County gets ready for 2024 election

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

As an eligible use of federal recovery funds for the provision of general government services, the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners supports use of federal dollars to purchase election equipment. This aligns with the Navigating the Road Ahead program.

County commissioners agree that it is necessary to identify existing vulnerabilities in election infrastructure and properly assess where resources should be allocated. 

“We have 91 precincts here in Otter Tail County, so replacing outdated voting equipment is warranted,” says County Auditor-Treasurer Wayne Stein.

Otter Tail County has a strong reputation for voting integrity. Well trained voting judges, use of updated voting equipment and secure vote tabulations made for fair and safe elections in Otter Tail County in 2020 and 2022.

Stein has spoken on this topic to various organizations across the county in previous months, among them members of the Otter Tail County Historical Society (county museum) based in Fergus Falls.

In 2018 Otter Tail County obtained a voting equipment grant from the state of Minnesota to update existing precinct-based equipment. Matching dollars were required in order to complete the project, paid for by county taxpayers through the annual levy.

On Oct. 24, this year, county commissioners approved an agreement for the purchase of 82 Express Vote Universal Voting System units that will replace the AutoMARKs system.

The Express Vote Universal Voting System utilizes touch-screen technology and produces a paper-based record for tabulation. As a marker, the Express Vote handles the entire marking process.

County board members approved the agreement following the recommendation of Auditor-Treasurer Stein.