Votes — or rather the lack of any vote at all — by Carlton County commissioner Tom Proulx on several resolutions during the June 24 county board meeting had us scratching our heads here at the Pine Knot News. After all, what does it mean when an elected official doesn’t vote?

We learned there is no simple answer to that question.

In neighboring St. Louis County, according to the policy manual, a commissioner may be excused from voting on a question by the majority of the board in case of a demonstrated possible conflict of interest, with the request being made before the vote is take...