Brown County of Minnesota

• 2022 General Sample Ballot (PDF)
• Notice of Mail Ballot Procedures to Voters in Brown County (PDF)
• Notice of Election (PDF)
• Notice of Public Accuracy Test (PDF)

• Ways To Register
• Am I Registered?
• Voter Registration Online Application
• Register on Election Day
• Registration FAQs

Any eligible voter can vote early in person or by mail. The official name for this is voting by absentee ballot.

Voters who wish to vote early must request an absentee ballot by completing an Absentee Ballot Application online, or they may vote early in person.

Absentee Ballot Applications and information may be found on the Secretary of State's website at MNVotes.org.  For paper applications or assistance, call 507-233-6613.

Absentee Ballot packets can be tracked from the point the voter submits the request/application to the point it is accepted by the county. Track your absentee ballot here.

Ballots may be returned by mail (a postage prepaid return envelope is included when the ballots are mailed), delivered in person by the voter, or delivered by designated agent (agent must bring valid ID with to turn in any ballot that isn’t their own) to the Brown County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office, 14 S State St, New Ulm, MN.  Absentee Ballots must be received no later than 3pm on Election Day. 

In-Person early voting is available during the below times at the Brown County Courthouse, 14 S State St, New Ulm, MN

• During normal office hours, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
• The Saturday before the election, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
• The Monday before the election, until 5:00 pm

Military and overseas voters can refer to the State's website for more information.

Full Instructions can be found on the MN Secretary of State's Website, Other Ways to Vote.

The following Precincts in Brown County have elected to vote by mail ballot procedure in statewide elections as authorized under Minnesota Statutes 204B.45.  All other precincts vote at their designated polling place on Election Day.

Cities of: Cobden, Evan and Hanska

Townships of: Albin, Cottonwood, Home, Lake Hanska, Linden, Mulligan, Prairieville, Sigel, Stark, and Stately

Ballots may be returned by mail (a postage prepaid return envelope is included when the ballots are mailed), delivered in person by the voter, or delivered by designated agent (an agent must bring a valid ID to turn in any ballot that isn’t their own) to the Brown County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office, 14 S State St, New Ulm, MN.  If mailing, the ballot must be received in the November 8^th mail; if dropping of in person, no later than 8 pm.

Voters with disabilities and other special needs, either permanent or temporary, may access a voter assist terminal to mark their ballot by bringing their ballot and ballot envelopes to the Brown County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office at the address noted above.

Officials are also available at these locations to complete the witness requirements for mail ballots.  Instructions are included with each ballot.  Please be sure to read through the instructions before attempting to mark your ballot.  The back of the return envelope must be signed by the voter and witnessed by any of the following:

• Anyone REGISTERED to vote in Minnesota, including a spouse or relative,
• A notary public, or
• A person with the authority to administer oaths.

Prompt return of voted ballots is encouraged so that any omitted requirements can be corrected in advance of Election Day.  Ballots are processed when received (processed meaning the outside sealed envelope is either approved or rejected upon review; the secrecy envelope with the ballot is not opened at that time), and voters will be notified if there is a problem. Voters casting a mail ballot may also track their ballot on-line as stated above, by visiting the website of the Minnesota Secretary of State at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.

Mail Ballots can be tracked in the sent, received and accepted or rejected phases.  To see your status, go here: Track your absentee ballot here.

 In Addition to normal business hours, extended hours for mail ballot voting (for in-person drop off, voter assist terminal access or absentee voting for non-registered voters) is available during the below times at the Brown County Courthouse, 14 S State St, New Ulm, MN

• During normal office hours, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
• The Saturday before the Election, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• The Monday before the Election, until 5:00 pm.

Minnesota voters always cast their vote on paper ballots, but special equipment is often used to count ballots, mark ballots, sign in, and register voters. Brown County uses equipment made by Election Systems & Software (ES&S),  KNOWiNK, and Democracy Live.

ELECTION SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

EQUIPMENT TESTING

Brown County Election Administrators use a number of procedures to ensure equipment will accurately record valid votes. Equipment is approved by the state, tested locally before elections, and the results audited after elections.

EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION

Before being certified for use in Minnesota, all voting equipment must be tested and certified by test labs accredited by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and undergo detailed additional testing by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.

PRE-ELECTION TESTING

Before every election, local election officials test all equipment to be used in that election. For the preliminary testing, ballots are marked with assistive voting devices, a set of pre-marked ballots is fed into the ballot tabulators, and the machine's totals are compared with the pre-determined results. The Voting Equipment is also tested at a Public Accuracy Test which occurs before every election. Public Accuracy Tests are open to the public.

• Run For Office (Link)

Election Results can be found on the Secretary of State Website

Historical County Election Results

• County Commissioner District 1
• County Commissioner District 2
• County Commissioner District 3
• County Commissioner District 4
• County Commissioner District 5
• County Attorney
• County Auditor Prior to 1989
• County Treasurer Prior to 1989
• County Auditor-Treasurer
• County Recorder/Register of Deeds
• County Sheriff
• County Coroner
• County Surveyor
• County Superintendent of Schools (Abolished 7-1-1971)

All documents are in PDF Format

• What’s On My Ballot?

• Election Day Voting – Overview and FAQs
• Caucus Finder - Minnesota Secretary of State Voter Information Portal

 Minnesota State statute 211A.02, Subd6 requires local officials to publish campaign finance reports online based on jurisdiction population and dollar amounts spent.  Listed below are the names of Brown County elected official candidates with links to submitted campaign finance reports by candidate.

Applicable city, school district, or town clerks with 400 or more registered voters as of January 1 of the election year and with websites are responsible for candidate filings within those entities.

All reports are in PDF Format

2022

• Jason Seidl for County Sheriff
• Chuck Hanson for County Attorney
• Mary Schreiner for County Recorder
• Anton Berg for County Commissioner District 2
• Brian Braun for County Commissioner District 4
• Jeff Veerkamp for County Commissioner District 5
• Brad Augustin for Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor District 2
• William J Eckstein for Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor District 3
• Rae L. Runck for Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor District

Redistricting is the process of redrawing the boundaries of election districts to ensure that the people of each district are equally represented after the completion of Congressional reapportionment following the Decennial Census. The Public Hearing to Consider Plans for Redistricting of County Commissioner Districts and Approve County Redistricting Plan was held during the regular board meeting on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

For more information regarding Redistricting, please visit the Secretary of States Site Minnesota Secretary Of State - Redistricting

• Become An Election Judge (Link)
• National Voter Registration Day (Link)
• Contact Your Elected Representatives (Link)
• High School Voting Programs (Link)
• Navigating the Election Process for Students and First Time Voters (Link)