11/14/2011 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

16.0 AFTER THE ELECTION 16.1 RECEIVING MATERIALS On election night at least one election judge from each precinct must deliver the following items to the county auditor or the city clerk (who delivers to the county auditor) after all ballots have been counted but no later than 24 hours after voting ends at 8:00 p.m. on election night: 1. two sets of summary statements; and 2. all voted and spoiled ballots. (MS. 204C.27) Every auditor must remain in their office on the night of the election until all returns have been delivered to the auditor's office. The auditor must prepare a record of all materials delivered to their office on the night of the election. This record must be prepared in the presence of the city clerk or election judge who delivered the materials to the auditor's office. The record must include all materials delivered, the time of delivery, the name of the individual who made the delivery, the number of ballots delivered to the precinct and the total number of ballots returned as listed on the summary statement. A discrepancy between the number of ballots delivered and returned must be noted. All envelopes returned on election night must remain sealed and stored in a secure place in the auditor's office. (M.S. 204C.28, subd. 1) At least one election judge from each precinct must deliver the following to the city clerk within 24 hours after voting has ended on the night of the election: 1. remaining summary statements and returns; 2. all unused and spoiled municipal ballots; 3. completed voter registration applications; 4. voter rosters; and 5. voting systems. The city clerk then must return all polling place rosters and completed voter registration applications to the county auditor within 48 hours after voting ends on election night. Rosters may need to be returned to the county auditor sooner to complete accepting /rejecting absentee ballots within 24 hours after the polls close. (M.S. 204C.27) 16.2 CANVASS OF THE RETURNS The city council serves as the canvassing board for city elections. The council must meet to canvass the returns and declare the results on the third day after a primary and within three to 10 days after a general election. (MS. 205.185, subd. 3; 205.065, subd. 5) The steps to canvass the results are: 1. the clerk prepares a canvass report to accumulate results from multiple precincts; this report may be available from the state Election Reporting System; 2. the canvass board takes the oath of office and publicly canvasses the election returns by reviewing the abstract and write -in reports a. the board may ask to examine summary statements before it declares the results; b. when satisfied that the abstract reports are correct, the board signs the abstracts and they become the official results; c. in the case of a tie vote, the canvassing board determines the winner by lot; Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State 55