Statement by Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota, 2026
April 25, 2025
Fellow Minnesotans,
As a candidate for Governor in 2026, I am committed to restoring trust in our elections and ensuring that every legal vote is counted accurately. Election integrity is the bedrock of our democracy, and it is under threat—not just from external forces, but from misguided judicial rulings and a complicit Minnesota press that fails to serve you, the citizens of our great state. Today, I call out U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly and outlets like KSTP for their disservice to Minnesota voters in their handling of President Trump’s Executive Order 14,248, which sought to protect our elections through commonsense measures like requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s Flawed Ruling
Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s decision to block key provisions of Executive Order 14,248—specifically those requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration (Section 2(a)) and citizenship assessments for public assistance enrollees (Section 2(d))—is a setback for election integrity that undermines Minnesota’s electoral process. Her 120-page opinion, while lengthy, is riddled with errors that prioritize partisan interests over the rule of law and the will of the people.
First, the judge’s reliance on the Elections Clause (U.S. Const. art. I, § 4, cl. 1) to exclude the president from any role in election administration ignores the executive’s constitutional duty under Article II to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) allows the federal voter registration form to include information “necessary” to assess voter eligibility (52 U.S.C. § 20508(b)(1)), and federal law prohibits noncitizen voting (18 U.S.C. § 611). Requiring proof of citizenship aligns with these statutes and enhances public trust, yet Kollar-Kotelly dismissed this without engaging the president’s authority to guide agencies like the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Her ruling stifles legitimate efforts to prevent illegal voting, a concern Minnesotans share, given documented cases of noncitizen registration attempts nationwide.
Second, the judge’s finding of “irreparable harm” to plaintiffs like the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and voting rights groups is speculative at best. She cites no hard evidence that requiring a birth certificate or passport would disenfranchise eligible voters, ignoring states like Arizona and Kansas, where similar requirements have operated without widespread suppression. Minnesota voters deserve a judiciary that demands data, not conjecture, before overturning policies that safeguard our elections. By accepting vague claims of harm, Kollar-Kotelly elevates partisan rhetoric over the public interest in secure elections.
Third, her nationwide injunctions against Sections 2(a) and 2(d) are an overreach that tramples on Minnesota’s right to manage its own elections. The Federal Form’s uniformity does not justify a one-size-fits-all remedy that overrides state-specific practices. Minnesota has a proud tradition of high voter turnout and robust election laws, yet this ruling imposes a federal solution that could disrupt our processes. The judge’s selective application—blocking some provisions while allowing others, like voter list reviews by the Department of Government Efficiency (Section 2(b))—reveals an inconsistent approach that smacks of judicial activism rather than principled constitutional analysis.
The Minnesota Press’s Disservice
The Minnesota press, exemplified by KSTP’s coverage, has amplified this flawed ruling without scrutiny, failing in its duty to inform you accurately. KSTP’s article, a near-verbatim republication of an Associated Press report, sensationalizes the ruling as a “setback for President Donald Trump” without questioning Kollar-Kotelly’s legal reasoning or its implications for Minnesota. By omitting critical context—such as the executive order’s alignment with federal law, the success of proof-of-citizenship laws in other states, or the ruling’s failure to address election integrity—KSTP perpetuates a narrative that prioritizes voter access at the expense of voter confidence.
This is not journalism; it is acquiescence to a partisan agenda. KSTP’s X post, likely a brief headline like “Judge halts Trump’s voter citizenship rule,” further distorts the story by stripping away nuance and ignoring the upheld provisions, such as tightened mail ballot deadlines (Section 7(a)), which could affect Minnesota’s all-mail voting system. Minnesotans deserve better. Our press should challenge judicial overreach, not amplify it. It should ask how this ruling impacts our state’s election security, not parrot national talking points that dismiss the real threat of noncitizen voting, however rare.
Substance for Minnesota’s Future
As your next Governor, I pledge to champion election integrity with concrete measures that respect Minnesota’s values and laws:
1. Strengthen Voter Verification: I will work with the Minnesota Secretary of State to explore state-level proof-of-citizenship requirements, consistent with federal law, to ensure only eligible citizens vote. Arizona’s model, upheld in part by the Supreme Court, shows this can be done without suppressing turnout.
2. Enhance Transparency: I will push for real-time voter roll audits and public reporting to detect and remove ineligible registrations, building on Minnesota’s strong election administration while addressing public concerns about accuracy.
3. Protect Mail Voting: While supporting mail-in voting, I will advocate for clear, uniform deadlines to ensure ballots are received by Election Day, aligning with federal statutes (2 U.S.C. § 7, 3 U.S.C. § 1) and preventing the confusion Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling permits by upholding Section 7(a).
4. Demand Accountability from the Press: I will call on Minnesota media to report fairly, scrutinizing judicial rulings and federal policies that affect our state. Outlets like KSTP must engage with local election officials, voters, and experts to provide balanced coverage, not recycle biased national narratives.
5. Support Congressional Action: I endorse the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 22, 119th Cong.), which would codify proof-of-citizenship requirements. As Governor, I will urge Minnesota’s congressional delegation to pass this legislation, restoring the integrity Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling undermines.
A Call to Action
Minnesotans, our elections are too important to be left to unelected judges and unaccountable media. Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling serves the interests of partisan plaintiffs, not the people of Minnesota. KSTP’s failure to challenge this narrative leaves voters in the dark about threats to our electoral system. In 2026, I will fight for secure, transparent elections that every Minnesotan can trust. Join me in demanding accountability from our courts and our press. Together, we will ensure that Minnesota’s elections reflect the will of its citizens—not the whims of Washington, D.C.
For Minnesota’s Future, Phillip C. Parrish Candidate for Governor, 2026