Agenda Packets - 2010/05/24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 07G Meeting Date: May 24, 2010 Type of Business: CB Administrator Review : ____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7618, Establishing the Absentee Ballot Board for the 2010 Primary and General Election Background: The Military and Overseas Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009, required Minnesota to move the Primary Election to August 10, 2010. This provided for a 45-day absentee balloting period. There is no change to the General Election date, which is scheduled for Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Both elections for all four (4) precincts will be conducted at the Mounds View Community Center from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Section 203B.23 of the Minnesota Election Law, requires the City to establish an Absentee Ballot Board by resolution. The purpose of the Absentee Ballot Board (ABB) is to allow election judges to reject or accept absentee ballots that are received within 45 days of the election. The election law has changed for 2010, and the City is now required to convene an ABB every five days to accept and reject absentee ballots, and at least once every three days during the two (2) weeks before the election. Discussion: Minnesota election law states that the ABB must examine all return absentee envelopes and accept or reject ballots received. The ABB must convene at a minimum of every five (5) days, and convene every three (3) at least two (2) weeks before the election. Each ABB member must examine all return absentee ballot envelopes and accept or reject absentee ballots. The ABB must consist of either City staff trained as election judges, city trained election judges, or a combination of both. Each absentee ballot must be examined by two (2) trained election judges of different major political parties. The new language in the election law requires the ABB to track all ballots using a web based program called SVRS (Statewide Voter Registration System). In addition, the ABB will be required to track all rejected absentee ballots. When a ballot is rejected, the official in charge of the ABB must mail the voter a written notice of absentee ballot rejection, and this is tracked through the SVRS system and a City generated Excel spreadsheet. Due to the extensive new absentee ballot requirements, Staff is recommending that the ABB consist of City staff trained as election judges. The ABB would consist of myself, Jim Ericson, Heidi Heller, Heidi Steinmetz and Mary Springer. By using City staff, the City can easily schedule ABB meetings ahead of time, and post them on the website as they are open to the public. If the ABB feels that more help is needed, then the ABB may call upon more trained election judges to help. Attached is a summary of all the new election laws that were in adopted in 2010 for your reference.