City Clerk's office manages the absentee processes for voters during every even year primary and general election. The statute requires the County to manage the UOCAVA process for every election, whether they are special elections or even year elections. 

Minnesota Statutes §203B.121 requires that any county, municipality, or school board that is responsible for accepting and rejecting absentee and UOCAVA ballots must, by resolution, establish ballot boards.

The ballot board examines all returned envelopes to ensure that the envelope is complete, witnessed, and accurate. The election judges are required to examine the returned absentee envelopes within 5 days of receipt by the City. As the election nears, the ballot boards meet one to many times each day in order to examine the envelopes.

A sufficient number of election judges as defined in MS §204B.19 - 204B.22 will be hired and trained to serve on the absentee ballot board pursuant to MS §203B.121 Subd. 1. Staff will train deputy auditors to serve as reserve ballot board members, also pursuant to MS §203B.121 Subd. 1.

Each ballot board will have two trained members to review and agree on the accepting or rejecting of ballot envelopes. Staff will establish as many ballot boards as necessary in order to timely conduct the process.

The current law allows the City to begin to process the opening of absentee ballots seven days prior to election day. A sufficient number of election judges will also be hired to fulfill this requirement pursuant to MS §203B.121 Subd. 4.