Absentee voting at 13 percent; general election is Tuesday

Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2010

By ELISA SAND, Staff Reporter

Election Day is Tuesday, but more than 1,000 local voters -- close to 13 percent -- have already elected to vote absentee. That number continues to rise with four working days available for absentee voting before the election.

Registered voters are able to cast absentee ballots beginning 45 days prior to both primary and general elections. Residents can vote absentee by requesting a ballot in the mail or visiting the elections office in the Lake County Courthouse during regular business hours.

Lake County Auditor Kay Schmidt said the number of absentee voters so far is fewer than in the 2006 governor's race, where nearly 21 percent (1,730 voters) cast absentee ballots. By Election Day, the number of absentee voters could be close to that. The number of eligible voters at that time was 8,422, which is comparable to the 8,353 voters currently on Lake County's active voter registration list.

Absentee ballots can be requested as late as 3 p.m. on Tuesday and must be returned by 7 p.m. While voters can request ballots by mail, Schmidt said, given the turnaround time in the mail and the fact that the election is so close, voters should come to the courthouse to vote. The elections office is next door to the auditor's office on the first floor.

Whether voting absentee or at the official polls on Tuesday, voters are reminded to bring photo identification, which is now required. Schmidt said voters who do not present an ID will not be turned away; they are required to fill out and sign an affidavit that acknowledges their identity.

While there are 8,353 active voters in Lake County, Schmidt said there are about 700 are inactive voters, which means they haven't voted in the past four years. Voters considered inactive are able to vote, but are asked to fill out a card with current address information before receiving their ballot.

Voters considered inactive for more than four years are removed from the voter registration list, Schmidt said.

The ballot for next week's election presents several choices. Races to be decided include U.S. representative, governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, state treasurer, commissioner of school and public lands, public utilities commissioner, District 8 senator, two District 8 representatives, county auditor, county sheriff and two county commissioners.

Some local voters will also decide one of the directors for the East Dakota Water Development District. Also on the ballot are two constitutional amendments, an initiated measure and a referred law.

Because of the number of races, Schmidt said, voters should bring a sample ballot with them that includes notes on their candidate choices.

"We have a good supply of sample ballots and ballot questions," Schmidt said.

Sample ballots are available online on the Lake County auditor's website and the secretary of state's website. The county auditor's website also has voter registration forms and applications for requesting absentee ballots.

Tuesday's voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dakota Prairie Playhouse for all city precincts and residents in Lakeview, Herman, Winfred, Farmington, LeRoy, Clarno and Orland townships.

Chester and Franklin townships vote at the Chester Fire Hall. Wentworth and Rutland townships vote at the Wentworth Fire Hall. Nunda and Summit townships vote at the Nunda Fire Hall.

Concord, Badus and Wayne townships and Ramona Village vote in the Ramona Catholic Church parish hall.

No campaigning is allowed within 100 feet of the entrance to any voting precinct. Voters who wear campaign attire to the precinct location will be asked to remove the attire (turn shirts inside out) or leave the polling place.

©Madison Daily Leader 2010