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth called for decisive measures.
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“Today’s news confirms why we will be seeking an election contest to protect the integrity of the vote in District 54A with a new election,” said Demuth. “With 20 ballots missing and confirmation from Scott County that they will likely not be recovered, it’s impossible to declare a winner with a 14-vote margin. We appreciate the efforts by Scott County to investigate this matter and be transparent about their findings.”
This incident has ignited broader concerns about election security and transparency in close contests. While election officials continue their investigation, the missing ballots underscore the fragility of trust in democratic processes when even minor errors can carry major consequences.
