Absentee ballots are now available for the November election.
Applications for the absentee ballots may be filed by voters that are unable to be present at their polling place and want to vote in the general election Nov. 4.
Bob Peterson, Koochiching County auditor/treasurer, said that in addition to being an eligible voter in the county and a U.S. citizen, to cast an absentee ballot the voter must meet the following conditions:
• Absent from the precinct.
• Ill or disabled.
• Serve as an election judge in another precinct.
• Take part in religious discipline or religious holiday or observance.
• Experience an eligible emergency declared by the governor or quarantine declared by the federal or state government.
The application for an absentee ballot may be downloaded from the office of Minnesota Secretary of State Web site at www.sos.state.mn.us. It can also be picked at the Koochiching County Auditor’s Office.
Absentee ballots were sent to current applicants on Friday. Applications for ballots from now until Nov. 3 will be sent out upon receipt. The completed absentee ballot must be received by the county auditor by Nov. 4, or it will not be counted.
Ballots in the prepaid envelope should be mailed to the Koochiching County Auditor’s Office, 715 4th Street, International Falls, MN 56649-2486. It may also be dropped off in person until 5 p.m. Nov. 3.
The Auditor’s Office hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Voters may also have another person return the completed ballot in a sealed envelope until 3 p.m. on Election Day.
“We don’t have a lot of agents do delivery here, but they can come in until 3 p.m. on Election Day,” said Peterson. “We have trained election judges in the Falls, Littlefork and Northome that go to the nursing homes with ballots and they can vote prior to the election and be treated like an absentee.”
New residents that have lived in the county for 20 days or longer by Election Day may register at the polls to vote with proof of residency. Peterson encourages voters to preregister and save time by avoiding the additional process on Election Day.
Voters residing in the county less than 20 days should review the “Presidential Absentee Ballot Application” to find out how to vote in Minnesota for the presidential election only.
“We have certified listings of employees, and facilities send us lists of people that can vouch for them as far as employees,” he added.
If someone registered in the previous election and are not on the rolls for this election, Peterson said they may have moved, even within the same precinct. Or, he said, their prior vote could have also been challenged for some reason.
“The best thing to do to have the registration done is to preregister by Oct. 14, and they will be on the rosters at their polling place,” he said.
Visit the Secretary of State Web site to locate your county polling place. For more information contact Bob Peterson, Koochiching County Auditor/Treasurer at 218 283-1101 or email bob.peterson@co.koochiching.mn.us.
