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Threats, harassment, or intimidation of election workers with the intent of obstructing their official duties is now illegal

SAINT PAUL – Minnesota election workers have new protections from threats, harassment, and intimidation due to their work as of June 15, 2023. The state joins a growing list of states that have enacted new laws to protect election workers as threats against them increase.

“Since the 2020 election, in Minnesota and across the country, election workers have been targeted for simply doing their jobs,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “This new legislation provides our state’s local election administrators and the 30,000 election workers across the state confidence and peace of mind while administering free and fair elections.”

The new law makes it illegal to:

• Intimidate elections workers;
• Interfere with the administration of an election;
• Disseminate personal information of an election official;
• Obstruct access of any election official to the location where elections administration is occurring;
• Tamper with voting equipment or a ballot box;
• Tamper with the Statewide Voter Registration System, registration list or polling place roster; or,
• Access the statewide voter registration system without authorization.

Anyone found in violation of this law would be guilty of a gross misdemeanor with civil penalties of damages and up to $1,000 for each violation.

In 2022, four other states passed legislation to protect election workers.