Mike Lindell to Finance Full Hand Recount of Minnesota Governor Primary
MyPillow founder Mike Lindell said he will pay an estimated $825,000 to request a hand recount of the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary, citing a state law that permits candidates to audit all ballots.
Mike Lindell, the founder of MyPillow, announced Wednesday that he will fund a statewide hand recount and audit of every paper ballot cast in the August 11 Republican primary for Minnesota governor. The effort, which he estimates will cost about $825,000, is based on a Minnesota statute that allows a losing candidate to request a full hand count even when the margin exceeds the 0.25% threshold that triggers an automatic state-funded recount.
Lindell said, "One of the few good election laws Minnesota does have is that as a candidate, I have the right to completely audit and hand count every ballot in the state," and added that he intends to use that right "to the full extent of the law."
Secretary of State General Counsel Lauren Bethke sent Lindell a letter on Aug. 18 confirming the cost estimate and setting a deadline of Aug. 24 for him to submit a formal request and provide a bond, cash or surety covering the amount. The Secretary of State’s office outlined a contingency plan that would appoint Paul Linnell, the Director of Elections, as State Recount Official, with the recount conducted publicly and open to media observation.
Lindell, who lost to House Speaker Lisa Demuth by roughly 11 percentage points, has previously claimed the primary contained "anomalies" but has not presented evidence. No official irregularities have been reported in the election results.
The businessman rose to national attention after the 2020 presidential election for promoting unsubstantiated allegations of voting-machine manipulation, leading to defamation settlements with Dominion Voting Systems and ongoing litigation involving Smartmatic.