Former St. Paul mayoral candidate Dai Thao is under investigation for a potential election violation relating to him allegedly trying to “help” a person vote at a voting station.

St. Paul police took a report from Ramsey County elections manager Joe Mansky on Monday afternoon, relating to an incident that took place between 9:05 and 9:30 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center, which had early voting on Monday.

“The Saint Paul Police Department took a report related to an alleged violation of voter rules,” police spokesman Steve Linders said. “To avoid any conflict of interest, the case has been sent to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, which will conduct the investigation.”

Hennepin County sheriff’s office spokesman Jon Collins declined to comment on the nature of the allegation, other than to confirm receiving the complaint for investigation from St. Paul.

KMSP-TV, citing multiple sources familiar with the incident, said “the investigation concerns Thao assisting a voter to cast their vote, but it is unclear whether Thao’s assistance was inside the voting booth, or if his assistance was requested, and why.”

State election law says voters needing assistance due to an “inability to read English or physical inability to mark a ballot” can ask for the assistance of election judges present at booths, but not from candidates.

“Only the following persons may not provide assistance to a voter: the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, an officer or agent of the voter’s union, or a candidate for election,” the law states.

Thao could not immediately be reached for comment.