Fate of mail ballots still up in the air

The majority of precincts in Rock County want to keep mail ballots as a voting option, but Rock County commissioners are still considering a return to polling places.
They tabled a decision at their May 2 meeting after lengthy discussion.
After the November 2022 election, county auditor Ashley Kurtz informed commissioners about anonymous calls that left her election workers concerned for their safety.
Since then, she and the commissioners proposed to township supervisors a return to all in-person voting and eliminating mail ballot precincts.
Currently, 18 out of the 24 precincts in Rock County vote by mail, an option that was first available in 2006.
Commissioners are following a proposed Election Worker Protection Act, introduced in the state Legislature earlier this year, for possible guidance.
The protection act prohibits (with enhanced penalties) certain types of threats, harms and intimidation that involve threats of harm to poll watchers, election officials and election agents.
The Minnesota Legislature is in session through May 22.
 
 
Most local precincts want mail ballot
“All 10 of my precincts want to keep the mail ballot option,” said Commissioner Gary Overgaard. “Every one of them wants to do the mail ballot process with the understanding of the issues. Just because of a few people, we shouldn’t change what the majority of the people wish to maintain.”
They cited cost savings, time savings and increased voter participation as reasons to continue using mail ballots for elections.
Overgaard represents District 1, which includes the townships of Battle Plain, Denver, Magnolia, Mound, Vienna and Rose Dell and the cities of Kenneth, Hardwick, Magnolia and part of Jasper.
He said he met with representatives from each of his precincts as well as took phone calls to discuss the anonymous, harassing phone calls the auditor’s office received concerning the validity of the 2022 general election.
Each representative had a similar message for those who make anonymous accusations of fraud but offer no valid proof.
“We’ve got to tell these people, if they have an issue, they have to come in front of us and talk to us in person, with your name, plus what your gripe is and we will deal with it,” Overgaard said.
District 3 Commissioner Greg Burger represents Clinton, Kanaranzi and a portion of Luverne (who have two precincts) townships along with the city of Steen.
“The township people were unanimously in favor of going back to in-person,” Burger said.
“Actually Clinton (Township) was going to talk with Steen city and they were in favor of going back to in-person voting if they could get some help buying the (voting) machines.”
Stan Williamson represents District 2, which has three mail ballot districts: Springwater and Beaver Creek townships and the city of Beaver Creek.
He said Springwater Township representatives were in favor of continuing as a mail ballot district while Beaver Creek and the city of Beaver Creek were favorable to either option.
 
‘Something needs
to be done’
Auditor Kurtz pointed to her staff, who were in attendance at the May 2 commissioners meeting, as the reason safeguards need to be put into place.
She is also worried about her own family.
“It’s hard to explain — I get emotional every time I talk about it — I had voters contacting my family, and I know you can’t stop that, but something has to be done,” she said.
“I don’t even know if changing mail ballot to polling places is even going to change the issue, but we don’t feel safe.”
Commissioners discussed implementing various options such as new protocols to handle anonymous phone calls, more courthouse safety measures, and informing law enforcement of those making threats.