ND Secretary of State Jaeger Sets Auditor Risovi Straight

As most of you know, there has been quite a controversy regarding the mismanagement of the absentee ballot process during Foster County's Primary Election. After the election was over, many of us were concerned about two improperly signed absentee ballot applications which the Foster County Canvassing Board accepted after the Primary Election Board rejected them. 

You see, those two extra votes which were counted meant that Donnie Theis (who was close to Paul Straley in votes) could not ask for a recount. It also meant that Kathleen Murray could be on the November ballot, running against State's Attorney Paul Murphy.

The Secretary of State, Al Jaeger, was asked to investigate the decision made by the Canvassing Board. As you can see in the letter from the Secretary of State, the law was violated - as CarringtonNews.com and other concerned citizens have contended all along. 

The law requires that the two signatures be compared and an absentee ballot should be accepted only if the signatures correspond. In the case of these absentee ballots there were not two signatures to compare.

Please call Auditor Risovi (701-652-2441) and ask her the same question that Sec of State Jaeger asked her: "...upon what legal basis did they [you] overturn the proper rejection of the ballots by the Election Board?"

(Personally speaking, I'm positive that Carol Rosenau, Royce Topp and Lanelle Hoppe (Canvassing Board members) were there to do the right and lawful thing... to count the votes properly. I just wonder if Auditor Risovi or Commissioner Paul Straley said something which influenced them in some way to accept those invalid votes.)