So far, 1,548 ballots have been submitted

 

More than 1,500 absentee ballots have already been received in Freeborn County in the lead-up to next month’s election.

Freeborn County Auditor-Treasurer Pat Martinson said the 1,548 absentee ballots received as of Tuesday morning is behind the pace of 2016, when 2,828 absentee and mail ballots were submitted. She added voter participation is typically higher in presidential election years, when participation rates normally hover around 90 percent. She said voter participation in non-presidential election years is around 70 percent. 

Of the ballots received, about 500 were received through the mail as of Tuesday morning.

Martinson said absentee voting in Minnesota has increased since the Legislature in 2014 passed no-excuse absentee voting. She expects the number of submitted absentee ballots to increase during the remaining absentee voting period.

“I just think people are taking advantage of the opportunity to vote absentee and not having to go to the polls on Election Day to vote,” Martinson said. “We’re very busy, but anything that gets people to turn out is advantageous.”

According to an Oct. 11 Minnesota Secretary of State press release, more than 223,000 absentee ballots had been requested statewide, and the state was on pace for record absentee balloting.

“I am so proud of Minnesota voters for continuing to vote early at a record-setting pace,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “It’s critical that every Minnesotan knows that your absentee ballot will be counted exactly the same as a ballot cast on Election Day.

“Rumors to the contrary are simply untrue. If you’re concerned, please go to mnvotes.org and check the status of your absentee ballot.”

Simon said at least 223,688 absentee ballots had been requested by Minnesota voters by Oct. 11, and 85,438 had been accepted by election officials. The rate of absentee ballot requests was an increase of 209 percent since 2014 — the last statewide non-presidential election. The rate of accepted ballots was an increase of 221 percent over the same time in 2014, Simon said.

The Auditor-Treasurer’s Office handles all absentee ballots in Freeborn County. Interested absentee voters first fill out an application and then vote. The office can mail interested absentee voters applications and ballots. The ballots are then returned, either through the mail or in-person. Verification of identification takes place before ballot acceptance. 

“We accept it at that time, and then seven days before the election, we can start opening and running them through the ballot counter,” Martinson said.

Absentee ballots will be available until 5 p.m. Nov. 5. Polling ends at 8 p.m. Election Day.

The Auditor-Treasurer’s Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for absentee voting and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3.

If a voter mails in a ballot with incorrect personal information, it is rejected, and the Auditor-Treasurer’s Office sends the voter another ballot. If that occurs within five days of the general election, the voter is contacted by phone and given the chance to come into the office and correct the error.

Voters who are unable to vote at the Freeborn County Government Center on Election Day due to certain conditions can designate someone who they have a relationship with to take the ballot back to the polling location.

 

Freeborn County voting participation

2016 general election

• 17,920 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 1,667 same-day registration voters

• 2,828 accepted absentee/mail ballots

 

2014 general election

• 17,709 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 730 same-day registration voters

• 1,241 accepted absentee ballots

 

2012 general election

• 17,946 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 2,546 same-day registration voters

• 1,565 accepted absentee ballots

 

2010 general election

• 18,716 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 1,003 same-day registration voters

• 942 accepted absentee ballots

 

2008 general election

• 19,376 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 2,631 same-day registration voters

• 1,868 accepted absentee ballots

 

2006 general election

• 19,378 voters registered at 7 a.m. Election Day

• 1,605 same-day registration voters

• 1,207 accepted absentee ballots