elections

Minnesota statewide early voting began last week for the Aug. 11 primary, and mail ballots will be sent out this week to those who vote by mail. In Rock County, the Aug. 11 election will determine the next Dist. 3 county commissioner and will narrow the field in the South Ward Luverne City Council election. County Board candidates are Rick Peterson and Deon Carriere. The one with the most…

Rock County voters will participate in the Aug. 11 primary affecting the Dist. 3 County Board seat. Early voting began last week and mail ballots will be sent out this week, so the Rock County Star Herald this week is featuring candidate profiles to inform voters on this local race.  Candidates in each race received the same questions as their opponents with instructions to provide responses…

This week, three U.S. District Courts issued new rulings upholding current election laws across the country.  •On June 22, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ruled that the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system violates federal law.  In her ruling, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan stated, “All in all, the federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy…

As with all aspects of voter registration there are many safeguards in place to ensure only eligible voters are registered.  There are only two options for vouching:  •A registered voter from your precinct can vouch for you  •A staff person from a facility who proves they are employed at the facility can vouch for you  Providing false information is a felony offense punishable by up to five…

The number of Rock County residents declaring their candidacy for elected office increased this week as the filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.  Three positions on the Rock County board and other county elected positions are open, as well as two seats on Luverne City Council. As of noon on Tuesday, when this edition of the Star Herald went to press, a number of competitive races…

Local business owner Mert Kracht was elected to the Luverne City Council in 2024 and said he’s learned a great deal about government processes since then.  Today, he’s agreed to share advice for newcomers considering running for public office in 2026.  “I learn something new every time I’m at city hall for anything,” Kracht said. “If you’re thinking you want to make a difference or represent…

The filing period for many public offices opens May 19 and those interested in seeking election to a local public office have until June 2 to throw their hats in the ring.  Offices on the ballot in Rock County this year include  •U.S. Senator and Congress  •Minnesota Governor and Lieutenant Governor  •Minnesota Secretary of State, State Auditor & Attorney General  •State Senate and House…

Minnesota voters serving in the military or living overseas can still vote from anywhere in the world through UOCAVA voting. UOCAVA stands for the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.  It helps eligible Minnesotans receive and return their ballots electronically while away from home.  College students can use UOCAVA this fall as they study abroad.  Military members, their…

Despite the national headlines – executive orders, court cases, proposed laws, and redistricting battles in other states – nothing has changed about how you vote in Minnesota.  Your voting options, your rights, and the process remain the same.  Election integrity and security remain the same.  You can still register and vote early, by mail or on Election Day. And you can trust the system that’…

This week, the Minnesota Secretary of State Office is highlighting some of the updates to Minnesota election laws that have taken effect in recent years.  These changes help modernize election systems and ensure Minnesotans continue to have access to free, fair and secure elections.  •Pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds: Young Minnesotans can now pre-register to vote so they’ll be ready to…

Rock County officials are working fervently on damage control today after they learned a county email has been hijacked by scammers. According to Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre, a township official called Auditor-Treasurer Ashley Kurtz this afternoon questioning an email he had received from her office. It requested election information and instructed him to reply. He instead called Kurtz…

It’s fair to want our election system to be secure, we all do. The good news is that the data show it already is.  According to the Heritage Foundation Election Fraud Map, from 1982– 2025 there were just three convictions for noncitizen voting in Minnesota.  That’s about 0.0000057% of ballots cast.  A separate study, Needles in Haystacks, by a University of St. Thomas researcher found three…

Absentee voting (or vote by mail) in Minnesota is built with multiple layers of security to protect voters and ensure every ballot is counted accurately.  Here’s a quick look at the safeguards in place:  Secure application and tracking: Ballots are requested through a verified application and tracked in the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS), allowing both voters and officials to…

Rock County deputy Jeff Stratton last week announced his intention to file for election as sheriff in the fall general election.  Stratton has been with the Rock County Sheriff’s office for six years, the last four of which have been as school resource officer for Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek school districts.  He is a Luverne native from the LHS class of 1998 and moved back to Rock County…

By the time our Star Herald subscribers read this, the 2024 general election will be in the books, and voters will be acclimating to results and their expected impact. As with every election, we can participate, but we can’t control outcomes. What we can control is how we respond to those outcomes. Will we trust our free and fair elections? Will we respect our local elections officials if the…

The USDA began mailing ballots last week to all eligible agricultural producers and private landowners across the country for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) committee elections. Elections are occurring in certain local administrative areas for these committee members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally.  Producers and landowners must return…