MN election judge charged with accepting unregistered votes in Hubbard County

BADOURA TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man who served as a head election judge for the Badoura Township Precinct in Hubbard County during the 2024 general election is facing felony charges for allegedly accepting votes from people who were not properly registered.

What we know

Timothy Michael Scouton, 63, of Nevis, Minn., is charged with one count of accepting the vote of an unregistered voter and one count of neglect of duty by an election official, both felonies.

Scouton reportedly completed basic election judge training and head election judge training in July, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hubbard County.

Law enforcement said they were notified by an election auditor that 11 voters did not complete the proper registration forms.

The auditor told police on Nov. 7 that she reached out to the head election judge, Timothy Scouton, who reportedly said he could not find the registration forms.

Once the auditor found the forms, Scouton said he and the other election judges did not use them, according to the criminal complaint.

The auditor then spoke with police on Nov. 13 and confirmed that 11 people who voted did not complete the registration forms used to authenticate their identities.

The investigator then spoke with another judge who worked with Scouton on election night. That judge reported Scouton instructed her to not use the Minnesota Voter Registration Application form, according to the criminal complaint.

The judge added that Scouton's son was also working as a judge, and that he would have been responsible for registering applications because he was the first person voters spoke to when they entered.

The investigator also spoke to a different judge who said he was not aware the Minnesota Voter Registration Application forms were required or existed. The judge added that Scouton only instructed him to have new voters sign the back of a book, according to the criminal complaint.

Scouton was later arrested at the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office.

The criminal complaint states Scouton "declined to provide a statement."

Office of Minnesota Secretary of State response

Officials released the following statement from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State:

"These allegations are extremely serious and must be fully and thoroughly investigated. 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. Minnesota’s elections rely on the dedication and public service of 30,000 people and they are required to conduct their work fairly, impartially, and within the letter of the law. The Hubbard County Auditor took prompt and correct action in notifying local authorities of the uncovered discrepancies so they could investigate."

Background

Another incident saw a Hennepin County courier terminated after surveillance footage showed he left ballots unattended in an open trunk in the parking lot of Edina City Hall.

Ahead of the general election, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon addressed election security concerns and clarified how votes are counted in the state.