FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2026
“One illegal ballot is one too many”. Jude Calls for Greater Transparency on Citizenship Verification and Stronger Voter-Roll Safeguards
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Republican candidate for Minnesota Secretary of State Tad Jude today called for greater transparency regarding Minnesota’s voter-eligibility safeguards following the federal indictment of an Indian national accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and voting in Minnesota’s 2024 general election.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a federal grand jury indicted Mukeshkumar Somabhai Chaudhari on two counts alleging that he knowingly falsely claimed U.S. citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. Prosecutors allege that Chaudhari signed Minnesota’s voter signature certificate affirming that he was a U.S. citizen when he was not.
The charges are allegations, and Chaudhari is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Minnesotans are grateful for the diligence of the U.S. Department of Justice and the federal grand jury in this case. This case raises a straightforward question Minnesotans deserve to have answered: If the federal allegations are proven true, how did someone who was not a U.S. citizen get through Minnesota’s system and cast a ballot?” Jude said. “The issue isn’t simply whether someone can be prosecuted afterward. The question is what safeguards we can reasonably put in place to identify eligibility problems before a ballot is accepted.”
Fox News reported that investigators said Chaudhari received a Minnesota voter-registration notice, apparently after obtaining a driver’s license. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office told Fox News that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in Minnesota and characterized ineligible voting as “extremely rare.”
“Investigation and prosecution after the fact are important, but prevention should be the goal,” Jude said. “The Secretary of State should be working proactively with county election officials and appropriate state and federal agencies to identify potential eligibility problems before ballots are accepted. One illegal ballot is one too many.”
Jude’s SAVE Minnesota Plan includes measures aimed at strengthening election administration and public confidence, including:
- Requiring photo identification to vote.
- Ensuring that only eligible U.S. citizens vote.
- Working with local, state and federal partners to maintain accurate voter rolls.
- Improving transparency and accountability in election administration.
- Cooperating with law enforcement when potential violations of election law are identified.
“The overwhelming majority of Minnesotans follow the law and take their responsibility as voters seriously,” Jude said. “Protecting those voters means having safeguards capable of identifying ineligible registrations and preventing unlawful votes before they happen.”
Jude also called for greater transparency from the Secretary of State’s office regarding how Minnesota verifies voter eligibility, what eligibility checks occur before a ballot is accepted, and how state election officials respond when information indicates that a registered voter may not be eligible.
“Minnesotans shouldn’t have to choose between access and security. We can have both,” Jude said. “As Secretary of State, I will work to make Minnesota’s elections accessible, accurate and accountable. We will cooperate with local election officials and federal law enforcement, maintain accurate voter rolls and put safeguards in place designed to identify eligibility problems before a ballot is counted.”
Jude’s campaign has made election security and voter-roll accuracy central components of his campaign for Secretary of State.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice charging announcement; Fox News reporting cited above. An indictment contains allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
###
ABOUT TAD JUDE
Tad Jude is the Republican candidate for Minnesota Secretary of State. Jude has formerly served as a district court judge, Minnesota state representative, state senator, and as a Hennepin County commissioner
His campaign’s SAVE Minnesota Plan calls for stronger election safeguards, accurate voter rolls, voter identification, citizenship eligibility protections, and increased cooperation among local, state, and federal officials.
Learn more about Tad at his website: TadJude.com
Social: Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @TadJudeMN