Democracy in Action: All About the Election Process

One of the primary roles of the City of Monticello, specifically the City Clerk and the administration department, is coordinating and hosting elections for our community. This includes coordinating election precinct locations, recruiting election judges, and A LOT of training hours.

Elections keep our staff pretty busy. Presidential elections happen every four years – they’re kind of like our Super Bowl – with multiple elections during the year and a lot of preparation for high voter turnout. Congressional elections take place every two years, and it’s common to have a variety of state and local elections every year. These elections take just as much preparation and coordination to ensure a smooth, accurate process for the public.

In Monticello, our local officials also serve terms in two and four-year increments. The Monticello City Council is comprised of a mayor and four councilmembers. The mayor is the presiding officer and serves an elected two-year term. The councilmembers serve four-year staggered terms, so there are two seats up for election every two years.

The Presidential Nomination Primary Election – March 5, 2024 

This year is one of our ‘Super Bowl’ years, we have three elections happening in one year! The first election of the year is the Presidential Nomination Primary Election.

• The Presidential Nomination Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
• Only presidential candidates from major parties will be listed and each party will have its own separate ballot.
• ?There are three major parties: Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Legal Marijuana Now Party, and the Republican Party of Minnesota.
• City Hall will be open Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for early voting and Monday, March 4 until 5 p.m.
• Monticello has four precincts. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day (March 5).

City of Monticello residents can vote at their polling place on presidential primary day or vote early at City Hall. Voters must request the ballot of the party of their choice. If a voter refuses to select a party, they will not be able to vote in the presidential nomination primary.

A voter’s choice of party ballot will be recorded and is private data. The information will not be part of the voter’s registration record but will be part of their voting history and provided to the chair of each major political party. How a voter voted on a ballot is secret.

Precinct caucuses and local and state nominating conventions will still take place to conduct other party business.

If you have not registered to vote for the presidential nomination primary election, you can still register at the time of voting. You can check your registration status on the Secretary of State’s website. Additional information about the 2024 elections can be found on the City’s website.

The next election will be the Primary Election on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Followed by the grand finale, General Election Day on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Testing Election Equipment with Public Accuracy Tests

Before Election Day, Monticello conducts a public accuracy test (PAT) of the voting equipment. This allows staff to verify the equipment is working properly prior to opening the polls. Staff will test before all three 2024 election dates: March 5, August 13, and November 5. The PAT for the Presidential Nomination Primary Election was held on February 1. Judges from both major political parties are in attendance for the testing, and the PAT is open to all members of the public. The date and time are published in the paper and posted on City website.

The test is one measure certifying that elections are secure and accurate. Another measure is taken on the day of the election: at each precinct multiple judges of both major political parties have to ‘sign off’ on the initial start count and end count for voting. The numbers must match across the board: registered voters, newly registered voters, the number of ballots and the number of registered votes on the machine. Additionally, there are not online or cloud-based elements for the election equipment. The ballot counting all happens within the physical machine, similar to a money or coin counter. Then, like you’d see at the bank from a teller, the ballots are then cross-checked by judges from both political parties.

When’s the next election?

The 2024 State Primary Election will be on Tuesday, August 13. The purpose of the primary election is to narrow down the state and national candidate pool. A sample ballot will be available in advance of the election at City Hall and on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. You can also view the State’s 2024 Elections Calendar here.