Saint Paul Lawmaker Illegally Helped Voter Fill Out Ballot: Cops

SAINT PAUL, MN — Saint Paul City Council member Dai Thao is accused of unlawfully helping a voter fill out a ballot while running for mayor. Thao was charged with unlawfully marking a ballot, misconduct in or near polling places, and unlawful assistance of a voter.

The criminal complaint alleges that on Nov. 6, 2017, at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center polling place, an election judge saw Thao enter a voting booth with a voter and helped her fill out a ballot.

The incident was reported to the Ramsey County Elections Manager who then filed a complaint with the Saint Paul police. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident to avoid conflict of interest.

Through election records, authorities identified the voter who judges believed Thao helped. The voter told police a person she knew as "Mr. Xiong" — later confirmed to be Thao — approached her outside her home and asked if she was going to vote and if she needed help.

The voter told Thoa she couldn't speak English, had trouble seeing and had never voted before. She accepted Thao's offer and he drove her to the polling place, according to the criminal complaint.

The voter told authorities that "Mr. Xiong" physically helped her mark the ballot because she difficulty seeing the circles but did not tell her who to vote for.

In a statement to the Pioneer Press, Thao's attorney said "The conduct of which Mr. Thao now stands accused is perfectly legal for virtually everyone in Minnesota. There is no allegation that Mr. Thao did anything intentionally wrong, or that he did anything wrong other than help one elderly woman overcome disabilities so that she could vote."

Thao added that "When Ms. Yang told me she wanted to vote but had no one to take her, I drove her to the polls. When we got there and she asked for my help because no one else spoke Hmong and she couldn’t see well or hold a pen, I couldn’t say no."

"I do not deny helping my disabled neighbor, and I believe the charges are really unfair."

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