Mike Lindell offers to pay for recount and paper-ballot audit in Minnesota GOP gubernatorial primary he lost

MyPillow founder Mike Lindell offered to finance a recount and audit of every paper ballot cast in Minnesota’s Republican gubernatorial primary after losing the nomination to Lisa Demuth by an 11-point margin, according to a report published Wednesday. Lindell’s proposal would shift the cost of expanded ballot review away from state and local election authorities, though it would still require election officials to determine whether and how to conduct any additional tabulation.

The primary outcome, as described in the report, had Lindell trailing Demuth by 11 points. The offer came after Lindell announced he would not concede defeat, and the report described the recount and audit effort as an escalation of his broader challenge to how ballots were counted in the contest.

According to the reporting, Lindell said he would personally fund the process. The proposal, as described by the outlet, is aimed at auditing paper ballots rather than relying solely on existing tabulation results, and it centers on a comprehensive review of ballots cast in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

The report did not cite a formal court filing or a Minnesota administrative request tied to Lindell’s funding offer. Any recount or audit process in Minnesota would generally require election officials to establish the scope, procedures, and legal basis for the review, including timing and access rules for ballots and voting system records.

Election administration experts and election officials typically distinguish between recounts authorized under existing state procedures and broader audits that may extend beyond the minimum required by law. In this case, Lindell’s offer was framed as a private funding mechanism, but implementation would still depend on whether Minnesota election authorities accept the requested method, confirm jurisdiction, and align the effort with state election statutes.

The practical effect, if the plan moves forward, would be an additional layer of verification for a statewide nomination contest, potentially prolonging resolution timelines for party and ballot processes that depend on final results. The report indicated Lindell’s continued refusal to concede defeat, suggesting he intends to pursue the matter publicly even as he loses the nomination race.