Next week at this time, the 2020 General Election Day will be over and it is anticipated that some key races will not yet be decided. All Minnesota election officials will be working diligently to ensure that all votes are counted. Because of the high volume of absentee ballots to be processed and the special 2020 “postmark” rule the seven days following the election will be critical for our state and our nation. We want to be transparent with the public and make sure everyone is aware of how we will be updating results.

It is anticipated that Brown County will be providing election results once all physical precincts have completed their work. Absentee vote totals will also be submitted to the Secretary of State and appear on their website shortly after our submission on Election Day.

Brown County plans to update vote totals on each of the business days following the election through the end of the deadline to accept absentee ballots on November 10th. A daily report will be submitted to the Secretary of State by 3 p.m. each day. The voters and the media will be able to access updates on counted ballots along with our daily report on outstanding ballots that still have potential to be counted.

If voters do their part, and mail their ballots now . . . there will be little or no fluctuation in vote totals during that week. It behooves all of us to return our ballots TODAY by using the USPS or our drop box located in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center. Prior to mailing your ballot, please review the envelope to ensure that you have signed the envelope and provided the identifying information if it is required.

Absentee voting continues through Election Day. Voters can cast a ballot M-F from 8-4:30 at the Auditor-Treasurer’s office. There will be no direct balloting offered this year due to the pandemic and the need to keep staff healthy to continue to conduct this election. In addition, Statute requires the office to be open Saturday, October 31st from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I believe that voter turnout will be off the charts this year! We did not ask for this pandemic and the challenges that occurred in all of our lives, but we will overcome it!