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Oak Grove moves to request four precinct post-election reviews; tables poll-pad decision
Summary
Council voted unanimously to request four precincts for post-election reviews in 2026 and voted to table a separate poll-pad resolution for further work with county staff.
The Oak Grove City Council voted 5-0 on Feb. 27 to increase its request for post-election reviews to four precincts for the 2026 election cycle, and simultaneously tabled a resolution on poll-book (poll-pad) procurement to allow more time for staff and council discussion.
Councilmember West said the city previously asked the county for post-election reviews and wants to expand participation after problems surfaced in a recent close county race. West said a recount in one close county contest revealed that 26 ballots were not counted correctly by tabulators in that race; manual review added votes to both candidates. "We need to make sure our elections are secure," West said, describing the post-election review as a verification step to confirm totals.
Election judge Louise Woodbury, who participated in the precinct review that was held by the county, explained how ballots can be missed by tabulators if ovals are not fully filled or are crossed out: "When we did the review for Precinct 4, we found 2 ballots... one had a line through it, the other maybe filled a third of the oval... the machine didn't read that as a vote." She said the manual review took more than four hours for a small precinct and confirmed the practical value of a hand tally in contested races.
Councilmember West moved to amend a previously drafted resolution to request four precincts be included in the city's post-election review for 2026; the motion passed 5-0. The council then discussed poll-pad equipment and agreed to table resolution 2025-032 on poll-book acquisition to allow staff more time to gather information and coordinate with Hennepin/Anoka County election officials; that motion to table also passed 5-0.
Why it matters: Council framed the measures as steps to increase confidence in election results and to provide sufficient lead time to work with county officials before the 2026 cycle. The poll-pad item will return for further discussion after staff provides additional information and options.
