Minneapolis St. Paul, MN, September 2, 2026 — In Minnesota, a notable disparity exists between national political rhetoric surrounding mail-in ballots and the voting practices in several Republican-leaning rural counties. Former President Donald Trump has publicly stated that mail-in ballots tend to benefit Democratic candidates. However, data from Minnesota indicates that some of the state’s most staunchly Republican counties actively employ mail-in voting methods extensively for their elections.

Counties identified as predominantly Republican-leaning, including Grant, Marshall, and Lake of the Woods, have been observed to rely significantly on mail-in voting. This widespread use of mail-in ballots in these areas presents a contrast to the broader claims made about the partisan impact of such voting methods.

This situation unfolds amidst broader national discussions and actions concerning mail-in voting procedures. The Trump administration has put forward proposals aimed at introducing new restrictions on the use of mail-in ballots. In response, Minnesota officials have taken legal action.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is among the state officials who are challenging these proposed federal restrictions in court. The legal challenges aim to address the implications of potential new rules on voting accessibility and methods within the state.

The exact details of the proposed restrictions by the Trump administration were not provided in the summary. Similarly, the specific grounds for the legal challenge by Minnesota officials, beyond contesting the restrictions, were not detailed. The extent of mail-in ballot utilization in these specific counties compared to overall turnout figures was also not elaborated upon in the provided summary.



Story summarized from the original created by Brian Martucci on www.minnpost.com, see more information here.

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