Who Decides Poll Pads?
Are city, county, and OSS attorneys omitting key details?
In a presentation given to all municipalities in Anoka County on Jan 29, 2025, the Elections Manager of Anoka County said the county has authority to decide that the cities will use poll pads, even if they don't want to (2 cities, Oak Grove and Ramsey, have cancelled their agreement with the county).
What was curiously omitted was the statutory language that provides support for and points to city choice, a direct counter to his own conclusion. (See image at top of this article/email.)
Why the Elections Manager would make such a glaring omission is unknown but he should be asked. Why his attorneys haven't clarified his omission should also be questioned.
At minimum, it appears that some city, county, and OSS attorneys are cherry-picking language from statutes that supports their preference. At worst, they could be supporting electronic poll pads whether or not they understand the internet-cellular devices to be the Trojan horse of Minnesota elections.
Erik van Mechelen, candidate for 2022 MNSOS, is a writer who doesn't want elected officials nor staff to lie (especially by omission) to the people who pay their salaries.
