MONTICELLO — Votes cast for Laura Pelant in the Nov. 3 Monticello School Board election will not count following a unanimous vote by the School Board Monday, Oct. 26, to approve an agreement addressing the candidate's decision to end her campaign over residency concerns.
The board voted 6-0 during a special meeting to approve an errors and omissions agreement signed by all six School Board candidates.
Under the agreement, Pelant's name will remain on the ballot, but the three candidates receiving the most votes, excluding Pelant, will be declared elected.
The agreement also requires notices at polling places informing voters that votes for Pelant will not be counted.
Superintendent Chris Swenson said the district developed the agreement after consulting Wright County election officials, the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office and the district's legal counsel.
The agreement was made possible by a 2025 amendment to Minnesota Statute 204B.44, which allows certain election errors or omissions to be corrected without a court order if all candidates and the responsible election authority unanimously agree in writing.
"This agreement is not valid if any of the candidates or the school district does not sign the agreement," Swenson told the board. "So at this point, I have six, all six candidates have agreed."
Swenson said the agreement would avoid the time and expense of seeking a court order and provide voters with more advance notice about how the election will be handled.
"If we went the other way and went through the court system, it potentially wouldn't get resolved until next Monday, the day before the election," he said.
Under the agreement, the district will work with Wright County election officials to post notices at all polling places, including precincts in Becker Township, Big Lake and Big Lake Township. Similar notices will be posted at locations where absentee ballots may be obtained or returned from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3.
One question remains unresolved: whether Pelant's vote totals will appear in the reported election results. Swenson said Wright County and the Secretary of State's Office will determine how those results will be reported.
During the meeting, board member Mark Branson questioned whether the notices might confuse voters because they do not explain why Pelant's votes will not count.
"Do you think that's gonna prompt a lot of questions to the election officials at the polling places, or is this what the attorneys recommended?" Branson asked.
Swenson said the language was drafted by attorneys and reviewed by Wright County and the Secretary of State's Office.
Board member Mary Barthel, who also serves as an election judge, said election judges are limited in what they can tell voters.
"As an election judge, you can only read what's on the ballot and restate the information," Barthel said. "You're not allowed to make any opinions at all."
Swenson added that officials recommended keeping the notices brief to avoid influencing voters.
Board Chair Jamie Sieben expressed frustration over the district resources devoted to resolving the issue.
"It's unfortunate the amount of time and district money that's had to go into this," Sieben said, acknowledging that the agreement would reduce future costs.
Swenson said he did not yet have an estimate of the hours spent addressing the matter.
The board approved the agreement on a motion by board member Jeff Hegle, seconded by Melissa Curtis. All six board members voted in favor.
Residency concerns prompted decision
Pelant announced Thursday, Oct. 22, that she was ending her campaign and would not accept a School Board seat if elected because construction delays had postponed her family's move to Monticello.
Under Minnesota law, school board candidates must reside in the district for at least 30 days before the election.
"When I filed, my family and I expected to be living full time on our property in the district by now," Pelant previously told the Monticello Times. "Our move is taking longer than planned, and I will not have lived there full-time with our entire household for the full 30 days before the election that the residency requirement calls for."
Pelant said she had consulted county and state officials about her eligibility but did not want to risk a legal challenge.
Because the candidate withdrawal deadline had passed, her name could not be removed from the ballot.
Pelant encouraged voters to consider Kent Holme, Roger Bovee and incumbent Melissa Curtis, all endorsed by Education Minnesota Monticello.
The other candidates are incumbent Casey Root and challenger Gloria Colbenson.
Three four-year seats are up for election Nov. 3. Incumbent Mark Branson is not seeking re-election.
Pelant has said she plans to run again in 2028 once her family's move is complete and there is no question about her eligibility.