8th Circuit Halts Minnesota Law Targeting Election-Integrity Group’s Speech on Felon Voting

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously granted a preliminary injunction preventing Minnesota from applying its voter-interference law to the Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA). In an opinion authored by Judge David Stras, the court described the statute—part of House File 3 and HF 28—as a prior restraint because it criminalizes speech about felon voting without adequate procedural protections. The ruling noted that the law permits both criminal and civil actions, including counterclaims by jurisdictions such as Anoka County, which could effectively silence the group’s advocacy.

The Upper Midwest Law Center and Liberty Justice Center, representing MVA, welcomed the decision, while the attorney general’s office declined to comment. The case highlights ongoing tensions in Minnesota over First Amendment limits on election-related speech, joining other state experiments with content-based regulations like mandatory social-media warnings and AI deep-fake bans.