Compiling Results on Election Night

Ramsey County follows a set of standard procedures for collecting, compiling and reporting election results to ensure the security and accuracy of each election.

Votes are cast and compiled from two different sources:

1. Votes cast prior to Election Day at the Elections Office, at early voting locations and through the mail.
2. Votes cast at polling places on Election Day.

The voting system used to count ballots in Ramsey County is completely non-networked, and precincts in the county do not electronically transmit election results from the polling place on election night. To help ensure the security of the voting system, the county voting system has no communications capability and no access – wired or wireless – to the internet or telecommunications system.

Election results in Ramsey County are physically transferred from the polling places to the Elections Office after polls close. All ballots and election materials are sealed, audited and locked for security before leaving the polling places.

Once the Elections Office receives the Election Day results for a precinct, the results are added together with votes cast prior to Election Day and they are reported to the secretary of state’s website.

The complete final results will not be available until all polling places in the county have successfully and securely returned their materials to the Elections Office. This timeline varies depending on Election Day turnout.

After Election Day: Auditing and canvassing results

Following the election, the Elections Office audits the vote totals reported on election night with the official paper documents certified by election judges on Election Day. The audited results are then canvassed by the appropriate canvassing boards: state, county, city and school district.

All voted ballots and other election materials are securely maintained by the Elections Office for 22 months following each election, as required by state and federal law.