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CITY COUNCIL / CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING <br />STAFF REPORT <br />STAFF ORIGINATOR: Roberta Colotti, CIVIC, City Clerk <br />MEETING DATE: April 10, 2025 <br />TOPIC: Even -Year Elections <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The City Council will be meeting on Monday, April 7t" and discussing the option to move to <br />even -year elections. This topic will be continued to the April 10th Joint Charter Commission and <br />City Council meeting and a further update will be provided at that time. <br />BACKGROUND <br />At the December 2, 2024 City Council Work Session staff requested that the City Council consider the <br />option of moving to even -year elections to improve voter engagement and to reduce costs. There is a <br />trend away from odd -year elections across the state as well for these reasons. <br />At the December meeting it was the consensus of the City Council to direct the City Attorney to research <br />the legal steps and considerations to move to an even -year election for municipal officers, for future <br />consideration. <br />Voter engagement is one consideration in reviewing the option to move to even -year elections. The <br />number of registered voters at 7 a.m. on Election Day in 2024 was 15,322. <br />• 1,785 voters participated in the last odd -year municipal election (2023) <br />• 14,135 voters participated in the last even -year general election (2024) <br />The cost to run an election is covered primarily by the city, with county and state costs also part of the <br />total public cost to run and election The City of Lino Lakes budget for the 2025 municipal election is <br />$21,367. There are some ongoing annual costs regardless of if an election is held or not and the decision <br />to move absentee voting for 2025 to Anoka County will also reduce the City's 2025 actual costs, <br />however, the majority of the budget would be saved as direct result of moving to even -year elections. <br />There has been a move by cities that have had odd -year elections in the past to transition to even -year <br />elections. According to the Secretary of State's Office of the 856 cities, only 18 will be conducting an <br />odd -year election in 2025 (see the attached list of 18 cities and one township that are conducting an <br />election in 2025). <br />There are options for the City to consider in moving to an even -year election regarding the terms of <br />office and maintaining the staggered terms of office. If the amendment is effective this year and we do <br />not hold a 2025 election the terms of office of incumbents would be extended by one year. However, if <br />