City Council filing process explained

The following is in response to concerns that have been raised in regards to the filing process for Winthrop City Council.
Two weeks again, in Winthrop News, a political candidate raised concerns regarding the process of registering and filing an affidavit of candidacy. This process, mandated by the Secretary of State’s office, is standardized across all levels of government—townships, cities, counties, state, and federal. The affidavit form is essential for declaring candidacy for a vacant office. However, the process begins much earlier and involves coordinated actions by trained local election officials who are tasked with ensuring its uniformity and integrity.
In the City of Winthrop, the election process is managed in coordination with Sibley County’s Election Office and is governed by Minnesota State Statute 205.13, Subdivision 2. This statute outlines two key requirements for notifying potential candidates and the public about open positions. First, a public notice must be published in the city’s designated official newspaper, which is selected annually by the City Council (typically in January). Second, the notice must be posted on the public bulletin board at City Hall. In accordance with these requirements, Winthrop News published the filing notice on July 3, 2024, and the notice was posted at City Hall on June 26, 2024. The following filing notice was used:
FILING NOTICE
City of Winthrop
Notice is hereby given as provided in MS 205.13, subd. 2, that a General Election will be held on Tuesday, November5, 2024 for the purpose of electing candidates to fill the offices listed below:
Mayor – two (2) year term.
Two (2) City Council Members – four (4) year terms each
One (1) City Council Member – Special Election to finish a four (4) year term expiring January 2027.
The filing period opens at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Affidavits of Candidacy must be filed during the above filing periods at the Winthrop City Office located at 305 N Main St., Winthrop, MN.
The filing fee for candidacy is $5.00.
The process ensures that all candidates have equal access to the same information. Before filing, candidates are strongly encouraged to carefully review the notice to ensure they are filing for the position that aligns with their intent. While both the City Clerk’s office and the County Auditor’s office verify for clerical errors, it remains the candidate’s responsibility to select the appropriate office. Candidates are welcome to seek clarification from local election officials, who are available to assist with election-related questions prior to notarizing the affidavit. However, election officials do not influence a candidate’s decision regarding which position to file for, as that would constitute a conflict of interest and could be viewed as election interference.
It’s important to emphasize that some candidates were contacted for minor corrections on their forms, such as missing contact information or the need for name clarification. For those who filed early, election officials were able to assist with these issues before the filing deadline. However, candidates who submitted their forms close to the deadline risked not having sufficient time to address such errors. For example, one candidate’s affidavit was successfully submitted to Sibley County Election Office at 4:58 p.m. on August 13, 2024, just before the deadline, as evidenced by the time-stamped email from the City Administrator’s office. This email is now publicly posted on the City’s Official Posting Board for review.
The election process is designed to be transparent and consistent. Mistakes made by candidates do not invalidate the process itself. While everyone can make errors in judgment or overlook details, this does not warrant questioning a system that has been carefully reviewed and implemented for decades. The integrity of the process must be preserved, and any changes should only be considered after thorough evaluation and validation.
For further inquiries or clarification regarding the election process, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at https://www.sos.state.mn.us/ or contact City Hall at 507-647-5306.
Michael Looft
Winthrop City
Administrator