Voter ID supporter wants Ramsey County official to step down

A Republican Party organizer in St. Paul is accusing Ramsey County Elections Manager Joe Mansky of unethical conduct for his public criticism of the voter ID constitutional amendment.

Greg Copeland , chair of the St. Paul Republican City Committee, sent out a news release today detailing his concern and calling on Mansky to resign. It came the same day Mansky was scheduled to speak at an anti-amendment forum in North Minneapolis. The release said election administrators are supposed to remain neutral and non-partisan on all matters.

"We repudiate Mr. Mansky for his apparent unethical activities as an Elections Manager and call for his immediate resignation," Copeland wrote. "If a resignation is not forthcoming, we demand the Board of Ramsey County Commissioners and County Administrator Julie Kleinschmidt terminate Mr. Mansky and appoint a new Election Manager who subscribes to the basic ethical standards of conduct embraced all across America and the world to ensure election integrity."

Mansky did not immediately return a phone message.

Voter ID supporters have also had similar complaints about DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, who has frequently raised concerns about the amendment and it's potential impact on the state's current voting system. Republican lawmakers took Ritchie to task during a Senate state government committee hearing in July.

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