DOJ Requesting Minnesota Secretary of State Provide Federal Election and Voting System Compliance
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The Department of Justice sent a letter to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon on June 25, 2025, asking to show compliance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The letter, authored by Maureen Riordan, acting chief of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division Voting Section, is part of a broader federal effort to verify states’ voter roll maintenance and election administration practices.
HAVA was passed in 2002 by Congress, making sweeping reforms to the nation's voting process. HAVA addresses improvements to voting systems and voter access that were identified following the 2000 election.
Per Federal Law: Section 401 of HAVA assigns enforcement responsibilities to the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ. This section plays a critical role in ensuring that states adhere to federal laws and standards for election administration, including voter registration, voting systems, and provisional voting.
OVERVIEW
Purpose: The DOJ letter specifically asked for details on:
Voter registration processes
Voter roll maintenance procedures
Security measures
Deadline: Minnesota was given 30 days to provide the requested information.
Context: The letter aligns with similar DOJ inquiries recently sent to other states, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado, indicating a coordinated effort to enforce Federal Law compliance.
Legal Basis: HAVA mandates states to maintain accurate, centralized voter registration lists, verify voter identities (e.g., using driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of Social Security numbers), and ensure accessible voting systems.
Alleged HAVA Violations: While the letter itself does not explicitly accuse Minnesota of specific violations, it implies potential non-compliance by requesting proof of adherence to HAVA’s requirements. Possible areas of concern include:
Voter Roll Accuracy: HAVA requires states to maintain a single, uniform, computerized voter registration list and regularly remove ineligible voters. The DOJ may be investigating whether Minnesota’s voter rolls contain inaccuracies or duplicates.
Voter Identification: HAVA mandates that first-time voters who register by mail provide identification (e.g., a driver’s license number or a utility bill). The DOJ could be examining whether Minnesota and other states properly verify voter identities.
Administrative Complaint Procedures: HAVA requires states to have a uniform, nondiscriminatory process for handling voter complaints. The DOJ’s focus on other states, like Wisconsin, for failing to provide such procedures suggests this could be a point of scrutiny for Minnesota.
Disclosure Exemption: Minnesota is one of six states exempt from the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) public disclosure provision, which requires states to allow inspection of voter list maintenance records. Other NVRA-exempted states are Idaho, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. This exemption stems from state laws predating the 1993 NVRA. However, ongoing litigation by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is challenging this. PILF is contending that the NVRA’s transparency requirements should apply uniformly across all states, regardless of pre-1993 election laws.
BROADER DOJ EFFORTS
Multi-State Scrutiny: In May 2025, the DOJ accused Arizona of failing to verify voter identities properly, and in June 2025, it sued Orange County, California, for not disclosing non-citizen voter removal records. The DOJ has previously enforced HAVA against North Carolina for inaccurate voter lists (May 2025) and Wisconsin for lacking a complaint procedure (June 2025).
Executive Order Influence: On 25 March 2025, President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order ‘Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections’. The order outlines sweeping reforms that aim to protect US elections from fraud, foreign interference, and systemic error, including:
1. Enforcement of documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
2. Sets a deadline for receiving mail-in (postal) ballots by election day.
3. Requires recertification of voting systems to meet updated security, accessibility, and performance standards.
4. Tightens restrictions against foreign interference in elections.
The order also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that do not comply. Reforms are expected to be implemented within 30 to 180 days.
IMPLICATIONS:
Risk of Funding Loss: States failing to comply with HAVA risk losing federal election funds, as seen in Wisconsin, where the DOJ called for withholding funds due to non-compliance with complaint procedures. Minnesota, having received significant HAVA grants since 2002, could face similar consequences if found non-compliant.
Bill Bruch
Bill Bruch is the WA State GOP Election Integrity Chairman, WSRP Executive Board Member, 5-Term Skagit County GOP Chairman, Citizen Journalist, Blogger, Business Owner, 2020 WA State House Representative Candidate, Former Council Member, and WA State 2016 and 2024 RNC National Convention Delegate.