State will help city get new voting equipment

Minneota City officials knew it was coming. So did township officers. Last week Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon announced that his office is now accepting grant applications to assist with the purchase of new voting equipment.

The City of Minneota has agreed with Westerheim Township official Rick Bot to combine voting with that township at the Minneota City Hall.

Nordland Township is likely to join in as well. The idea is to purchase just one new voting device instead of one for each township. Bot told the Minneota City Council they would share in the cost.

Township voters will then come to city hall. Simon said the first formal step counties, cities, towns and school districts, which need assistance, can take to replace aging election equipment is to apply for assistance.

Simon had used Minnesota’s aging election equipment to be signed into law. The legislature authorized $7 million in grant funding to assist with the purchase of new voting equipment.

It provides up to a 50 percent match for mandatory equipment, such as optical scan precinct counters, optical scan central counters, or assisted voting devices; and up to a 75 percent match for electronic rosters.

The bill was authored by Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) and Sen. Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake).

The deadline for jurisdictions to submit an application for grant funds is 4 p.m., Dec. 15, 2017.

The applications are available.

“It’s critical we ensure voting equipment is up to the standards Minnesotans expect and I encourage all counties, cities, towns and school districts to consider this available resource,” said Secretary Simon.