Steele-Waseca annual meeting details with first year of mail-in ballots

Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric will be conducting their annual meeting Tuesday, June 4, at their headquarters in Owatonna.

The co-op’s 88th annual meeting will be starting at 10:30 a.m., at 2411 West Bridge Street, Owatonna. The meeting is open to Steele-Waseca member-owners, and their guests. The doors will open at 9 a.m., with display and informational booths open until 10:15 a.m.

Parking will be available on the property surrounding the co-op’s headquarters. Miner’s Outdoor & Rec, located at Highway 218 South, Blooming Prairie, will be supplying several golf cars to shuttle members and their guests from their vehicle to and from the meeting.

Registration cards for the annual meeting will be mailed to members during the week of May 20. There won’t be any preregistration requirements. Please bring the registration card with you if you are planning to attend in person or using the drive-thru option. To be eligible to receive giveaways from Steele-Waseca at the annual meeting, the name on the registration card must match the person submitting it. You can’t have someone else present your registration card. If you are unable to attend due to illness (if you are not feeling well, please stay home) or other priorities, you are not eligible to receive the giveaways as this is a thank you for those able to attend.

Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric will be collecting non-perishable items for an area food shelf this year. Members with a donation to that food shelf, whether monetary or a non-perishable item, will receive an LED lightbulb.

There will be two early bird drawings for prizes taking place prior to the start of the annual meeting. The business portion of the meeting will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m., with the Presentation of Colors.

There will be no in-person voting at the annual meeting. Members will receive their mail-in ballots the week of April 29. Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) is conducting the mail-in ballot process, including tabulation and auditing the election on behalf of Steele-Waseca.

Mail-in ballot materials will include:

• Ballot with voting instructions.

• Candidate biographies.

• Ballot envelope (the completed ballot must be inserted in the ballot envelope to be counted; only one ballot per envelope is allowed).

• Postage-paid yellow return envelope (ballot envelope is inserted into the yellow return envelope) and mailed.

Important voting notes:

• Individual members, meaning residents, will not need to sign the yellow return envelope.

• Entity members, meaning businesses, corporations, clubs, organizations, trusts, estates, or identified farms [i.e. XYZ Farm(s)] must fill out the authorization section, including signature, on the yellow return envelope for the ballot to be counted.

Mail-in ballots must be received in SBS’s post office box (printed on the yellow return envelope) by 10 a.m., Friday, May 31, to be counted. DO NOT bring your ballot to the Steele-Waseca office. Be sure to mail your postage-paid yellow return envelope early. 

Election results will be announced at the annual meeting.

The annual meeting, as in past years, will have the same treats, gift drawings, and meal. If you have questions, please call the Steele-Waseca office during regular business hours.

• Facebook
• Link
• Mail