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Item No. 07F Type of Business: CB Date: October 13, 2008 City Administrator Review _______ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Clerk-Administrator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7346, Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Establishing an Absentee Ballot Board. Background: Section 203B.13 of the Minnesota Election Law (attached), allows the City by resolution to establish an Absentee Ballot Board. The purpose of the Absentee Ballot Board is to allow election judges to reject or accept absentee ballots that are received within 30 days of the election. In the presidential election of 2004, the City received approximately 400 Absentee Ballots, which were processed on election day. With the heavy voter turnout generated by the presidential election, it is more efficient to process the rejection or acceptance of the absentee ballots prior to election day. According to the County Auditor, the City must adopt a resolution establishing the Absentee Ballot Board for each election the Board is utilized. Discussion: Since the general election is very hectic and demanding, any duties that can be accomplished prior to the election, makes it easier for judges to focus on voting activities on election day. Staff is requesting 2 election judges (each from a different political party) in each precinct for a total of 8 election judges. These judges will need to be compensated for this service. Head judges are paid $8.78 per hour and all other judges are paid $8.15 per hour. Staff would like each precinct head judge to be present (4 total), along with 4 regular election judges. Recommendation: Because of the high number of absentee ballots received in a presidential election, it is staff recommendation that the City Council adopt Resolution 7346, establishing an Absentee Ballot Board. By allowing the Absentee Ballot Board (comprised of trained election judges) to review and mark the absentee ballot envelopes, it will ease the work load of election judges in that some of the duties of conducting the election can be done in part prior to election day, thus allowing the judges to focus on all other duties they must perform on election day. This should reduce the length of time on November 4th that it takes to process to ballots and get the results to the public. Respectfully submitted, Desaree Crane