Brown County commissioners approve ballot, canvass boards

Presidential nomination primary March 5

NEW ULM -- Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved establishing absentee and UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) ballot boards Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Dave Borchert, seconded by Brian Braun to establish ballot boards consisting of a election judges and temporary election and deputy auditor staff trained as election judges to accept/reject returned absentee, UOCAVA and mail ballots in Brown County.

A list of absentee and UOCAVA ballot board temporary election staff and deputy county auditors will be on file in the Brown County Auditor-Treasurer Department for review by challengers.

Commissioners unanimously established dates and times of the 2024 Elections Canvassing Board, motion by Commissioner Braun, seconded by Borchert.

Commissioners unanimously appointed Commissioners Jeff Veerkamp and Tony Berg to the canvassing board.

The presidential nomination primary is Tuesday, March 5. The Brown County canvassing board meets at 10 a.m. March 7.

The state primary is Aug. 13. The canvassing board meets at 10 a.m. Aug. 15.

The state general election is Nov. 5. The canvassing board meets at 10 a.m., Nov. 8.

Canvassing boards are required to review vote totals, certify results and declare primary election nominees and general election winners.

County canvassing boards consist of the county auditor, district court administrator, mayor of the county's biggest city and two county board members.

Commissioners unanimously approved sending a letter to the Minnesota legislative delegation urging increasing election official and election worker compensation for Minnesota or a political subdivision from less than $1,000 a calendar year to less than $6,700 in a calendar year, motion by Commissioner Borchert, seconded by Scott Windschitl.

On Nov. 7, commissioners authorized hiring up to 10 temporary, part-time election workers in the auditor-treasurer's department to assist with preparing for the upcoming presidential nomination primary, state primary, and state general elections with approximate employment from Jan. 3 to Nov. 5.

The State will reimburse the County for temporary election worker compensation. With three 2024 elections, it is assumed the workers will receive more than $1,000 in compensation, causing the County to be subject to several unemployment claims upon temporary employment of election workers.

If a Brown County Temporary Election worker works an eight-hour day, the per diem pay would be $100. If the employee works 67 days in the calendar year, compensation would be $6,700, thus a request to increase non-covered unemployment compensation from $1,000 to $6,700.

Commissioners unanimously approved appointing temporary part-time election assistants, pending and contingent on successful completion of pre-employment background checks, motion by Commissioner Borchert, seconded by Braun.

Temporary part-time election assistants are Luayne Ruch, David Pearson, Christine Pfeiffer, Monica Parker, Heidi Falk, Betti Kamolz, Thomas Romaine, and Autumn Gatzlaff.