MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis man was found guilty Tuesday of lying to a federal grand jury about abusing a process for submitting absentee ballots for other voters during Minnesota’s primary election in August 2020.
After a day of testimony, the jury of 10 women and two men took just 40 minutes to convict Muse Mohamud Mohamed of two counts of making false statements to a grand jury, according to Minnesota Public Radio.
Mohamed, 34, was accused of falsely telling the grand jury last fall that he had obtained three absentee ballots for the primary on behalf of three voters who then filled them out before he returned them to the election office.
Federal prosecutors said Mohamed didn’t take any of the three ballots to the absentee voters named on the envelopes, and that none of the voters gave him ballots to return. The defense disputes the charges.
Mohamed went on trial Monday before U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel in Minneapolis. Here’s a deeper look at the issues in the case:
AGENCY VOTING
Absentee voters in Minnesota can use “agent delivery.” It’s meant for voters who intend to vote in person, but become unable due to health reasons or disabilities. They can then request absentee ballots after the normal deadline and can designate an “agent” to act on their behalf. That agent must be at least 18, have a pre-existing relationship with the voter, and can’t be a candidate. An agent can pick up and deliver ballots for no more than three voters in any given election.
THE...
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