Carver caving in

With a second chance, still no explanation from commissioners or staff as to why a city clerk in Carver County instructed two election judges at end of night to sign saying the ballot envelope was closed but to NOT close it. This is a major scandal and the staff and commissioners have little to say about it, making it a bigger shame:

• County Attorney Mark Metz says ~we don't have evidence and there is no investigation (aka please stop speaking on this embarrassing topic)
• Property & Finance Director Dave Frischmon says We tried to train them, but we can't control what they do... also suggests that a deputy sheriff's report said there wasn't substantial evidence to verify the claim
• Elections Administrator Kendra Olson says the clerk is no longer clerk and what was done is outside of training but also doesn't suggest anything was done wrong (why is clerk no longer the clerk?)
• Commissioner Lisa Anderson says it's good to know what went well and what needs to be improved

None of these people seem comfortable at all. I am not a reporter but I can tell when someone is uncomfortable. More government people should realize that questions need to be answered better than this bunch or questions will continue coming.

See 1h35m45s for details on the ballot envelope instructed to stay open.

There is much more in this 2 hour video. Expect more later.

Erik van Mechelen is a writer, historian, and auditor of Minnesota government. Elections laws should not only be followed but when there is obvious wrongdoing it is shameful when those responsible to check sit on their hands. All of these commissioners, the attorney, the elections administrator, and the property and finance director, can do something, yet continue not to... the answers are almost always the same—you might be right but we're not going to check so we ourselves don't have to know for sure = plausible deniability. Maybe it's weakness. maybe cowardice. One could hope not something worse.