Lindell Not Registered to Vote in Minnesota He Wants to Lead

Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and Republican candidate for Minnesota governor endorsed by President Donald Trump, is not registered to vote in the state he hopes to lead, according to an investigation by The Minnesota Star Tribune. The revelation has raised questions about his connection to Minnesota and undercuts the election integrity platform that has defined his political career.

The Voter Registration Gap

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office confirmed that Lindell “does not have an active record” in the state’s voter registration system, said Cassondra Knudson, a spokesperson for the office. Instead, Lindell maintains an active voter registration in Lufkin, Texas, where he lived for approximately one year after marrying his wife, Kendra.

Lindell last cast a ballot in Minnesota during the 2022 general election. He voted in Texas in the 2024 election, according to a review of state voting records.

When asked by the Star Tribune about his registration status, Lindell said he did not know if he was registered in Minnesota and would need to check. “Obviously I’m going to vote,” he told the newspaper. “I’m not going to vote twice.”

Legal Loophole, Political Problem

Minnesota does not require gubernatorial candidates to be registered voters in the state, meaning Lindell can legally run for and serve as governor without being registered. However, he cannot vote for himself in the August 11 Republican primary unless he registers. Minnesota allows same-day voter registration on Election Day, so Lindell could register at the polls.

The Star Tribune noted the central irony: “Lindell does not need to be registered to vote in Minnesota to run for office here. But his lack of knowledge about his voter registration status is notable for a candidate who has called for strict scrutiny of voter rolls and made election integrity the central pillar of his campaign and political life.”

A History of Election Integrity Advocacy

Since the 2020 presidential election, Lindell has made “election integrity” the cornerstone of his political identity. He has promoted discredited conspiracy theories about voting machines being rigged against Trump, hosted events encouraging supporters to scrutinize voter lists for fraud, and called for strict oversight of voter rolls. The contradiction between his public demands and personal unawareness has provided ammunition for his opponents.

Trump’s Endorsement and the Primary Race

President Trump endorsed Lindell on July 15 via Truth Social, calling him “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots,” as The Guardian reported. The endorsement upended the Republican primary, making Lindell an instant front-runner despite failing to secure the Minnesota GOP’s endorsement at the party convention in May.

Lindell faces a crowded primary field including Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, retired healthcare executive Kendall Qualls (who won the party endorsement), 2022 nominee Scott Jensen, and state representative Peggy Bennett. The primary is scheduled for August 11, with early voting already underway.

Preya Samsundar, a Minnesota GOP strategist, told the DL-Online that the endorsement “seems like this was driven by the president and his friendship with Lindell, not in consultation with any of the electeds or the committees.”

The Texas Residency Question

Lindell’s move to Texas has been a persistent vulnerability. He acknowledged last year that he had been living in Texas and would need to re-establish residency in Minnesota to run for governor. In a 2025 court filing, he described himself as “a Texas citizen.” His opponents have painted his relocation as abandoning Minnesota.

Lindell pushed back on that narrative, telling the Star Tribune: “My company hasn’t left. I love Minnesota, and this is where I was born and raised and I’m staying put in Minnesota.”

Broader Implications for the Race

The voter registration story highlights the complexities of America’s decentralized election system, where a person can be registered in multiple states simultaneously and there is no automatic cross-state coordination when someone moves. It is only illegal if a voter casts a ballot in both states.

If Lindell registers in Minnesota, he would likely be registered in two states until Texas officials remove his name from their rolls — the very type of system vulnerability he has claimed enables fraud.

What’s Next

With less than a month until the August 11 primary, the revelation could shift momentum in a race already defined by Trump’s endorsement. Polling from June showed Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the presumptive Democratic nominee, leading Lindell 53% to 36% in a hypothetical general election matchup. Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty left office in 2011.

The key question remains: Will Lindell register to vote in Minnesota before primary day, and how will his opponents use this story to challenge his credibility on the issue that defines his campaign?