WOODBURY COUNTY AUDITOR PAT GILL SAYS HE IS MOVING ON AND WILL NOT APPEAL JUDGE PATRICK TOTT’S INJUNCTION TO RECALL PRE-POPULATED ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUESTS SENT OUT BY GILL’S OFFICE.
GILL HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE WEDNESDAY TO EXPLAIN:
OC…………TO DO SO. :17
THE ISSUE STEMMED FROM A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AGAINST GILL AND TWO OTHER COUNTY AUDITORS FOR SENDING OUT REQUEST FORMS LISTING THE VOTERS NAME, BIRTHDATE AND VOTER I.D. PIN NUMBER.
BACK IN JULY, SECRETARY OF STATE PAUL PATE SENT OUT A DIRECTIVE TELLING AUDITORS TO SEND OUT BLANK REQUEST FORMS.
GILL DISAGREED WITH PATE’S MANDATE SAYING IT SHOULD BE UP TO THE ELECTED COUNTY AUDITORS TO DECIDE:
OC…………ISSUED THAT DIRECTIVE. :09
GILL SAYS THE VOTER PIN NUMBER IS ONLY USED FOR ELCTION IDENTIFICATION AND HAS NO OTHER PURPOSE:
OC………..GRAY AREA. :28
THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTED 4-1 TUESDAY IN CLOSED SESSION TO NOT HIRE LEGAL COUNSEL TO APPEAL THE JUDGE’S DECISION.
GILL ESTIMATES THE COST OF SENDING OUT NEW ABSENTEE REQUESTS AND A LETTER EXPLAINING THE FIRST ONES ARE NOW VOID WILL BE AROUND $30,000.
THERE’S STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THEM OUT AS THE ACTUAL BALLOTS CAN’T BE MAILED UNTIL OCTOBER 5TH.
GILL WILL SOON RELEASE A PLAN DETAILING THE VOTING SITES IN EACH OF THE COUNTY’S 44 PRECINCTS FOR THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION.
