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Page 2 December 5, 1979 <br />Pursuant to the Minnesota Statutes 410.11 a <br />Charter proposition to be considered adopted <br />must pass by 51% of the votes cast on the <br />proposition. A determination was made by <br />the Clerk- Administrator that the proposition <br />passed. The City Attorney advised that a <br />determination of the undervotes should be <br />made. The City's Finance Director explained <br />the undervote to some detail to the Canvassing <br />Board. The City Attorney said when deter- <br />mining what duties the Council as the <br />Canvassing Board had included the authority <br />to correct obvious errors. Certification <br />of the elections results by the Canvassing <br />Board commences the timing for an election <br />contest. <br />The issues before the Canvassing Board are; <br />(1) Whether or not to exclude or include <br />the Seven (7) "undervotes" to determine <br />the election results. (2) The Canvassing <br />Board must then certify the election results. <br />Mayor McCarty moved that the seven undervotes <br />be excluded from the election results since <br />they were not votes cast on the proposition. <br />The definition of an undervote as described <br />by the Secretary of State's office in its <br />regulations was taken into consideration. <br />Councilmember Forslund seconded the motion. <br />4 ayes <br />0 nays <br />The City Attorney advised that legal precedent <br />has held that blank ballots and defective <br />ballots would not be counted as votes cast <br />on the proposition. Previous court decisions, <br />the statutes and attorney general's opinions <br />have indicated that blank ballots and possible <br />defective ballots do not count in determination <br />of the percentage needed for passage of an issue. <br />Forslund moved to accept the results of the <br />December 4, 1979, Charter proposition which was <br />adopted by 1,031 yes, 985 no, for a total votes <br />cast of 2,016 votes. The proposition passes by <br />51.14% in favor of the proposed Charter. <br />Ziebarth seconded the motion which carried. <br />