WINONA, Minn. – Winona County’s election headquarters received an email bomb threat as ballots were being counted on November 5. For reasons unexplained, County Auditor Chelsi Wilbright, who runs elections, did not notify law enforcement authorities until eight days later. Nor was the office evacuated. The office is in the County Office Building at 202 West Third Street, less than block from the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Ron Ganrude said he could not explain the eight-day lapse in being notified. Even so, deputies performed a walk-through inspection eight days later. Nothing incendiary was found, the sheriff said. The email threat had said that a bomb at the election office would explode with little damage but that people would be hurt. The email was time-stamped at 9:14 p.m.
Wilbright. Elected county auditor-treasurer in 2022. Earlier deputy auditor-treasurer.
Threats statewide
Minnesota’s election supervisor in St. Paul, Secretary of State Steve Simon, reported thyat some 40 election offices statewide received the same email bomb threat. All were hoaxes, he said