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<br /> <br />September, 1989, the City of Roseville requested the Secretary <br />of State to conduct a partial recount of the votes cast in the <br />City Council primary election. The response of your office and <br />the professionalism of the individuals conducting the recount <br />were greatly appreciated. <br /> <br />The recount determined that incorrect marking pens were used in <br />one precinct, and those votes were not counted by the Optic III P <br />Optical Scan machines. One of the recommendations in the Secretary <br />of State's report was that "State policy should be re-evaluated <br />regarding whether to permit the rejection and return to the voter <br />of an under voted ballot unless individually overridden." <br /> <br />We find merit in the recommendation, particularly for the return <br />of a totallY blank ballot to the voter. The question of <br />returning under voted ballots is more difficult, because a number <br />of voters intentionally do not vote for the number of candidates <br />permitted. Returning these under voted ballots and requiring the <br />voter to indicate his/her intention needs to be carefully con- <br />sidered. <br /> <br />However, it is a rarity when a voter intends to submit a blank <br />ballot. A blank ballot could be returned to the voter and he or <br />she given an opportunity to vote for the candidates of their <br />choice. If they intended a blank ballot, it could be inserted in <br />and overridden on the machine. Currently, ballots containing <br />crossover votes in primaries apd over voting are returned to the <br />voter for the opportunity to revote. <br /> <br />2660 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE · ROSEVfLLE · 11l~'NESOTA . 55113 . 612-490-2200 <br />