By Norma Dittman
Review staff writer
Perhaps it is another “sign of the times”, but more and more ballot precincts will be voting via mail.
In Jackson County, there are 28 total precincts (two each for the cities of Jackson and Lakefield). Of those twenty-eight precincts, 11 are mail ballot:
• Alba
• Belmont
• Enterprise
• Ewington,
• Heron Lake
• LaCrosse
• Rost,
• West Heron Lake
• Wisconsin Township
• City of Alpha
• City of Okabena.
Regular precincts are Christiana, Delafield, Des Moines, Hunter, Kimball, Middletown, Minneota, Petersburg, Round Lake, Sioux Valley and Weimer Townships and the cities of Heron Lake, Jackson, Lakefield and Wilder.
In Murray county, there are 29 precincts and 16 of them are mail ballots. The mail ballots precincts are:
• Avoca City
• Chanarambie Twp
• Currie City
• Dovray City
• Ellsborough Twp
• Fenton Twp
• Hadley City
• Holly Twp
• Iona Twp
• Leeds Twp
• Lime Lake Twp
• Lowville Twp
• Mason Twp
• Moulton Twp
• Murray Twp
• Skandia Twp
Murray County Auditor/Treasurer, Heidi Winter, said that when she first began working in Murray County in 2008, there were 11 mail ballot precincts. That number is now 16 and Winter stated, “A lot of the precincts have gone to mail ballot, because they do have a hard time replacing election judges who have retired. You also have to factor the cost of preparing and mailing the ballots against having judges at the polling places. It is a considerably higher cost to have a polling place and judges then to do mail ballots.”
Winter also said that there is a higher number of returned ballots from the mail ballot precincts than if they were voting at a polling place.
In Nobles County there are 10 mail ballot precincts. They are:
• Bloom Township
• Elk Township
• Graham Lakes Township
• Leota Township
• Lorraine Township
• Olney Township
• Westside Township
• Worthington Township
City of Dundee
Kinbrae
Bloom and Elk Township precincts in Nobles County have been using mail ballots. The other eight precincts are new this election to mail ballots.
In order to vote by mail, you need to apply to have an absentee ballot mailed to you. You do not need to be registered to apply.
Once you receive your ballot, for your ballot to count, remember this important information:
• Read the instructions that come with your ballot carefully.
• You will need a witness when you vote and complete your ballot. The witness can be either a registered Minnesota voter or a notary.
• Mail the ballot and forms back right away after you finish. Your ballot will not count if it is received after Election Day.
