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Local election-integrity group asks Blaine council to review county ‘poll pad’ agreement ahead of next election
Summary
Anoka County Election Integrity Team and a Blaine resident urged the Blaine City Council to examine the 2018 poll-pad agreement between Blaine and Anoka County, citing liability, approval and statutory concerns. The group asked to return for a working session with a detailed presentation.
Scott Coggins, a member of the Anoka County Election Integrity Team and an election judge, used the open-forum public comment period at the May 5 Blaine City Council meeting to ask the council to review a 2018 agreement between Blaine and Anoka County covering poll pads and related voting equipment.
Coggins told the council the agreement — which he described as a “pull pad agreement” entered into in February 2018 — was not properly approved by county commissioners and, he said, may not have been properly approved by the City of Blaine. He said Ramsey and Oak Grove have already canceled their agreements with the county.
Coggins said the agreement places liability on the city and leaves the vendor and county with “no warranty of the equipment.” He also said the network that connects the poll pads to other precincts “violates Minnesota statutes” and asked who would be liable if statutes were violated. He said an October 2024 Anoka County Elections memorandum threatening election judges with a felony raised additional concerns.
Coggins asked the council to schedule a working session in which the group could present detailed slides and answer council questions in depth. He provided a handout to the clerk and said contact information was included on the final slide.
The item was presented as an open-forum public comment; the transcript records no formal council response during the meeting. No council motion was made to schedule a working session during the meeting record. The city clerk has the handout submitted by Coggins and staff typically follow up on requests for working sessions or additional staff briefings outside the meeting when requested.
What was said (excerpt): “If you look inside to the agreement was never properly approved by the county commissioners. We don't believe Blaine properly approved the agreement either... Site 3 under the agreement, Blaine takes all liabilities and insurance. The county and the vendor provide no warranty of the equipment.” — Scott Coggins, Anoka County Election Integrity Team.
Action requested: Coggins asked to return in a working session to present a more detailed review and answer council questions. No formal council action is recorded in the transcript; any staff follow-up would appear in subsequent meeting records or staff communications.
