6 municipalities in Anoka County intend to hand count

Last night, Monday 16 September, 2024, with a 3-2 vote the City of Anoka (in Anoka County) voted to expand its post election review hand count.

The post election review audit is a hand count of all ballots: early, absentee, mail-in, and election day ballots. (Minn Stat 206.89)

Why that matters: In 2020 there was a 3-inch stack of uncreased mail-in ballots at the Dakota County post election review. (These were most likely not legitimate ballots.)

SOS has said the cities don't have the authority to ask for this and is meanwhile pressuring the county canvassing board not to accept their ask.

Normally, according to Minn Stat 206.89, a minimum of 3% of precincts are chosen by lot for a post election review hand count. Counties in the past have expanded the number. Now the SOS is trying to say additional precincts can't be added because it's not random.

See 206.89 subdivision 3 to note there is no limit to the number of races (elections) that can be counted.

Well, it could be kept random by choosing several (at random) from a city that wants to have one or more of their precincts included. It's still unknown which from that city would get chosen: therefore, random.

Any municipality may ask to be included in the post election hand count (else none of their ballots or vote tallies are audited) and then help the county canvassing board understand why they are asking.