(ABC 6 News) – Several Wabasha County precincts will be returning to in-person voting for the 2024 elections after community submits hundreds of petitions to abolish mail-in voting.

Starting next year, Wabasha County will decrease its mail-in voting precincts from nine locations to seven.

According to a press release from Wabasha County Republicans, this comes as a result of grassroots efforts made by hundreds of citizens who petitioned their Township Officers to return to in-person versus mail-in voting.

Deb Roschen, the chair of Wabasha County Republicans, says both Hyde Park and Elgin Township officers received hundreds of signatures from citizens in the community. Roschen says 79% of voters who voted in the last election in Elgin Township signed petitions to return to in-person voting, with 63% asking for the same in Hyde Park Township.

“When these Township Officers learned that a significant majority of the voters wanted to return to in-person voting, they did the right thing! We are very grateful to these Township Officers for listening to the people,” commented Karen Graves, one of the grassroots organizers.

Other communities including Oakwood Township as well as the cities of Zumbro Falls and Millville were also presented with petitions asking for a return to in-person voting, however Roschen says elected officials from those districts voiced financial concerns and decided not to support a return to in-person voting.

According to the press release, Hyde Park Township is joining Zumbro Township in holding one conjoined polling location as well as election costs.

Elgin Township is joining a shared polling location with the city of Elgin, according to Roschen.

“I was happy to work with the Secretary of State and provide election information to these Townships. The voice of the people matters, and it was exciting to see such an effective and successful grassroots effort,” said Sen. Steve Drazkowski (R). “Fortunately, Minnesota allows for rural townships and small cities to share polling places and election workers, which drastically decreases the expense of operating a polling place.”

This decision comes after some voters expressed concerned over the election integrity of mail-in voting. Some have expressed concerns about ballots being stolen or altered with the mail-in voting process.