Where to Drop off Your Ballots in Stearns County

UNDATED -- Minnesota's secretary of state says it's too late for voters to mail back their absentee ballots if they want to make sure their votes count.

Secretary of State Steve Simon's comments come after an appeals court ruling Thursday indicated that mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day are at risk of being invalidated.

Residents in Stearns County can drop off their ballots at the drive-thru location at the county service center in Waite Park.  The hours are 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Saturday, and 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday.

Other ballot drop off locations are:
City of Melrose
City of Sauk Centre
City of Paynesville
City of Holdingford
City of Kimball

All residents of Stearns County may also vote in person at one of three locations:
Stearns County Administration
Stearns County Service Center
Melrose City Hall
Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Saturday, and 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Voters in the cities of Albany, Avon, Cold Spring, Paynesville, Sartell, St. Cloud, St. Augusta, St. Joseph, Sauk Centre, and Waite Park may vote in person at their city hall during normal business hours.  Also on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Voters in Mail Ballot precincts who would prefer to vote on election day may vote at the Stearns County Service Center on Tuesday between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

The three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Minnesota absentee ballots arriving after Election Day should be separated from other ballots in case they are later invalidated by a final court order.

The ruling doesn't block Minnesota's seven-day extension for counting absentee ballots outright or impact ballots received on Election Day. But it puts the grace period at risk as the case returns to a lower court.