Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brown County Auditor Treasurer (AT) Kelly Hotovec stands next to the absentee voting information table outside the AT office on the Brown County Courthouse second floor. March 5 Presidential Nomination Primary (PNP) Election absentee voting began Jan. 19 in the courthouse.

NEW ULM — Absentee voting for the March 5 Presidential Nomination Primary (PNP) is open.

In-person absentee voting began Jan. 19. Hours at 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Brown County Auditor-Treasurer’s (AT) Office on the courthouse second floor.

The AT office offers extended in-person absentee voting hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 2 and until 5 p.m. and Monday, March 4.

“Not too many people have come in to vote yet, but it just opened,” said Brown County Auditor-Treasurer Kelly Hotovec.

“People can request ballots online as well. We get several of them each day and fulfill them each day,” Hotovec said.

“We’re here if people have questions. One thing to note is that voters need to select their political party preference but that information will only be shared with the major political party chairperson,” she added.

Absentee voting begins on a cabinet top just outside the Brown County AT office. Registered Minnesota voters wishing to absentee vote need to complete a Minnesota Absentee Ballot Application available on the hallway cabinet.

Unregistered voters must fill out both a Minnesota Voter Registration Application and Minnesota Absentee Ballot Application.

Mail ballots for the PNP Election were sent to Brown County cities and townships using mail ballots Jan. 23. Mail ballot voting applies for the cities of Cobden, Evan and Hanska plus the townships of Albin, Cottonwood, Home, Lake Hanska, Linden, Mulligan, Prairieville, Sigel, Stark and Stately.

Beginning Friday, Feb. 16, absentee ballot voters can place their ballots directly in ballot counters at the auditor-treasurer’s office.

Mail ballots must be returned in the postage-paid envelope or dropped off at the auditor-treasurer’s office no later than 8 p.m. Election Day (March 5).

Mail ballot instructions required voters to list their party affiliation and only vote the ballot for that party. No other ballots will be accepted or counted.

Residents not registered to vote need to register to receive a ballot by mail.

A new Minnesota laws allows convicted felons to vote if they are not incarcerated (in jail or prison) serving a felony sentence on Election Day.

Minnesota felons able to vote include those released from incarceration after a felony sentence, charged with a felony but not yet convicted, given a stay of adjudication, released from incarceration after serving a felony sentence in another state and charged with or convicted of a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor.

Minnesotans at least 16 years old may now preregister to vote online and with paper voter registration forms. Eligible 16 and 17-year-olds who preregister will become automatically registered to vote the day they turn 18.

Presidential Nomination Primary Ballots include the Republican Party, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Legal Marijuana Now Party.

Voting instructions and sample ballots are available in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

Absentee and mail ballots can be tracked online at https://mnvotes.sos.mn.gov/abstatus/index

The Voter’s Bill of Rights includes the right to be absent from work for the purpose of voting in a state, federal, or regularly scheduled election without pay reduction, personal leave, or vacation time on election day for the time necessary to appear at a polling place, cast a ballot, and return to work.

If you are in line at your polling place any time before 8 p.m., you have the right to vote.

If you can provide required proof of residence, you have the right to register to vote and to vote on election day.

If you are unable to sign your name, you have the right to orally confirm your identity with an election judge and to direct another person to sign your name for you.

You have the right to request special assistance when voting. If you do, you may be accompanied into the voting booth by a person of your choice, except by an agent of your employer or union.

You have the right to bring your minor children into the polling place and into the voting booth with your.

If you are under guardianship, you have the right to vote, unless the court order revokes your right to vote.

If you make a mistake or spoil your ballot before it is submitted, you have the right to receive a replacement ballot and vote.

Precinct caucuses will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27. Caucus locations will be on the Minnesota Secretary of State Caucus Finder beginning Feb. 7.

For more information, call the Brown County AT Office at 507-233-6811 or visit www.co.brown.mn.us/election. Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website at https://www.sos.state.mn.us