Simon and Jude debate voter security and state flag in St. Paul
The two leading candidates for Minnesota secretary of state clashed on election rules and the new state design during a Friday debate.
By Samira Khalil ·
Minnesota Secretary of State candidates Steve Simon and Tad Jude debated in St. Paul on Friday.
The candidates met at a Minnesota Public Radio studio on October 30 to discuss their platforms for the Nov. 3 election.
Simon, the DFL incumbent seeking a fourth term, challenged Jude, a Republican former legislator from St. Cloud.
Jude argued that the state needs tighter voter requirements. He said same-day registration makes elections vulnerable and wants voters using that option to cast provisional ballots instead of regular ones. He stated that an illegal vote is a stolen vote.
Simon countered with data from an MIT study and the University of St. Thomas. He cited an MIT Elections Performance Index that ranked Minnesota No. 1 with a 90.6% registration rate and 6.7-minute average wait times. A university study found only three illegal votes among 13.4 million cast between 2015 and 2024.
The candidates also addressed the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit regarding Alaska Senate election certification. Jude blamed ranked-choice voting for the issue, calling it a way to play games with coalitions. Simon called the DOJ suit a chilling overstep and a banana republic move. He said it was troubling that the department was willing to throw out an election if its preferred candidate did not win.
The debate touched on state symbols. Jude said voters did not have a say in the new state flag adopted in 2024. Simon, a member of the redesign committee, noted that thousands of people provided input on proposals. He added that a statewide vote on symbols would require a constitutional change. Simon said his office also approved a new state seal that has been popular.
Simon mentioned suggestions for new state symbols, including chicken wild rice, chicken noodle, and pho soup. Jude said he did not think the state needed another symbol.
Simon has served in the role since 2015. He is the longest-tenured of the state's five elected constitutional officers. Jude was the youngest legislator elected in 1972 at age 21.
Two other candidates, Libertarian Chip Tangen and Green Party Seth Kuhl-Stennes, were not present at the debate.
Voters can find their polling place on the secretary of state website. Polls typically open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on election day.
Source: Brainerd Dispatch
