Absentee Ballot Ordinance Passes First Reading

Registered non-resident Woodbury property owners moved one step closer to being automatically sent a paper ballot through the mail from the Cannon County Election Office following the passing of a proposed ordinance on first reading at a special called Town of Woodbury Mayor and Board Of Aldermen meeting Thursday night.

Key provisions of the new ordinance are:

SECTION 1: Nonresident voters shall vote by absentee ballot only in Town elections.

SECTION 2: In accordance with this law, the Board requests that the Cannon County Election Commission mail notices of this requirement to said registered nonresident voters 45 days prior to the next election.

The ordinance effects about 65 county residents who own property in Woodbury.

A second and final reading will be on the agenda for the regular monthly meeting of the Town of Woodbury Mayor and Board of Aldermen September 4.

The ordinance came about when Cannon County Administrator of Elections Dorinda Mankin was in conversation with the State Election Office. It stems from a law that went into effect back in July of 2011.

Mankin explained that the law was put into effect to help eliminate confusion and help stop non-resident Woodbury property owners from having to vote at two different polling places when city elections take place on the same day state and federal elections do.

County voters living outside of Woodbury do not see the elections for town offices on their ballot when they go to their respective polling places.

If the ordinance passes on the second and final reading, those effected by the ordinance will be automatically mailed the absentee ballot when these elections come up.

The motion was made and passed based on the town of Woodbury notifying all those that are effected through a letter that a public hearing will be held on the matter before undergoing the second and final reading during the regular meeting September 4.