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MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: MAYOR WALSH AND COUNCIL MEMBERS <br /> <br />FROM: ANNA CARLSON, CITY CLERK <br />SUBJECT: ELECTIONS UPDATE – ABSENTEE BALLOTING PERIOD <br />JUNE 26 – AUGUST 10, 2020 <br />DATE: JUNE 8, 2020 <br /> <br />Purpose. The purpose of this memorandum is to update the City Council on In-Person Voting <br />during the Absentee Balloting Period for the 2020 State Primary Election. <br /> <br />Background. Hennepin County (HC) has offered to handle and process all Absentee (AB)/In- <br />Person Voting during the Primary AB Voting Period (June 26 to August 10, 2020) to assist Cities <br />during the COVID-19 pandemic. <br /> <br />HC is currently planning to only offer this for the 2020 Primary Election. There have been no <br />indications that HC will be offering this assistance during the 2020 General Election. The options <br />presented to all HC Cities are as follows: Conducting In-person Absentee Voting for all 46 days, the <br />last 7 days for Direct Balloting, or to opt out completely during the entire AB Period. <br /> <br />Hennepin County Elections required a response from Cities by June 8, 2020. Therefore Staff had <br />responded with their plans to move to the 7 day direct balloting format thereby still allowing time <br />for in person early voting, but limiting exposure and staffing time requirements over an extended <br />period. <br /> <br />Communications. Staff plans to notify voters by posting weekly-Biweekly messages through <br />listserv, Facebook, website, Twitter, flyers at the front desk beginning June 9, 2020. <br /> <br />Initial responses have been gathered from Hennepin County Elections. The table below shows <br />responses received. The number of ballots that would be processed for a regular Primary Election is <br />relatively low and it may simply not be worth the time, effort and exposure to the virus. <br /> <br />Orono had 7 Direct Ballots for the 2016 Primary and 61 Direct Ballots in 2018 Primary. <br />Historically Primary Absentee Balloting is much lower than the General/ Presidential Election. <br />Please see the stats shown in Exhibit A if needed. <br /> <br />Surrounding City Responses/Proposals to Council <br />City Open 46 Days <br />Open for <br />Direct <br />Balloting (7 <br />days) <br />Not Open for <br />AB Voting Undecided <br />Bloomington X <br />Brooklyn Center X