MINNESOTA — Mike Lindell filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota secretary of state and election officials after failing to submit the $825,000 payment required for a ballot recount by the August 25 deadline. The lawsuit disputes the recount process outlined by the state and seeks to ensure no recount takes place based on those parameters.

Lindell stated he refused to pay because the recount would focus only on ballots cast for him or Lisa Demuth, rather than every ballot in the seven-candidate Republican field. "I paid this to have all of the votes counted, not just two people," he said in a phone call. He characterized the state's approach as a deception. "I need to have a real recount, and I will fight this in court," he said.

Lindell lost the August 11 Republican gubernatorial primary to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Demuth received 179,683 votes in the primary, while Lindell received 134,282 votes. The general election will succeed retiring Governor Tim Walz.

The Minnesota Secretary of State's office provided a contingent recount plan to Lindell after the State Canvassing Board approved it on August 18. Steve Simon is the Minnesota Secretary of State and chair of the State Canvassing Board. Paul Linnell is the director of elections for the Minnesota Secretary of State's office.

Under the recount plan, Linnell would serve as state recount official with authority to appoint deputy and assistant deputy officials. The recount plan states the process would be open to the public and media.

The Minnesota Secretary of State's office stated the recount plan follows state law and administrative rules on recount procedures. Officials also stated the contingent recount plan is consistent with previous recount plans. Minnesota law states that an apparent losing candidate must submit a request for a discretionary recount along with funds within five days of the canvass of a primary election.

Lindell has faced multiple lawsuits from voting machine companies after claiming the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. He was found to have defamed a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems in June 2025. According to reports, Lindell currently owes the electronic voting system company Smartmatic an amount in sanctions following a defamation lawsuit. Lindell stated last week that he does not plan to pay what the court says he owes to Smartmatic USA Corp. Records indicate Lindell owes more in court fees than in sanctions in the case involving Smartmatic USA Corp. after refusing to pay.

Why It Matters

The dispute centers on the interpretation of Minnesota election statutes regarding discretionary recounts and the financial obligations of candidates seeking them. The outcome will determine whether the state proceeds with a limited recount or a broader review of ballots in the Republican primary. This legal challenge occurs as the state prepares for a general election to replace a retiring governor.

Lindell's refusal to pay the fee shows ongoing tensions between his campaign and election administration officials. His history of litigation against voting technology companies provides context for his current legal strategy. The court's decision on the recount parameters could set a precedent for how future primary disputes are handled in Minnesota.

Timeline

In June 2025, Mike Lindell was found to have defamed a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems. On August 11, 2026, Lindell lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth. On that same date, Lindell received 134,282 votes in the primary, while Demuth received 179,683 votes.

On August 18, 2026, the Minnesota Secretary of State's office provided a contingent recount plan to Lindell after the State Canvassing Board approved it. On August 25, 2026, Lindell did not submit the $825,000 payment required for a ballot recount by the Monday deadline.

What's New

Later reporting indicates that Lindell's campaign argued that the scope of the recount violates Minnesota law. Additional details show that Lindell received 134,282 votes in the primary.

Further information identifies Paul Linnell as the director of elections for the Minnesota Secretary of State's office. Lindell's campaign cited a provision defining a recount as determining "the number of votes validly cast for the office or question to be recounted." Lindell is asking the state to waive the payment deadline until a court can rule on the parameters of the recount. The Minnesota Secretary of State's office stated the contingent recount plan is consistent with previous recount plans.