Laserfiche WebLink
HAND COUNTFD PAPER BALLOTS.* RES #6 <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 2024- <br /> CITY OF <br /> ANOKA COUNTY <br /> STATE OF MINNESOTA <br /> RESOLUTION TO HAND COUNT BALLOTS/VOTES AT PRECINCTS <br /> IN 2024 PRIMARY & GENERAL ELECTIONS <br /> WHEREAS, free and fair elections are the bedrock supporting the superstructure of our <br /> constitutional republic and local voting precincts are the building blocks of our democratic <br /> process; and <br /> WHEREAS, our election system is a fair, efficient and cost-effective means to select public <br /> officials who then make decisions about government programs and services amounting to <br /> millions, billions and even trillions of dollars at all governmental levels; and <br /> WHEREAS, on January 6, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated <br /> as critical infrastructure the U.S. election systems including voting machines, registration <br /> databases, polling locations and voting storage facilities thereby recognizing the need for <br /> vigilant protection from fraud, corruption and cyber attack either foreign or domestic; and <br /> WHEREAS, current Minnesota law, as recently amended, mandates the continued use of <br /> an electronic voting system (i.e. vote tabulator-M.S. 206.56, subd. 8) for state elections (206.58) <br /> but there is no provision preventing a municipality from conducting a parallel hand count of all <br /> or some of the ballots and votes; and <br /> WHEREAS, the governing body of a municipality shall give approval before an electronic <br /> voting system may be adopted or used in the municipality (206.58) which was effectively done <br /> by the City/Township of under the Joint Powers Agreement, as amended, and <br /> referenced as Anoka County Contract No. C0008996 and dated November, 2021; and <br /> WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes empower municipalities (cities and townships) to create <br /> voting precincts (204B.14), establish polling places (204B.16), appoint and employ election <br /> judges (204B.21) and administer election-day activities at the polls (204C) including the hand <br /> counting of ballots and votes in each precinct (204C.19) using the piling system (204C.21). <br /> 14 <br />