Rep. O’Driscoll Expresses ‘Disappointment’ With Secretary of State

SARTELL -- Republican State Representative Tim O'Driscoll of Sartell is expressing his disappointment with Secretary of State Steve Simon and the run-up to the general election.

O'Driscoll is a longtime member of the House Elections Committee, which met with Simon late this summer.

Very pointedly I said, "Mr. Secrtary Simon, can you please tell me if there are any issues that you have or see in the laws that have been passed or the laws in the state of Minnesota that need to be changed or need to be updated or support that needs to be given to you and your office to administer fair elections in the state of Minnesota?"  His response was, that's a great question, nope, thank you so much.

O'Driscoll says Simon then went to a Ramsey County judge to change some of the state's election rules.

Literally, within hours we was in a Ramsey County court getting a lot of the laws suspended in the state of Minnesota, including signing off on election absentee ballots that you had to have a signature and a witness on the envelope of the person who was doing that.  So I'm disappointed.

O'Driscoll says those were issues the Elections Committee and the State Legislature could have addressed in any one of the special sessions they've had this year.

He says when you change the rules you're going to have the potential for some different outcomes.

O'Driscoll expects a robust conversation on this during the next legislative session to either prove the allegations of abnormalities are wrong or live with the findings that were there and make the corrections needed.

State Republican Party leaders allege "extreme abnormalities and statistical variations" from historic voter trends, as the state canvassing board prepares to certify Joe Biden Tuesday as winner of the presidential election in Minnesota.