[MN-at-Large] Reminders Regarding Voting and Absentee Ballots

Sat Jul 30 21:10:02 UTC 2022

>
>The August 9 primary is fast approaching, and the general election 
>will be here before we know it.  Here are some updated descriptions 
>of the accessible absentee ballot process.  This information is 
>accurate as far as we know, but there are some aspects we have not 
>been able to confirm.
>
>Again this year, blind Minnesotans can vote privately, safely and 
>accessibly, because <https://nfbmn.org/voting/2020-10-24>the 
>Secretary of State did the right thing by adopting an electronic 
>tool to mark absentee ballots from home. While blind Minnesotans may 
>need assistance to sign the ballot envelope and add their 
>identification number, the ballot itself can remain private.
>
>If you would like to use the accessible absentee ballot for the 
>August 9 primary, you must start working on that right away. Also, 
>we have recently learned that counties can optionally provide other 
>approaches to making absentee ballots accessible, so the process 
>explained here could vary. Finally, it is our understanding that 
>there might not be an accessible absentee ballot option in Ramsey 
>County at this point for the primary, but they will have a process 
>in place for the general election this fall.  Also, remember that 
>"early voting" using an accessible voting machine is an option.
>
>Follow these steps to request, complete, and return your accessible, 
>absentee ballot.
>    * <http://mnvotes.org/>Request your absentee ballot using the 
> standard process. You will need the envelopes that will be sent 
> with your paper, absentee ballot, so don't throw them away!
>    * 
> <https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/find-county-election-office/?searchTerm=county%20elections>Contact 
> your county's election office (Office of the County Auditor), and 
> request an an electronic ballot as a reasonable accommodation under 
> the Americans with Disabilities Act.
>    * Follow the link and instructions that your County Auditor will 
> e-mail to you to reach the Omniballot system hosted by Democracy Live.
>    * Print the marked ballot, and seal it inside the smallest, tan 
> envelope (called the Secrecy Envelope) sent with your absentee ballot.
>    * Insert the Secrecy Envelope into the medium-sized, white 
> Signature Envelope and seal it. At this point, you may need sighted 
> assistance to fully complete the required form fields on the 
> signature envelope. This includes your signature, a signature of a 
> witness, and the identifying code you used when you requested an 
> absentee ballot. This identifying code is either your State ID card 
> number of the last four digits of your Social Security number.
>    * Place this sealed envelope inside the largest Mailing/Return 
> Envelope, seal it, and mail it so that it arrives by Election Day.
>
><tel:+16512151440>Contact the Minnesota Voter Help Hotline at (651) 
>215-1440 for any questions related to accessible voting.
>
>If you can't locate your county's contact information, contact our 
>office at 612-872-9363 and we can locate it for you, but the website 
>with this information is pretty easy to use. As shown above, that link is
>
><https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/find-county-election-office/?searchTerm=county%20elections>Find 
>Your County Election Office
>
>I found that finding your county on the list and pressing SPACE 
>seems to work best. The county information will appear just after 
>the county name but the rest of the list remains visible. Sometimes 
>you may find that the virtual cursor has gone to the top of the page 
>and you may need to navigate back to the county name you 
>selected.  Here is some information for several major counties that 
>cover the Twin Cities, Rochester, Duluth, and the St. Cloud area.
>
>
>
>
>Benton County
>
>
>
>Election official: Nadean Inman
>General phone: 320-968-5027
>Fax: 320-968-5337
>Website: <http://www.co.benton.mn.us/>http://www.co.benton.mn.us/
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.benton.mn.us>elections at co.benton.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>Hennepin County Elections
>
>
>
>Phone: 612-348-5151
>Fax: 612-348-2151
>Email: <mailto:hc.vote at hennepin.us>hc.vote at hennepin.us
>
>
>
>
>Olmsted County
>
>
>
>Election official: Luke Turner
>General phone: 507-328-7650
>Fax: 507-328-7640
>Website: <https://olmstedcounty.gov/>https://olmstedcounty.gov
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.olmsted.mn.us>elections at co.olmsted.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>Ramsey County
>
>
>
>Election official: David Triplett
>General phone: 651-266-2171
>Fax: 651-266-2177
>Website: 
><https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/elections-voting>https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/elections-voting
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.ramsey.mn.us>elections at co.ramsey.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>Saint Louis County
>
>
>
>Election official: Nancy Nilsen
>General phone: 218-726-2385
>Fax: 218-725-5060
>Website: <http://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/>http://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/
>Email: <mailto:elections at stlouiscountymn.gov>elections at stlouiscountymn.gov
>
>
>
>
>Sherburne County
>
>
>
>Election official: Diane Arnold
>General phone: 763-765-4351
>Fax: 763-765-4400
>Website: <http://www.co.sherburne.mn.us/>http://www.co.sherburne.mn.us/
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.sherburne.mn.us>elections at co.sherburne.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>Stearns County
>
>
>
>Election official: Randy Schreifels
>General phone: 320-656-3920
>Fax: 320-203-6960
>Website: <https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/>https://www.stearnscountymn.gov
>
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.stearns.mn.us>elections at co.stearns.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>Washington County
>
>
>
>Election official: Christine Piskura
>General phone: 651-430-6175
>Fax: 651-430-6178
>Website: <http://www.co.washington.mn.us/>http://www.co.washington.mn.us/
>Email: <mailto:elections at co.washington.mn.us>elections at co.washington.mn.us
>
>
>
>
>
>Best regards,
>
>
>
>Steve Jacobson, President
>
>National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota
>
><http://www.nfbmn.org/>www.nfbmn.org
>
>(612) 872-9363
>
>www.nfb.org
>
>Live the life you Want.
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