Why Minneapolis reported RCV results later
Ramsey County delivered St. Paul’s ranked‑choice outcome around midnight using new open‑source tabulation software, while Minneapolis waited for a Hennepin County file and then followed a city‑ordinance process requiring manual write‑in review and spreadsheet‑based reallocation, finishing late Wednesday morning. Officials detailed exact timelines, software used, and legacy costs that shaped how quickly results were posted in each city.
📌 Key Facts
- Ramsey County began electronic RCV tabulation ~11:30 p.m. Nov. 4 and posted results at 11:58 p.m.
- Minneapolis received Hennepin County’s cast vote record file before ~8:30 a.m. Nov. 5, then manually reallocated rankings by ordinance.
- St. Paul’s prior manual RCV process cost about $30,000 per election and often took days; the new RCTab system is open‑source.