How Should Voters Be Checked In?

Electronics or paper/pen?

Questions about KNOWiNK/BPro have come up again, which has given context to ongoing discussions in Minnesota about how to check in voters.

Should check-in be on cloud-based software on iPads OR paper and pen?

Four men and women, part of ACEIT (Anoka County Election Integrity Team) spoke to the Anoka County Commissioners yesterday, Jan 28, 2025, ahead of a city-level meeting today, Jan 29, 2025 between the Anoka County Elections Department and Oak Grove, one of the cities which has cancelled its electronic poll pad agreement with the county.

Before the election, the county elections department sent an unsigned letter to election workers which in part including a suggestion from the county attorney that felonies would be handed out to anyone not using the iPads.

Back in 2016, during the Hennepin County rollout, a computer expert and mayor hacked into the poll pads, didn't like the agreement, and his city voted not to use them despite facing a legal threat of their own.

Derek gives Minnesota background and makes case for paper

Lori shares the staff-level arguments and counter-arguments for electronic poll pads

Brenda reads an excerpt from Rick Weible's letter about the 2016 events

Erik asks what Anoka County's requirements are versus the MNSOS's requirements/suggestions

Many counties in MN do NOT use electronic poll pads—perhaps cell phone towers weren't close enough for those areas—and so those counties and some partial counties still do not. There is not a huge demand for the iPads, and now, in areas that have used them since 2016 or 2018, there are discussions of whether it is worth the money or security risk.

Two cities in Anoka County, Oak Grove and Ramsey, have already cancelled their agreements with the county.