By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – At their Tuesday, Oct. 20, meeting, Minnehaha County Commissioners heard the latest from Auditor Bob Litz on current absentee voting and preparations for election day on Nov. 3.
Litz reported that as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, 27,539 people had already voted in the county. He compared that number to the total of 18,262 who voted absentee in the 2016 general election.
The number Litz gave represents those who have voted in person at the Minnehaha County Election Center, as well as the absentee ballots that have been returned.
He told commissioners that voter registrations, which ended Monday, is also up this year.
Along with talking to the commission, Litz made an appeal to voters.
“If you have a ballot out there, fill it out and get it back to us,” he asked. “If it is within 10 days of the election, you better think of something to do with it besides mailing, because the mail has been all over the place.”
Completed absentee ballots can be placed in drop boxes at the Election Center at 6th and Dakota in Sioux Falls, or on the west side of the County Administration Building, in the next block.
Ballots can also be dropped inside the Election Center.
In-person absentee voting can be done at that same Election Center right up to election day.
While the Supreme Court and the media have been focused on ballots that need to be postmarked by Nov. 3, as stated in South Dakota Law, all absentee ballots must be in the hands of election officials by 7 p.m. that day.
Litz reminded people that different states have different laws when it comes to elections.
The only laws that matter in Minnehaha County are South Dakota laws.
But even though the county won’t be waiting on ballots to come in after Election Day, that doesn’t mean the results will be available on Nov. 3.
Litz is very adamant about the accuracy of results being more important than timeliness.
In an earlier interview, he pointed out that when it comes to elections, he is responsible to the taxpayers of Minnehaha County, and not to individual candidates and news media representative who might want everything over, done with and official, as early as possible.
To that end, Litz explained the process they would be following for absentee ballots.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, he will have 112 workers opening absentee ballots.
From 5 p.m. to midnight, another 112 workers will be continuing that process.
A third group of 112 workers will then pick that up starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, and sometime after that, the absentee ballots will be run through the processing machines.
As always, all in-person Election Day ballots will be counted after the polls close at 7 p.m., Nov. 3.
Currently, Litz explained that absentee ballots are alphabetized and organized by precincts, but, again, according to South Dakota law, the envelopes they come in cannot be opened until the morning of the election day.
Presently, all completed absentee ballots are kept in a secure, locked room. Litz also mentioned that plans are in the works for establishing ballot security the night of the election, but when those plans are finalized, they will not be shared with the public.
There will be a county commission meeting next Tuesday, Oct. 27, but there will not be a meeting on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Burn Ban in Effect
Minnehaha County Commissioners, wary of dry, windy conditions, enacted a burn ban at the Tuesday, Oct. 13, meeting for unincorporated areas of the county.
The week before, Emergency Management Director Jason Gearman told commissioners that his office was working on drafting a ban resolution, which he presented Oct. 13.
While the ban mainly deals with open burning, such as ditches, tree groves, etc., it also applies to any burning done – even in a container – where flames or sparks might escape.
Maggie Gillespie of the State’s Attorney’s office pointed out the various issues with a burn ban.
Although it is not intended to affect people with fire pits and burn barrels, the ban does put the onus on people doing the burning to constantly supervise fires in containers.
The ban is effective immediately and will stay in effect until commission Chair Jean Bender and Gearman decide it is safe to lift.
Fair numbers down
During the meeting, Sioux Empire Fair Manager Scott Wick gave his final report on the 81st annual fair held in August.
Overall, Wick said, fair attendance was down 31%, even though his office had budgeted for a 50% decrease.
On the fair’s books, the net loss in revenue was just under $29,000, according to Wick, but he felt with the increased tax revenue in Sioux Falls, as well as other increased business from fair-goers, this year’s fair still made a positive financial impact on the area.
Auditor’s position
Bender also reported that the position of acting Minnehaha County Auditor has been posted on the county’s website (www.governmentjobs.com/careers/minnehaha?) and will be up until Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Whoever is hired will fill this position until a new auditor is elected in November 2022.
The current auditor, Bob Litz, put in his resignation at the Oct. 6 commission meeting. That resignation becomes effective on Dec. 31.
Commission meetings are held every Tuesday at 9 a.m. on the second floor of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
Public comment is always encouraged, but people attending are reminded that social distancing guidelines limit how many people are allowed in the meeting room at one time.
