Elections
NEXT ELECTION
March 3, 2020
Election Contact Info:
Susan Johnson – City Clerk
Phone: 763.684.5402
Email: Susan.Johnson@ci.buffalo.mn.us
GENERAL ELECTION INFORMATION
March 3, 2020:
Presidential Nominating Primary (PNP)
August 11, 2020:
State Primary Election
November 3, 2020:
State General Election
Voting hours are:
7 AM – 8 PM
Registration ahead of time saves you time and hassle on election day. Make your voting experience easier this year by preregistering before election day. You must register to vote if you are a new resident, have moved to another precinct in the City, or if you did not vote in the election held in 2016 or 2018. You may either preregister at least 21 days before election day or at the polls on election day.
MN Secretary of State pre-registration information and forms.
Locally, you can preregister at the Wright County Government Center until July 2020 for the primary election or until October 2020 for the general election. Registration can also be done the day of election at your precinct location.
Identification Requirements for Registering to Vote
There are specific identification requirements that must be presented at the time you register. You must present one of the following items:
• A Minnesota driver’s license, learners permit, state identification card, or the temporary receipt for one of these items. Ideally, the license or ID card will have the current address on it, and that’s all the voter needs to register.
• If the license or ID has a former address, the voter may bring a recent utility bill for proof of the current address. Whenever a voter uses a utility bill, it must have the voter’s name and current address on it, and the due date must be within 30 days of the election. The bill can be for any of the usual utilities including gas, water, electric, waste removal, telephone, and cable TV.
• A U.S. passport with a utility bill;
• A U.S. military photo ID card with a utility bill;
• A “Notice of Late Registration” with the current address;
• Student ID card, fee, fee statement, or class registration, with the current address;
• A student photo ID card with a utility bill; or
• A school may provide a certified student list that shows students’ campus addresses which can be used with a student photo ID card.
• Voucher. If you don’t have any of these, you can still vote by having someone who is registered in the same precinct “vouch” for your identity and residence.
For regular even year elections, the City of Buffalo has four voting precincts. Each has its own voting location, so be sure to know where you should vote on election day. You can look up your voting location through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Precinct Finder.
PRECINCT 1
Precinct 1 is the area north of Highway. 55. Voters will vote at the Buffalo High School 877 Bison Boulevard. It is located along Bison Blvd (Dague Avenue) off of County Road 35.
PRECINCT 2
Precinct 2 is the area that is considered the central part of town. It is the area on the south side of Highway 55, inside of Second Street South, where it intersects with Highway 25 near Buffalo Lake. It excludes the Bella Vista development. Voters will vote at the Buffalo United Methodist Church at 609 8th Street NW.
PRECINCT 3
Precinct 3 is the southern most part of the city and is bounded by Second Street South on the north side, south along Highway 25 South on the east side and Montrose Boulevard on the west side along Buffalo Lake. Voters will vote at Zion Lutheran Church 1200 Highway 25 S.
PRECINCT 4
Precinct 4 includes the Bella Vista development. This precinct will vote by mail.
Polling places have clearly marked parking spaces, doors and routes to voting areas. If you are unable to leave your car to enter the polling location, election judges will bring the voting materials to you to complete.
PRECINCT MAP
ABSENTEE VOTING:
Voters may submit an absentee ballot application in several ways. Applications can be submitted in person, through the mail, by email as well as fax. Absentee ballot applications can also be submitted through the regular online application process on the Secretary of State’s website.
VOTING ABSENTEE BY MAIL:
Once we have received your absentee ballot application, we will mail your ballot to you. After you have marked your ballot you will seal in secrecy envelopes and have your signature witnessed. Return the ballot to us. Once we receive your ballot it will be processed by the Absentee Ballot Board.
VOTING ABSENTEE IN PERSON:
When voting absentee in person you will complete the absentee ballot application process. After you have marked your ballot it will be sealed in secrecy envelopes and witnessed. The ballot will be processed by the Absentee Ballot Board.
WHERE:
Buffalo City Center
212 Central Avenue
Buffalo, MN 55313
WHEN:
- 46 days preceding Election Day
- Monday-Friday during the normal business hours of 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Last Saturday before Election Day 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
ABSENTEE EARLY VOTING-DIRECT BALLOTING:
Early voting is a hybrid of the absentee ballot and the polling place, but is still considered voting absentee. After the application process is complete and the ballot has been marked, the voter places their ballot directly into the ballot counter.
WHERE:
Buffalo City Center
212 Central Avenue
Buffalo, MN 55313
WHEN:
- Seven (7) days preceding Election Day
- Monday-Friday during the normal business hours of 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Last Saturday before Election Day 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
**If you are not already registered to vote at your current address, you will need to fill out a voter registration application and show proof of residence. If you have moved since the last time you voted or if you have not voted in the last four years, you will need to re-register.
MILITARY AND ABROAD VOTING
Voters in the military and those residing outside the United States use a different process to vote absentee. Please visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website for military and overseas voter services.
Absentee Ballot Application for City of Buffalo Residents
The City of Buffalo’s elected City Council includes a Mayor and four City Council Members. The Mayor is elected to a two-year term and City Council Members are elected to four-year terms.
Candidate Qualifications
- Must be eligible to vote in Minnesota
- Must have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
- Must be 21 years of age or more upon assuming office
- Must have maintained residence in the City of Buffalo for at least 30 days before the general election
For more candidate information see the Secretary of State’s website.
Local filings for the 2020 general election will be open for a two week time period. Filings are scheduled to open in July/August 2020. Interested candidates can pick up a candidate filing packet at Buffalo City Hall located at 212 Central Ave, Buffalo or request one to be mailed by calling 763-682-1181.
Expiration of Terms:
December 31, 2020: Mayor Lachermeier
December 31, 2020: Council member Downer
December 31, 2020: Council member Kittock
December 31, 2022: Council member Enter
December 31, 2022: Council member Anderson
Campaign Finance Reports 2016
- Downer 11-28-16 Financial Certification
- Kittock 11-28-16 Financial Certification
- Krueger 12-5-16 Financial Certification
- Lachermeier 11-28-16 Financial Certification
- Volk 11-28-16 Financial Certification
- Wakefield 12-8-16 Financial Certification & Reports
Campaign Finance Reports 2018
Thank you for your interest in serving as an election judge! We will have three elections in 2020: The Presidential Nominating Primary (PNP) on March 3, the Primary Election on August 11 and the General Election on November 3.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELECTION JUDGES
Election judges are responsible for the administration of election procedures in the polling place. Election judges help to guarantee the rights of voters are protected on election day.
ELECTION JUDGE DUTIES
Election judges perform the following duties:
- Open and close the polls (6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. or later)
- Take responsibility for all election materials
- Ensure qualified voters are permitted to vote only once
- Distribute ballots
- Help voters requiring assistance
- Maintain order in the voting place throughout the day
- Register new voters at the polling site
- Obtain the results after the polls are closed
- Certify the precinct election results
- Return supplies to Wright County Election Department
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- You must be at least 18 year of age, a resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days, and a citizen of the United States. You should be prepared to provide identification to prove your identity.
- You cannot be the husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister of a candidate or be related to another election judge in the same precinct.
- You cannot be a candidate for the election in which you are serving as a judge.
- You cannot be a judge unless you can read, write, and speak the English language understandably.
- Resident of the City of Buffalo.
*The election statutes require that there be a balance of parties for some tasks within precincts, prospective judges must prepare to state what party they belong to when necessary.
TRAINING SESSIONS
All judges, even those who have served in prior elections, are required to take training. Several training sessions will be scheduled by the Wright County Elections Office in the summer of election years.
If you are interested in serving as a judge, please complete the application form and submit to the City of Buffalo Elections Department, 212 Central Avenue, Buffalo MN 55313 or email it to Susan Johnson at Susan.Johnson@ci.buffalo.mn.us, or fax to 763-682-6376.
Are you looking for a caucus meeting?
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office offers a Precinct Caucus Finder.
