Delano will shift absentee ballot mailings to Wright County but keep 18 days of in‑person early voting

The Delano City Council voted on June 2 to adopt an 18‑day in‑person early voting model while Wright County handles absentee ballot mailings and processing under recent changes in state law (HF 4240).

Administrative Services Director Alisha Ely told the Council that “HF 4240 requires municipalities that currently administer absentee voting to determine how they wish to manage absentee and early voting moving forward,” and outlined two options: continue the City’s full 46‑day absentee administration, or have the County handle absentee mailings and processing while the City continues to provide an 18‑day in‑person early voting period. Wright County indicated it will handle initial absentee mailings and encouraged cities to adopt the 18‑day model.

Councilmembers asked practical questions about ballot handling and staff workload. Ely explained absentee ballots delivered to City Hall would still be accepted and securely transferred to Wright County for processing; she also said the 18‑day model would remove the need for a separate City absentee ballot board while preserving in‑person voting access. Council expressed support for the change and approved a motion by Councilmember Peter Froehle, seconded by Councilmember Jason Franzen, to conduct 18 days of in‑person early voting.

Ely noted that Albertville recently approved the 18‑day model and that other Wright County communities were evaluating the change. The minutes do not record a formal implementation schedule or the date when the county would begin processing Delano’s absentee mailings; staff follow-up was discussed but not documented in detail in the minutes.