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EE-7 Initiative and Referendum (B) <br />ve <br />The current system clearly works. where the citizens want initiative <br />and/or referendum, they can provide for it and can tailor it to their <br />needs. The legislature should not take it upon itself to impose <br />initiative and referendum on cities where voters have not chosen to <br />do so.'Nor should the legislature force cities which already have <br />adopted initiative and referendum to conform to a single procedure <br />which may not suit the individual city's particular needs and tha <br />desires of its citizens. <br />Initiative and referendum are already available to any city whose <br />citizens desire those powers. Voters of any city can choose to adopt <br />a charter and to include in that charter provisions for initiative <br />and referendum. <br />of Minnesota's 855 cities, 108 have adopted charters. About <br />two-thirds of those charters provide for initiative and referendum. <br />Those charters also vary in the procedures specified. For example, <br />how many voters must sign a petition in order to force an initiative <br />or referendum on an ordinance. <br />EE-8. Mail -in Balloting (B) <br />Mail -in balloting has been successfully conducted in several states <br />and experimental mail -in elections have been successful in Minnesota. <br />The all -mail balloting has shown an increased voter p_.rticipation as <br />well as cost savings. <br />The legislature is encouraged to make the mail -in balloting process <br />available for special, non -candidate elections for municipal and <br />school district elections. <br />The League encourages the legislature not to extend mail elections to <br />candidates. In addition, we encourage rules to include safeguards for <br />secrecy, simplicity, and provisions for voters to return their <br />ballots either by mail or in person to the election office. <br />EE-9 Optional Poll Hours (C) <br />�Wl <br />-1G- <br />