The state Supreme Court ordered local election officials to provide new absentee ballots to people who ask to change their Senate vote in the wake of Sen. Paul Wellstone's death.

The ruling Thursday provided clarity for election officials in Minnesota's 87 counties, though some were already giving new absentee ballots to those who asked.

In Mower County, auditor Woody Vereide has already received several calls asking for new ballots. The office is not keeping track of how many absentee voters have requested new ballots either by phone or in person.

The auditor's office is required to send new ballots to those in nursing homes who requested absentee ballots, but will not be sending ballots to other voters unless they request it.

"They can call, fax it, send it by carrier pigeon. They simply have to request a second set of absentee ballots," Vereide said.

Up until Thursday, those in Mower County wanting new absentee ballots had to request a new one in person. Vereide would prefer that those who are able still request a new ballot at the auditor's office.

On election day, election judges will receive two ballots from those who had already sent in their first ballot and requested a new one. They will take the one with the most recent postmark date and throw out the other, Vereide said.

To date, 877 absentee ballots had been sent out this year. The auditor's office has printed 24,500 supplemental ballots for election day. Vereide prints more than is necessary to ensure there will be enough.

Vereide said there should be enough absentee ballots left because not everyone will request a new one.

Because the law states that the auditor's office can only send absentee ballots first class, Vereide says some ballots will not make it to those living far away. If a person does receive it, they may not be able to have it sent back in time.

"We can only do so much," Vereide said.

If you are still able to request a new ballot in person, here are the steps you would have to take, depending on where you live.

If you live within Austin city limits:

Visit the city clerk and present a form of photo identification. The clerk will give you your unopened ballot. Then bring the unopened ballot to the county auditor's office for a new one.

If you have an Austin address, but live outside the city limits:

Go to the Austin post office and present a form of photo identification. Fill out a 'recall of mail' form and get the ballot back. Take the unopened ballot to the county auditor's office to receive a new ballot.

If you live in another part of Mower County:

Go to the post office in your township and present a form of photo identification. Fill out a 'recall of mail' form and get the ballot back. Take the unopened ballot to the county auditor's office to receive a new ballot.

Thursday's order, handed down by the court as a whole and without explanation, requires county auditors to include instructions that state clearly that the second ballot would replace the first one they mailed in. Voters who sent in their ballots and don't want to make a change can do nothing and their vote will count, the order states.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of DFL Party Chairman Mike Erlandson and two voters who will be out of the state on Election Day. It alleges that a process outlined by Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, a Republican, and Attorney General Mike Hatch, a Democrat, could disenfranchise people who voted absentee for Wellstone.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at :mailto:cari.quam@austindailyherald.com