NEW ULM — Brown County Auditor-Treasurer (AT) Kelly Hotovec said early voting numbers continue to climb.

“Brown County saw strong early voting turnout. As of midday Friday, the county had accepted 3,250 mail-in and mail-in ballots. » said Hotovec.

“Additionally, 1,150 voters have cast direct ballots (an alternative in-person absentee ballot procedure where voters cast their ballots directly into ballot counters) since Oct. 18. Early voting continues through Monday (Nov. 4 )”, she said.

These numbers compare to 2,045 absentee and mail-in ballots accepted in Brown County as of October 24. As of Friday, there were 16,580 registered voters in Brown County.

Expanded voting hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, the day before Election Day at the Auditor-Treasurer’s Office at the Brown County Courthouse .

Hotovec said the expanded hours provide voters with an increased opportunity to return mail-in and mail-in ballots. A person 18 years or older may return up to three ballots for other voters, but will be required to present their identification with their name and signature when casting ballots.

On Election Day, the only place you can return your absentee ballot is the AT office. If you have not returned your absentee ballot, you can vote in person at the designated polling place. Your absentee ballot will be canceled and you will receive a new ballot to drop off at the polling station.

The AT office will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to allow voters to return mail-in and mail-in ballots; and for voters in absentee voting precincts to vote using an absentee ballot or ballot counters. Absentee voting precincts include the towns of Cobden, Evan and Hanska and the townships of Albin, Cottonwood, Home, Lake Hanska, Linden, Mulligan, Prairieville, Sigel, Stark and Stately.

On Election Day, most polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Burnstown, North Star, Bashaw, Eden and Leavenworth Township precincts are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Burnstown and North Star Township polls are held at the Springfield American Legion, 5 N. O’Connell. The Bashaw Township polling place is the Comfrey Community Center, 120 Brown St. E. The Morgan Fire Station, 405 Front St., is the Eden Township polling place. Leavenworth City Hall, 30741 CR 24, is the polling place for Leavenworth Township. Milford Town Hall, 24924 Main St., Essig, is the polling place for Milford Township.

Redeemer Lutheran Church, 700 S. Broadway, is the polling place for Ward 1 in New Ulm.

The New Ulm Community Center, 600 N. German, is Ward 2. Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1515 N. Garden St. is the polling place for Ward 3. Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1400 S . State St., is the polling station for Ward 4.

The Heartland and Hermann Express bus systems offer free rides to polling places on Election Day. Voters wishing to vote early can also receive a free ride to the courthouse on either bus system. Riders should inform bus drivers that they are going to vote.

The Sleepy Eye Community Center, 115 2nd Ave. NE is the polling station for Wards 1 and 2.

The Springfield Community Center, 33 S. Cass Ave., is the polling place for Wards 1 and 2.

Over the past week, more than 350,000 Minnesotans voted before Election Day. Local election officials have distributed 1,152,900 absentee and absentee ballots in Minnesota since voting began on September 20.

“More Minnesotans voted last week than in the first four weeks of voting in this election” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “It is clear that our state’s long-standing commitment to voting and civic engagement remains. For those who have not yet voted, now is the time to plan to vote in person on or before Election Day.

Minnesotans are encouraged to return their ballots in person to their local election office as soon as possible to ensure their vote is counted. It is no longer recommended to return a mail or absentee ballot by mail.

To be eligible to vote, a person must be 18 years of age or older on Election Day, be a U.S. citizen, have resided in Minnesota for at least 20 days, not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, and not under a criminal conviction. court order that revokes your right to vote. .

The deadline to vote before Election Day was October 15. Minnesotans can still register to vote on Election Day, if necessary.

All polling locations have an assistive voting device and a curbside voting option. Voters can bring a person of their choice to assist them at the polling place, or a bipartisan team of election judges can provide assistance in marking ballots upon request. In special circumstances, voters may authorize an agent to collect and return an absentee ballot for them.

Minnesota’s Election Day ballots include a constitutional amendment to renew the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

It reads: “Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to protect drinking water sources and water quality in lakes, rivers and streams; conserve wildlife habitat and natural areas; improve air quality; and expand access to parks and trails by expanding the transfer of state-run lottery profits to the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, and dedicate the profits for these purposes?

To see what’s on your ballot. go to vote411.org or mnvotes.gov/myballot.

To check the status of your vote, go to mnvotes.gov/absentee.