Absentee Voting higher then last election during Minnesota Primary Election

In-person voting during the Minnesota primary election this year isn't as popular as it has been in previous elections, according to election officials.

MOORHEAD, Minn. – As we creep closer to the General Election in November, the Minnesota State Primary may be able to show us a preview of what voting will look like.

In-person voting during the Minnesota primary election this year isn’t as popular as it has been in previous elections, according to election officials.

At Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead, a little over 40 people voted by noon.

“It’s a lot slower this year, however, our absentee ballot numbers are very much higher. I think so many people have chosen to do absentee voting just because of the safety of it,” said Christina Rust, the City Clerk for the City of Moorhead.

Safety is something that election officials are keeping at the forefront of their minds this year.

They’ve done everything the CDC has asked them to, from making sure voters keep their distance from each other, to hand sanitzing stations, free masks, and free pens.

All to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

“I think in terms of the safety and security, I think we’ve nailed that down,” said Rust.

Those safety concerns aren’t just for voters however, it’s for the judges who help make sure our elections run.

Officials say they need more elections judges for the general election this November, a lesson they learned from this primary election.

“A lot of our election judges are in a more vulnerable category when it comes to COVID. So we’ve had difficulty getting judges,” said Rust.

COVID-19 isn’t stopping some people from getting out and voting.

They say that it’s important to them to vote in person so that nobody can silence their voice.

“I don’t like the idea of sending a ballot to your house, and if somebody else gets a hold of that ballot, they can vote on it, and you don’t,” said Muriel, a voter in Clay County.

“When I came in, I had to sign my name, and I get my ballot. If they mail it to my house, I mean, there is people that have moved, I’ve gotten mail for other people, how do I know that somebody isn’t stealing my vote?” asked Sherrie, another Clay County voter.

Even though in person voting may not be the most popular option people are choosing to cast their vote, officials still think Minnesotans are enthusiastic about having their voice heard.

If you’d like to become an election judge, visit this link for official information on how to do so from the Minnesota Secretary of State.