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Woodbury County canvasses June 2 primary, reports 9,550 voters and certifies county nominees
Summary
County Auditor Michelle Scaff presented and the board received the official canvas of the June 2, 2026 primary: 9,550 voters (7,428 election day; 2,127 absentee), nine provisional ballots (seven accepted), and county nominees for local offices. Board accepted the canvas and signed required pages.
Woodbury County on Tuesday received and signed the official canvas of the June 2, 2026 primary election, finalizing local nominees and documenting turnout and provisional‑ballot handling.
County Auditor Michelle Scaff summarized the canvas to supervisors and noted nine provisional ballots were submitted, seven of which were accepted after review and two rejected because the individuals did not produce required identification. Three mail ballots arrived after the 8 p.m. election‑day deadline and were rejected. Scaff reported a total of 9,550 individuals voted in the primary: 7,428 in‑person on election day and 2,127 absentee.
Scaff listed county nominees appearing on the county‑level canvas: Daniel A. Bittinger II (Republican) for Board of Supervisors District 2; Tina M. Bertrand (Republican) for County Treasurer; James D. Lumis (Republican) for County Attorney; and Benjamin J. Molford (Democratic) for County Attorney. She explained write‑in reporting rules and listed two write‑in tallies for the Republican District 4 supervisor race (21 and 10 write‑in votes) that did not meet thresholds to be declared nominees.
The auditor also reviewed administrative items tied to the canvas: the pages that must be signed for county records and the state cover page required for statewide aggregation. She noted improved election security measures, new training confirmation procedures for precinct officials, and use of identification for personnel handling ballots. Scaff compared turnout to previous primaries (2024: 4,977; 2022: 8,873; 2020: 16,787) and said the county budgeted $88,900 for the primary and had spent roughly $74,300, leaving a projected surplus of about $14,600.
Supervisors received the resolution of certification and signed the canvas pages required for county and state records; the action was handled by voice vote. The auditor said party chairs will be mailed notifications listing county nominees and offering county conventions to fill any positions with no nominee.
