This post has been updated.
Republicans, Trump campaign try to tamp down Minnesota ballot panic
Amid reports that Donald Trump was in danger of not getting on Minnesota's presidential ballot, the Trump campaign says everything is in order and voters will have a chance to cast their ballot for him in November.
August 25, 2016 at 9:22PM
After hours of ringing alarm bells in national GOP circles over whether Donald Trump is in danger of not getting on Minnesota's presidential ballot, the Trump campaign says everything is in working order and voters will have a chance to cast their ballot for the brash tycoon in November.
As of this morning, Donald Trump's name did not appear on the sample ballot on the website of Secretary of State Steve Simon.
Michael Brodkorb, a former GOP political operative and Star Tribune blogger, reported on Twitter last night that the Republican Party of Minnesota had failed to properly submit the name of its presidential and vice presidential candidates, as well as electors and alternate electors for the Electoral College. The deadline for submission is Monday August 29.
A spokesman for Secretary of State Simon said Thursday the filing is complete and that the Republican ticket would be listed on the office website shortly.
Mike Lukach, Trump's Minnesota state director, sent out a statement: "The Minnesota Republican Party is working closely with th Secretary of State's office to certify Mr. Trump's nomination and the state party's electors to the Electoral College, and will finalize his ballot placement today, in advance of the August 29 deadline."
The ballot issue did not escape notice among national conservative outlets like RedState, which catalogued the potential flub.
Brodkorb also reports that alternate electors were not properly selected at a state convention and so could be challenged. The courts have traditionally given parties wide latitude on internal matters, however.
In other ballot news, Evan McMullin has made the Minnesota ballot on the Independence Party line. McMullin is an alum of the CIA and Goldman Sachs and worked on Capitol Hill.
Update: Republicans for Johnson-Weld, a group steering GOP voters toward the Libertarian Party presidential candidate, tried to exploit the ballot problem with a quick Minnesota-specific Facebook ad that notes Trump's third place finish in the caucus here.
Patrick Condon contributed to this report.
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