8.3. SR 10-05-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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9/21/2015 From the editor: County election results come slowly but surely; push needed to bring timIiness in line with neighboring counties to the east I Star News because most of the facilities were in one town. District 728 officials should find a time to properly celebrate this monumental vote. It's a sign the Elk River Area School District has pulled together and is focused on bettering educational opportunities for all parts of the school district. First results Among the first results locally on the bond and levy came from the state's most populous counties of Anoka and Hennepin. Rogers results, for instance, came in during the 9 o'clock hour. Anoka County had all of its results in by about 10:30 p.m. according to a news editor stationed in Coon Rapids. So what gives? It's technology and the feasibility of its use. After initial talks with county auditors in Sherburne, Anoka and Hennepin counties, it's clear the big difference is Anoka and Hennepin have gone to wireless modems, thanks in large part to Help America Vote Act of 2002, and continued financial support at the local and county level. The act got those two counties going in this direction and technological advances since have only made their processes even faster and more accurate. The city of Anoka, for instance, started reporting its precinct results at 8:02 p.m. on election night. The last precinct sent its results at 8:10 p.m. Rogers, located in Hennepin County, was also quick. That gives the county plenty of time to merge the results of absentee ballots and get the results posted up on the Minnesota Secretary of State's Web page. I would encourage the county boards in Sherburne and Wright counties get behind the Minnesota Association of County Officers to push for a Help Minnesota Vote Act. Sherburne County Auditor Diane Arnold has worked with precincts throughout the county to check into the feasibility of electronically submitting results from the precincts, but she has found many barriers ranging from a lack of access to phone lines as well as a lack of cellular towers and tin roofs ill-suited for such efforts. There are a host of other barriers. Some may miss the nostalgia of waiting up all night for results to come in on election http://erstarnews.com/2014/11/22/county-election-results-come-slowly-but-surely- push- needed-to-bring-ti mIiness-in-line-with-neighboring-counties-to-the-east/ 2/3