Absentee balloting could be getting a little easier in Mower County and Minnesota.

Residents no longer need to provide an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, thanks to a recent law, and Auditor-Treasurer Doug Groh said the change could be a precursor to early voting, which is permitted in states like Colorado.

Along with no-excuse absentee balloting, residents in Rose Creek, LeRoy and Grand Meadow will now be able to obtain absentee ballots at the city clerks’ offices in each community.

“The idea of this was for people in these communities not having the need to come or drive to the auditors office,” Groh said.

The city clerks offices will be able to determine if a resident is a registered voter and then give the resident materials for an absentee ballot, which Groh said should alleviate some work in his office.

Groh said he hopes the added convenience will increase voter participation in the primary election, which generally has a much lower voter turnout than the general election. Only 9 percent of eligible Minnesota voters participated in the Aug. 14, 2012, primary — the second lowest turnout in the 62 years state officials have kept such election records.

“We do the same amount of work as a general election, but we have less results, lower participation,” Groh said.

Absentee ballots will still be returned to the Mower County Auditor-Treasurer’s office to be tallied.