Forward Independence candidate • Minnesota • 2026

Proactive.
Data-Driven.
Independent.

Oversight with proactive audits, data analytics and continuous monitoring to help protect Minnesota tax dollars.

Explore the plan Meet Jay Donate securely

Army veteran
Data integrity experience
University of Minnesota master’s

Jay Reeves in a dark suit standing in front of an American flag

AccountabilityTransparencyCybersecurityModern auditsIndependent oversight

The office

Financial integrity for local government.

The Minnesota Office of the State Auditor oversees local-government finances, performs financial and compliance audits, and reviews financial data, reports and complaints.

$56B+in local-government funds overseen by the Office of the State Auditor

4,300+local governments within the office’s financial-oversight landscape

4clear campaign pillars focused on data, access, reporting and security

Office figures are drawn from the Minnesota Office of the State Auditor’s public website and history materials. Read the official description.

The plan

Four pillars. One mission.

Every priority is organized around safeguarding tax dollars while making oversight more useful to residents, journalists, researchers and local governments.

Read the full platform

Real-time fraud detection

Expand analytics that flag unusual spending patterns earlier and help direct confirmed concerns to the appropriate authorities.

Interactive transparency

Move beyond static PDFs with regularly updated dashboards and maps that make public financial information easier to explore.

Streamlined reporting

Reduce duplicative paperwork, improve shared data standards and help local officials submit clearer information faster.

Relentless cybersecurity

Use continuous monitoring, strong access controls, encrypted storage, real-time alerts and regular staff training.

From data to action

Earlier signals. Better context. Faster follow-through.

The State Auditor cannot simply freeze a payment. The plan emphasizes earlier detection, careful verification, appropriate referral and clearer public reporting.

Monitor

Use continuous analytics to surface unusual or higher-risk patterns.

Review

Apply professional audit judgment and relevant legal and financial context.

Refer

Send confirmed concerns to the authorities empowered to act.

Explain

Publish useful, accessible information while protecting sensitive data.

Portrait of Jay Reeves in front of an American flag

East Side Saint Paul roots • Union background • Nearly 17 years of Army service

Meet Jay Reeves

A life shaped by service, work and data.

Jay was born and raised on Saint Paul’s East Side in a union family. He later became a Teamster, served nearly 17 years in the U.S. Army, deployed to Iraq, and rose from Private to Major.

His professional experience includes data integrity and analytics work for the Defense Health Agency and in the civilian sector. He earned a master’s degree in Health Informatics, with a focus on data analytics and visualization, from the University of Minnesota.