Mike Lindell feuds with Minnesota officials over terms of a potential governor's race recount
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Republican candidate Mike Lindell balked at a recount at his expense in the governor’s race primary after he objected to a state-approved plan for one and instead sought an emergency ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Lindell had until midnight Monday to formally seek and pay for one. Late in the evening, the MyPillow founder filed a petition with the state Supreme Court over the terms of the potential recount.
Lindell lost the GOP nomination for governor to House Speaker Lisa Demuth by about 45,000 votes in the Aug. 11 primary.
Because of the wide margin, he is required to pay for a recount upfront. He said he was ready to wire $825,000 and provided a photo of the planned transfer to a state account.
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But he held back on giving final authorization after his team and the Secretary of State’s Office conducted a morning call about the recount plan. Lindell didn’t agree with the format that only Lindell and Demuth votes would be recorded by name in a hand recount of primary ballots.
Other votes would go into a third column, according to the discretionary recount plan adopted last week by a state board.
“It’s not just about us two,” Lindell said in a phone interview. “I’m not paying for what they’re calling a recount.”
Lindell said he is seeking a court injunction that seeks to prevent state and county elections officials “from conducting a limited recount that counts only two candidates and leaves the votes of all other candidates uncounted.”
The Secretary of State’s Office said the recount plan mirrors past ones.
“Our office provided the contingent recount plan to Mr. Lindell after it was approved by the State Canvassing Board on August 18,” said office spokesperson Cassondra Knudson. “The plan follows state law and administrative rules on recount procedures and is consistent with plans of its kind for the past two decades.”
On Tuesday, the Secretary of State’s Office said it “did not receive a formal request for a discretionary recount along with payment for the requested recount by the deadline” — and that no recounts are planned. As for Lindell’s lawsuit, the office said “next steps in this case will be decided by the court.”
Minnesota has had its share of high-profile recounts.
In 2008, Democrat Al Franken was behind Republican Sen. Norm Coleman by 215 votes after the initial election count. Due to the tight margin it qualified for an automatic hand recount. That action along with addition of improperly rejected absentee ballots put Franken slightly ahead — by 225 votes. Franken’s victory held up after an ensuing election lawsuit that netted Franken even more of a cushion.
Two years later, DFLer Mark Dayton had an edge over Republican nominee Tom Emmer of almost 9,000 votes heading into an automatic recount in their nailbiter of a governor's race. Emmer pulled the plug after it became clear he wouldn't flip the outcome.
The potential recount isn’t Lindell’s only avenue for challenging the primary. He and his running mate have also filed election contest litigation in district court and another case with the state Supreme Court.
Lindell is known for prior efforts to discredit election results, dating to the 2020 presidential race. Those actions earned him the admiration and endorsement of President Donald Trump, which wasn’t enough to put him over the top.
The canvassing board certified Demuth's win last week. That advanced her to a general election ballot with DFL nominee Amy Klobuchar and the Green Party's Steven Young.
