WORK OF THE TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM.

>> Cathy: YEP, AND POLITICS IS WHERE WE START TONIGHT.

ON THURSDAY THE STATE CANVASSING BOARD CERTIFIED THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION BUT THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF POST-ELECTION FALLOUT TO TALK ABOUT.

MINNESOTA IS CURRENTLY LEADING THE NATION IN VOTER TURNOUT AND QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT RECOUNTS IN STATE HOUSE RACES.

MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE STEVE SIMON JOINS US RIGHT NOW, HIS OFFICE OVERSEES OTING AND ELECTIONS IN MINNESOTA.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: SAY, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE RECOUNT IN THE BRAD TABKE RACE, REPRESENTATIVE TABKE IS IN THE SHAKOPEE AREA.

HE STILL LEADS THAT RACE BY 15 VOTES.

BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME DISCREPANCY WHEN IT COMES TO ABSENTEE BALLOTS, 21 ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN QUESTION.

THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING TO HEAD TO COURT.

HOW UNUSUAL THAT?

>> IT'S NOT THAT UNUSUAL, THE BIGGEST INSTANCE WAS THE COLEMAN-FRANKEN FIGHT IN 2008.

I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE THAT.

OUR ELECTION SYSTEM IS ALMOST LIKE A SWISS ARMY KNIFE, THERE'S A TOOL FOR EVERYTHING AND THE OOL WHEN YOU HAVE THIS DISCREPANCY IS TO GO TO COURT.

AND A JUDGE IS GOING TO END UP WHAT TO DECIDE IN THESE PARTICULAR BALLOTS.

I THINK THEY'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY, THOUGH, ON MONDAY.

MONDAY IS THE DAY WHEN THE CAN HAVE BEEN CANVASSING BOARD IN SCOTT COUNTY MEETS AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO KNOW MORE AFTER THAT.

>> Eric: JIM SCHULTZ FROM THE CONSERVATIVE PRIVATE BUSINESS COUNCIL IS CALLING FOR A NEW ELECTION.

IS THAT DO-ABLE?

>> WELL, THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY, THAT'S FOR A JUDGE CAN DECIDE.

AND A JUDGE CAN ORDER ANY NUMBER OF REMEDIES.

THAT IS ON THE MENU I WOULD SUSPECT.

ANOTHER ONE MIGHT BE SOMETHING.

BUT IT'S NOT FOR OUR OFFICE TO SAY, THAT'S REALLY FOR A COURT AND JUDGE TO HANDLE.

>> Eric: IN THE ST.

CLOUD AREA, DAN WOLGAMOTT THE D.F.L.

INCUMBENT WAS UP BY 190 VOTES BUT LATE NUMBERS WERE REVERSED WHAT WAS GOING ON.

RECOUNTS FOR NEXT WEEK AS WELL?

>> THAT'S FOR THIS COMING MONDAY ACTUALLY.

THEY'RE GO GOING TO HAVE HAVE TE RECOUNT.

IT'S A LIMITED RECOUNT, THREE PRECINCTS IN SHERBURNE COUNTY, THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BE RECOUNTED AND THEY WILL BE.

AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO KNOW A LOT MORE THERE AS WELL.

THE SHERBURNE OUNTY FOLKS HAVE EXPLAINED THEMSELVES, EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF THE COUNTY.

REMEMBER, ALL THAT COUNTING OF THE BALLOTS GOES ON AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, NOT SOMETHING OUR OFFICE DOES BUT Y DESIGN THAT'S A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM, IT HAPPENS IN THOUSANDS OF PLACES ACROSS MINNESOTA AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW THEIR WORK ON MONDAY.

>> Cathy: DOES IT SEEM TOO THERE ARE MORE INSTANCES THIS TIME AROUND OF SITUATIONS DEALING WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND THE COUNT?

OR IS IT JUST BEING WE ARE HYPERFOCUSSED ON POTENTIAL PROBLEMS?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S PARTICULARLY HIGHER INCIDENCE OF THAT KIND OF THING.

EVERY CYCLE YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THIS KIND OF THING, GOING BACK YEARS AND REALLY DECADES.

IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THIS.

THERE SHOULD BE MORE ATTENTION OF THE MCS OF COUNTING THE VOTES AND LET THE PUBLIC COME IN AND.

WATCH AS MUCH AS THEY CAN AS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO ON MONDAY IN SHERBURNE COUNTY AS WELL.

>> Eric: WITH LL THE VARIOUS WAYS TO VOTE DOES IT INVITE MORE POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD AND ABUSE AND SO FORTH?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

WE HAD JUST SHY OF 40% OF MINNESOTANS VOTE BEFORE THE ELECTION EITHER IN-PERSON ABSENTEE OR BY MAIL.

AND WE HAVE SECURITY FEATURES IN INNESOTA THAT ALMOST NO OTHER STATE HAS.

WE HAVE THREE, TRIPLE LAYER OF SECURITY WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING EARLY IN-PERSON AND BY MAIL AND THAT PUTS US IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF INTEGRITY AND SECURITY.

SO, NO, I THINK IT'S A VERY SECURE WAY TO VOTE AND IT'S TIME TESTED IN MINNESOTA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE D.F.L.

CANDIDATE IN ROSEVILLE WHO EVIDENTLY HAD AN APARTMENT IN ROSEVILLE BUT FOLKS SAY HE DIDN'T LIVE THERE, THERE'S RESIDENCY QUESTIONS AROUND THIS, AND OF COURSE WITH THE 46-46 TIE THIS COULD BE KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

I'M WONDERING ABOUT RESIDENCY ISSUES AND HOW OFTEN THEY CROP UP.

>> RIGHT, OCCASIONALLY I WOULD SAY.

VIEWERS MIGHT REMEMBER OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE WERE A COUPLE RESIDENCY ISSUES.

THERE WAS EVEN ONE MEMBER, I WON'T NAME HIM, WHO WAS KICKED OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE BASICALLY, THE SUPREME COURT ORDERED HIM TO LEAVE THE LEGISLATURE IN 2017.

SO IT HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY.

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE THAT IS NOW IN COURT, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT OUR OFFICE WILL BE DRAWN NTO THAT OR ASK FOR COMMENT ON THAT SO I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL ABOUT COMMENTING BUT IT REALLY IS UP TO THE COURT AT THIS POINT TO DECIDE DID HE OR DIDN'T HE LIVE WHERE HE SAID HE LIVED.