Residents of Anoka County use new public comment segment to share research and recommendations with their commissioners
Please note that Anoka County should also be recording and publishing the public comments recorded by me in the videos below, since they occurred in a public meeting, but they have been cut off of this video produced by the county.
Last year a small group of Anoka residents started speaking with their county commissioners before their board meetings, which normally occur every two weeks. Having attended one of these brief informal sessions, I found it to be an effective way to engage as well as to build both rapport and credibility outside the confines of a formal and recorded public meeting.
Eventually, this group’s consistency influenced the county to add a public comment segment to the end of those same meetings.
Since it is a process to actually be put on the meeting agenda, this 10-minute segment is a useful way to share information with key decision-makers in a public setting which goes on the record.
The 9:30am meeting went very long, so the public comment section got started closer to 11:30am.
Yesterday, five speakers presented on the following topics:
- 12 reasons why Anoka County should rid itself of electronic voting machines
- How hand counting paper ballots is a global standard
- Anomalies in the Andover City Council election in 2022
- Process risk analysis of public accuracy testing, down ballot post election review, and digitization of elections
- Function and risks of modems on ES&S DS200 tabulators
Each of these presentations was limited by the rules to 2 minutes, but each of the speakers made very interesting points (and recommendations) that supplemented a more thorough document, a copy of which was given to each commissioner.
Similar to a pattern in other counties, the public comment rules say that the board cannot take action (or be asked to take action) during this 10-minute segment.
The commissioners asked no questions.
12 reasons why Anoka County should rid itself of electronic voting machines
How hand counting paper ballots is a global standard
Anomalies in the Andover City Council election in 2022
Process risk analysis of public accuracy testing, down ballot post election review, and digitization of elections
Function and risks of modems on ES&S DS200 tabulators
Additional presentations are expected in the coming weeks.
If you are interested in learning more about the information the speakers are sharing, or want to learn how to do this yourself in your county, stay tuned to this newsletter or signup for the email list at Project Minnesota, where more step-by-steps may be published.