Sponsor: Property Tax, Records & Election Services
Title
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Absentee Ballot Board for 2022
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Recommendation
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1. Establish a Ramsey County Absentee Ballot Board.
2. Authorize the County Auditor to appoint members to serve on the Ramsey County Absentee Ballot Board.
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Background and Rationale
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Minnesota Statutes section 203B.121 states that the governing body of the county must establish an absentee ballot board annually, by ordinance or resolution, to process and count absentee ballots. The Ramsey County ballot board will process and count absentee ballots issued by the County Auditor and absentee ballots issued by the municipalities who have designated this duty to the County Auditor. This action will establish the ballot board for elections held in 2022.
The absentee ballot board must consist of a sufficient number of election judges and may include deputy county auditors if additional personnel are needed. All members of the absentee ballot board must receive training in the processing and counting of absentee ballots before being appointed to the absentee ballot board. Only election judges appointed to the absentee ballot board may perform the duties found in Minnesota Statutes 203B.121, Subd. 2(b)(3) and 206.86. All members of the absentee ballot board may perform other duties set forth by applicable law.
Since July 2020, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners has authorized the County Auditor to appoint members to serve on the absentee ballot board.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Appointments to the ballot board must first be made to election judges who are recruited by the state’s major political parties. As a result, the ballot board may be staffed in a manner that does not accurately represent Ramsey County’s racial demographics.
Community Participation Level and Impact
The community is informed about this action through the state’s major political parties who are required by Minnesota Statutes to recruit and provide lists of names of election judges. Over 2,000 Ramsey County residents serve as election judges and are involved in the administration of Ramsey County elections.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The approved 2022-23 Property Taxes, Records & Election Services budget includes payments for the election judges and deputy county auditors to perform the duties of the absentee ballot board.
Last Previous Action
On July 7, 2020, the Ramsey County Board established the absentee ballot board for 2020 (Resolution B2020-205)
Attachments
None.