Expect Delays in Counting Minnesota Election Ballots
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Minnesota's top election official is warning that it could take a week or more to announce the final results from next week's primary election and the general election in November.
Secretary of State Steve Simon says he is asking for patience as state and local election officials work to meet what he described as an "incredible challenge" created by the COVID 19 pandemic. Election officials statewide have seen a surge in requests for absentee ballots this year and tabulating those votes will take additional time. He has sent out an open letter that erases any expectation that election results might be known election night or even the next morning.
Simon say absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day but they will still be accepted by election officials if they are received up to two days after the August 11 primary or seven days after the general election on November 3rd. In previous elections, the absentee ballots had to be received by election day to be counted.