Carlton County auditor/treasurer Kathy Korteum told the Carlton County board of commissioners that the estimated cost of the presidential primary has basically quadrupled.

“We must be prepared for the new presidential primary occurring in March,” the auditor said, explaining that the statewide cost of the primary was first estimated in 2016 to be around $3 million, but now the figure has risen to $12 million. Counties will be reimbursed by the state for any costs associated with the primary election.

This will be the first time in recent history that Minnesota has implemented a state-ad...