Saint Paul, MN – This morning, the Minnesota Executive Council, comprised of the Minnesota State Auditor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor, will vote on Executive Order 20-92 that extends Minnesota’s peacetime emergency to respond to COVID-19.

State Auditor Blaha plans to vote yes citing the experience of states that border Minnesota. “We need only to look to the Dakotas, Iowa, and Wisconsin to see how quickly conditions can change when it comes to the pandemic. The data show that we continue to need the flexibility and nimbleness the peacetime emergency affords. The evidence is literally all around us,” said Auditor Blaha.

Currently, according to data from Brown University found on their tracking website, when it comes to the number of daily new cases per 100,000 residents in the United States, North Dakota ranks number one, South Dakota is number two, Wisconsin is number four, and Iowa is number seven. Minnesota ranks 17th.

Blaha continued, “Just as our individual choices affect our neighbors, our neighboring states’ choices are affecting us.” Auditor Blaha points to regional data that show counties on the perimeter of the state are seeing some of Minnesota’s highest increases in infection rates, likely due in part to the rise in cases of states they border. County data can be found in the Minnesota Department of Health’s COVID -19 Weekly Report.

Auditor Blaha urges Minnesotans to continue to take action to curb the spread of coronavirus. “Wearing a mask and social distancing is working – and given the experiences of our neighboring states, our actions to slow the spread are more important than ever,” she added.

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The Office of the State Auditor is the constitutional office that oversees nearly $40 billion in local government finances for Minnesota taxpayers. The Office of the State Auditor helps to ensure financial integrity and accountability in local government financial activities. Julie Blaha is Minnesota’s 19th State Auditor. Follow us on Twitter @MNStateAuditor.