Item Coversheet

Board Action Request
22-0188

Item Description:
Appoint two County Board members to the 2022 Hennepin County Canvassing Board; Set dates for 2022 Hennepin County Canvassing Board’s state primary and general election meetings.
Resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 204C.31, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners appoints two of its members, Commissioner Debbie Goettel and Commissioner Kevin Anderson, to the 2022 Hennepin County Canvassing Board; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board sets August 12, 2022 and November 16, 2022 as the dates for the 2022 Hennepin County Canvassing Board’s state primary and general election meetings.

Background:

Board composition and responsibilities

 Per Minn. Stat. § 204C.31, a county canvassing board consists of:

  • the county auditor
  • the district court administrator
  • the mayor, or chair of the town board, of the county’s most populous municipality
  • two members of the county board who are selected by their board colleagues and who aren’t candidates in the current election year
  • Note: Any member of the canvassing board may appoint a designee to participate in their place


A county canvassing board’s duties are to publicly review and certify election results. Results are not official until they have been reviewed and certified by a canvassing board.   

 

Meeting date requirements

  • Primary election: The county canvassing board must meet on the second or third day following the state primary. This year, that date is August 12, 2022.  
  • General election: The canvassing board must meet between the third and tenth day following the state general election. This year, that date is November 16, 2022.

 Current request: This request seeks to appoint two County Board members to the 2022 Hennepin County Canvassing Board and set 2022 Canvassing Board meeting dates.

 

 Impacts/outcomes: Approval of this request allows the county to fulfill its statutory obligations to publicly canvass election returns for the 2022 state primary and general elections.

 

 This request aligns with Hennepin County disparity reduction efforts by ensuring integrity of elections in our county, allowing residents the ability to continue to confidently participate in our democracy, hold elected officials accountable, and have a voice in important issues affecting themselves and their communities. Elections and voting directly impact all disparity domains.

Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval