by John McLoone

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners got an update on some election matters last Tuesday, and they sent a draft of a postcard to be mailed containing information on the November Presidential Election back to the drawing board.

Elections Director Andy Lokken said absentee ballot business for the Aug. 11 primary election has been brisk.

He said that as of last Monday, 35,000 absentee ballots were sent out to voters, and 12,135 of those have been returned. He noted that in the similar election in 2016, there were 25,000 total voters, and 2,300 of those voters used absentee ballots.

“Our Hastings of_ce has been

very busy entering ballots,” Lokken said. “It’s shaping up to be a busy year.”

He went over Minnesota law that was changed just prior to the pandemic, in anticipation of people not being as mobile. He said many candidates took advantage of electronic candidate funding. Another provision was to only use schools as polling places if there is no other possible place to vote. Lokken said 21 polling places were moved.

“They got out of schools when they could, stayed in when they had to,” Lokken said.

Three lawsuits _led against the

state kind of muddy when votes are tallied.

“This is where it gets complicated,” said Lokken.

Basically, witness requirements for signing absentee ballots will not be enforced. Also, ballots will be accepted postmarked “on/before election day until close of business the day before the county canvass.”

In Dakota County’s case, postal service-delivered ballots would be accepted until the close of business on Thursday, Aug. 13.

“Hopefully it won’t be too complicated,” he said. “Just know we’re paying attention to this.”

At polls, voters will use hand sanitizer on their way in and out of the building. Disinfectant is provided to clean machinery, and masks are provided for election judges and voters who come without. Workers will wear Nitrile gloves.

“They do have a fairly high quality mask for election judges,” Lokken said.

The county posts its election results on election night, and some concern was expressed that the post of_ce at the Minneapolis/

St. Paul Airport is open until midnight, so votes could feasibly be cast after the election is over.

“This could make or break someone’s election,” Commissioner Liz Workman said, noting that if results are posted in close races, people could still cast ballots.

“If the numbers are posted, it’s very uncomfortable to me,” she said. “If we are giving out the election results and they can rush and change the results of the election after the announcement of results. That’s kind of scary isn’t it?”

“We’re not going to post any results until 8 p.m. the night of the election. It would be very dif_cult

to get something postmarked that night,” Lokken replied.

“Why would we post results on election day?” Commission Chair Mike Slavik asked.

Lokken answered, “Well, we just want to do it as part of our normal process.”

Lokken said that it happens that the only election staf_ng shortage

problems are in the “small precincts, cities and townships in the southern part of the county.”

The Postcard Lokken said that because of the big in_ux in absentee voting, the

county is proposing mailing out a postcard to 150,000 residential addresses in the county to cover the 267,000 registered voters.

Cost of printing the postcards was put at $8,000, and postage would be $32,000.

Commission members don’t have a problem with sending out the postcard, but they want to see a new draft and other options for whom the cards are sent to.

In the draft the commission saw last week, absentee voting alone was being promoted. One side has a large message to “VOTE ABSENTEE – You can cast your 2020 ballot from home this fall.”

On the opposite side, it states “You don’t need a reason to vote by absentee ballot” and then gives direction to doing so at mnvotes. org or by picking up a paper application from “your city hall or any Dakota County service or license center.”

Commission members want the card to be less speci_c in pushing

absentee voting.

“That postcard, I’m going to try to word this carefully so I don’t get myself into too much trouble, the front of it says “Vote Absentee.” I don’t think it’s our job to tell people how to vote. It’s our job to provide them with information. We’re telling people to vote absentee. That gets into the political party debate, and I just don’t want to go there,” Commissioner Liz Workman said.

She suggested a card that says something to the affect of “Know your options, polling place or absentee,” she said.

“I think we need to be Switzerland. This needs to be as informational and milk toast as possible,” she said.

She also said that the postcard should go to registered voters and not every residence.

“We should use a voter registration list and send it to those addresses with registered voters,” she said.

Commission Chair Mike Slavik said commission members were in favor of using CARES Act funding to send out the postcard and will look forward to a new draft.

“We have a little bit of time still,” he said. “Don’t move forward with this design until the board has an opportunity to say, ‘Yes, this is something we have a higher level of comfort with.’” “This is great feedback. We can move on this,” said Lokken.

A resolution to approve sending out the postcard with a design to be approved ended up being tabled until a new plan with a new design and proposed addresses is offered. Said Commission Joe Atkins, “If we’re going to be Switzerland, it would seem to me you do mail to every address in the county. I just think you send to everybody rather than to eliminate some addresses for certain reasons.”

“I guess Joe and I have a different view of Switzerland,” answered Holberg. “We’re trying to communicate with voters. We are trying to inform the voters in Dakota County of their options.”

Slavik proposed tabling the resolution and that was approved unanimously.

“We don’t have to vote on this today,” he said. “We know we support a postcard. The other details, let’s think on it a week.”

After the vote, he joked, “I’m really glad I know Roberts Rules and I could get us through that.”

It’s back to the drawing board for this proposed postcard informing Dakota County voters of their options for the Presidential Election in November.