City Says Viral Photo of Minnesota Poll Worker’s Bloody Shirt Was Halloween Costume

Minnesota Poll Worker’s Halloween Costume Sparks Viral Outrage Online

Conservative social media personalities are pushing for the apprehension and formal identification of a Minnesota poll worker who they allege was photographed on Election Day wearing a t-shirt poking fun at the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Conversely, municipal authorities in Rogers explained that the photograph was taken during Halloween, and the woman featured is a registered Republican who maintained that she donned the attire solely for the holiday without any underlying political objective.

The controversy unfolded on Tuesday as voters cast ballots in crucial midterm elections seen as a referendum on the first two years of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. A photo showing an election judge wearing a white, blood-stained shirt with the words “problem solver” or “Problem Solved” gained massive traction on X, formerly Twitter, after being posted by the Minnesota Republican Party and amplified by high-profile conservative commentators.

You’re not allowed to wear a MAGA hat to the polls in Minnesota, but apparently poll workers can endorse political assassinations, wrote commentator Benny Johnson in a November 3 post on X. Johnson’s post described the Democrat Party as a death cult and urged people to vote against it, while other prominent voices weighed in with severe demands.

Calls for Arrest and Prosecution From Conservative Commentators

As the photo rocketed across social media, the reaction from prominent right-wing figures escalated quickly. Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh posted on X that the worker should be in handcuffs on federal charges and that the incident should be the kind of decision that ruins her life, urging the Justice Department to act immediately. Other users on the platform encouraged internet users to identify and dox the woman.

Republican Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson argued that the judge should be under arrest for voter intimidation. Meanwhile, right-wing provocateur James O’Keefe complained on social media that it was illegal for him to ask questions at polling locations yet the poll worker’s attire was allowed, urging election judges and workers in the state to send him tips. Outlets including the Gateway Pundit and Real America’s Voice also spread narratives tying the shirt to the 2025 killing of Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while speaking at a university event.

City Officials Address Timeline of Poll Worker Halloween Shirt

The City of Rogers issued a formal statement on Tuesday addressing the viral image, clarifying the timeline and the background of the worker in question. The election judge or volunteer wore the shirt for Halloween on Saturday, three days prior to the November 3 Election Day, while the city’s polling locations were open for early voting.

City officials stated that they spoke directly with the poll worker, who assured them there was no political message or intent behind her outfit. The worker gave the city permission to disclose that she serves as a Republican election judge, fulfilling Minnesota's statutory requirement to maintain party balance at polling places. The city added that the worker would never be supportive of the apparent message that others have tied to it.

Regarding state election laws, Minnesota prohibits people at polling sites from wearing any item that displays the name, logo, or slogan of a political party represented by a candidate on the ballot. Rogers officials noted that while the shirt did not meet the legal definition of prohibited political party or campaign messaging, they would have asked the worker to remove or cover it up had they known about the perceived political connection at the time.

Joshua Yetman, a spokesperson for Hennepin County, which includes Rogers, noted in an email to AFP that the county expects polling places to remain welcoming and free from intimidation, harassment, or disruption. Yetman confirmed that county officials forwarded the concerns to the city for review, while pointing out that a search of Amazon’s marketplace surfaced several similarly designed novelty shirts marketed as Halloween apparel.

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