When and where to vote in Clay County for Tuesday's Minnesota primary

MOORHEAD — Minnesota voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can check their registration status online at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx.

Voters will be narrowing the field of candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and various statewide offices including governor, attorney general and secretary of state ahead of the November general election.

Following the retirement of Democratic Sen. Kent Eken, a new candidate will soon be representing District 4 in the state Senate.

District 4 encompasses Moorhead and most of Clay County, western Becker County, along with Detroit Lakes, Audubon and Lake Park.

State DFLers endorsed Rob Kupec, former TV meteorologist at KVRR-TV, to replace Eken, while Republicans endorsed former Moorhead City Council member Dan Bohmer on May 7.

Bohmer is joined by former Clay County Republican Party chairman Edwin Hahn on the Republican ticket.

U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischpach is running unopposed on the Republican ticket to keep her seat in District 7, which covers most of the western portion of the state.

The DFL endorsed retired English teacher Jill Abahsain for the seat, and she faces Alycia Gruenhagen in the race to challenge Fischbach.

Clay County Auditor Lori Johnson said those who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day can vote at the county's auditor's office, 3510 12th Ave. S., Moorhead on Saturday or Monday. Absentee ballots can be filled out from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.

"You can come and vote absentee," Johnson said. "But you have to go to your polling location on Election Day."

All mail-in ballots must arrive at the auditor's office by Tuesday for the votes to count, Johnson said, encouraging voters to identify their voting sites before Election Day.

She said she expects fewer voters during the primary election than she does in November.

"Our voter turnout is generally pretty high, but for primaries, it's a little lower," the auditor said. "We have quite a few races, but there's no opposition."

The legislative candidates have no need to be on the ballot due to having no competition, she said.

Johnson expects the results of Tuesday's election to be available around 10 p.m.

"We're hoping that by 10 o'clock we're done," she said. "Some of the results should start coming in at about 8:30 p.m. to about 9:15 p.m. We don't post anything until we have Election Day results and absentee results, and then we post it all at once."

Troy Becker, The Forum

Several areas do not have a polling place and should instead have mailed ballots to the county auditor. Those voters can also vote in-person at the auditor's office Saturday and Monday.

Townships with no polling place are Alliance, Barnesville, Comstock, Cromwell, Felton, Goose Prairie, Hagen, Hawley, Highland Grove, Holy Cross, Humboldt, Keene, Kurtz, Moland, Moorhead, Oakport, Tansem and Viding.

The cities of Goergetown and Hitterdal also do not have a polling place.

Rural Clay County polling places that will be operating Tuesday are:

• Barnesville Precincts 1-3: Senior Citizens Center, 501 Second Ave. NE, Barnesville.
• Dilworth: Dilworth Community Center, 709 First Ave. NW, Dilworth.
• Eglon Township: Eglon Town Hall at 1 mile east of Highway 32.
• Elkton Township: Elkton Town Hall in Downer.
• Elmwood Township: Sabin Community Center.
• City of Felton and Flowing Township: Felton Community Center.
• Georgetown Township: Georgetown Community Center.
• Glyndon and Glyndon Township: Glyndon Community Center.
• Hawley: Hawley Community Center at 418 Main St. in Hawley.
• Kragnes Township: Buffalo Lutheran Church, northeast of Kragnes on County Road 96.
• Morken Township: Morken Town Hall, 2 miles north of County Road 26 on County Road. 11.
• Parke Township: Parke Town Hall, East of Highway 32 on County Road 10.
• Riverton Township: Riverton Town Hall on the intersection of Highways 9 and 10.
• Sabin: Sabin Community Center.
• Skree Township: Skree Town Hall, 2 miles West of County Road 31 on County Road 10.
• Spring Prairie Township: Spring Prairie Town Hall, intersection of Highway 9 and County Road 87.
• Ulen and Ulen Township: Ulen Event Center, 27 1st St. SW.
• Viding Township: Mail Ballot to County Auditor.