10-14-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of the City Council FROM: Heidi Heller, City Clerk DATE: October 14, 2020 RE: Consider Approval of 2021-2026 Agreement with Ramsey County for Election Services ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: Approval of 2021-2026 Agreement with Ramsey County for Election Services. BACKGROUND: City staff has proposed contracting with Ramsey County to administer the City’s election services beginning in 2021. Staff had estimated the total cost to be $54,000 for the 2021-2022 election cycle, which would be paid over 8 quarters ($27,000 annually). There was discussion with Council during the 2021 budget review about moving to county-run elections, and Council voted to add the estimated $27,000 into the preliminary levy that was set on September 23, 2020. Staff has since received the Election Services Agreement from Ramsey County and the actual 2- year cost is $1,600 higher than budgeted, at $55,600 ($27,800 each for 2021 and 2022). The agreement costs have increased for the 2021-2022 cycle due to higher Election Judge wages and accommodating the increased volume of absentee and early voting, which is expensive and very labor intensive, and there are now three elections during Presidential election years. The County has estimated their costs over the next five years in order to keep the contract costs relatively even, rather than having a large increase during the Presidential Primary years. The additional $800 annual cost for the agreement would be partially offset by a lower annual voting equipment maintenance fee. Staff budgeted $4,200 for the maintenance fee in 2021, and the actual fee will be less than $3,800 since an equipment licensing fee would now be included in the agreement cost. If the agreement is approved, adjustments would be made to the final budget for the additional cost. Absentee voting has been busy statewide this year since it began on September 18. Little Canada has had 200 voters in as of October 8, and another 200 ballots dropped off that were received by mail. Since 2016, Ramsey County has greatly expanded their outreach to voters by opening absentee voting locations throughout the county, along with additional locations during the 7-day Early Voting period. All of these voting locations are large facilities and are open for voting Monday through Friday. Only four of the 14 Ramsey County cities are conducting absentee and/or early voting at their city hall this year (Shoreview, Maplewood, Lauderdale & Little Canada).