Voters to cast ballots in new polling places

by Frank Lee

operations@thenewsleaders.com

St. Joseph residents who have voted in past elections and want to participate in future ones will find themselves in a different part of the city this year.

During its May 2 meeting, the St. Joseph City Council authorized a resolution to create new polling locations for the 2016 election, including possibly one at the College of St. Benedict.

“They looked at both Heritage Hall and St. Ben’s,” City Administrator Judy Weyrens told the council. “Both of them would work just fine, but we are waiting back to hear from the Army to see if we could use the Army Reserve as well because they indicated once that we could.”

The process for relocating polling places is regulated by the Minnesota Secretary of State, which must be notified no later than May 9 of the new locations. Once the resolution is forwarded to the Stearns County auditor, it will be forwarded to the Secretary of State.

Precinct 1 consists of all voters residing west of College Avenue while Precinct 2 is comprised of all voters residing east of College Avenue. Those in Precinct 1 had voted at Kennedy Community School while those in Precinct 2 had voted at St. Joseph Fire Hall in past elections.

“I think there were some issues they had with maybe security and the safety of children and doors open,” Weyrens said of Kennedy Community School and the recommendation to relocate.

The school is slated for construction of a revised access during the summer that “would create a large problem for the primary” for those in Precinct 1 while Precinct 2 is “too small.” Heritage Hall, St. Ben’s Haehn Alumni Room and the Army Reserve site are being considered for polling sites.

All registered voters will receive a mailed notice of the polling-place changes once plans have been finalized.