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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Election Code Committee - 08/15/2022 -8/15/2022 – Minutes Page 1 Minutes Election Code Committee Regular Meeting August 15, 2022 – 12:00 PM CIC Conference Room, City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave and via Zoom at https://fcgov.zoom.us/j/93910757534 Remote Participation Available A) Call Meeting to Order Chair Canonico called the meeting to order at 12:02 p.m. B) Roll Call PRESENT Chair Councilmember Tricia Canonico Mayor Jeni Arndt Councilmember Kelly Ohlson (arrived at 12:10 p.m.) C) Public Participation An online speaker with the Chamber of Commerce requested the Chair speak louder to be heard over the Zoom meeting. Owen Perkins (online) spoke in support of including public financing of elections as an ongoing priority, and taking an action prior to the next election to go into effect in the following election cycle to allow separation of the Council voting on this with those running in the following cycle. D) Public Participation Follow-up Mayor Arndt clarified that depending upon the outcome of the vote on ballot questions, there may not be an election until November of 2023. E) Approval of Minutes Motion made by Mayor Arndt, Seconded by Chair Canonico. Voting Aye: Chair Canonico, Mayor Arndt Excused: Councilmember Ohlson 1. Approval of the minutes of the June 16 and June 27, 2022, Election Code Committee meetings. The purpose of this item is to approve the minutes of the June 16 and June 27, 2022, meetings of the Election Code Committee. Arndt moved, seconded by Canonico, to approve the minutes. Approved 2-0. Excused: Ohlson. F) Discussion / Informational Items 8/15/2022 – Minutes Page 2 2. Consideration of shifts to requirements in Municipal Code for redistricting. The purpose of this item is to allow the Committee to consider what shifts might be helpful to the requirements currently contained in City Code relating to redistricting. Since the current redistricting process has just concluded, this is an excellent time to consider what has worked well in the existing process, and where improvements might be appropriate. Chair Canonico introduced the item and requested an overview from staff. City Attorney Daggett provided information about current redistricting requirements and the rationale for considering potential shifts in the code language regarding redistricting triggers. Discussion by the committee included: Mayor Jeni Arndt: • Expressed a desire for the least political process possible. • In terms of triggers, annexation would be a big potential one. • Suggested standard timing of every ten years, except when a super majority of Council approves a special process due to extraordinary circumstances, such as a large annexation with existing residents rather than open land. Councilmember Kelly Ohlson: • Noted he has not observed concern with the timing of redistricting being politicized, leading to being unsure of the need for a supermajority vote to undertake an additional redistricting, although not unsupportive. • Also brought up questions about why it is difficult to guess the numbers for CSU student population. It was clarified that the challenge comes from using decennial census data as the initial basis for redistricting after it is completed. For other updates in between census years, there are challenges with coming up with alike mechanisms for population estimates. He indicated he didn't think it needs to be as complicated and close is good. • Requested a list of recent redistricting dates for the history. There was discussion about the need to follow up with the County regarding their process of establishing precinct boundaries. The Committee indicated it was comfortable with continuing the existing process of the Council reviewing and approving district boundaries. 3. Review of priorities set by the Election Code Committee Since beginning its work following the April 2021 Municipal Election, the Election Code Committee has met 13 times. Beginning with its first meeting, the Committee established seven main topics of discussion and their priority for addressing. The Committee has made substantial progress on the first four of these priorities. At this time, it is appropriate to identify what additional work, if any, the committee wishes to pursue ahead of the next municipal election, currently scheduled to occur in April of 2023. City Clerk Anissa Hollingshead provided an overview of this topic for the committee. Committee discussion included: 8/15/2022 – Minutes Page 3 Councilmember Kelly Ohlson: • Open to a break in committee meetings or not. • Noted it may not be likely for any further action on the Committee’s priorities before the next election, particularly if that election still occurs in April but that he would still like it to be clear the Committee intends to continue pursuing the remaining priorities. Mayor Jeni Arndt: • Supportive of taking a break until the next election. All committee members expressed interest in maintaining action on the remaining priorities. There was discussion of the potential to take a break at this time until the November meeting, following the special election ballot questions. Staff was asked to find a November date for a meeting, as the regular meeting date falls the week of Thanksgiving. Public financing of elections was specifically identified as an ongoing priority to remain focused on with the potential to adopt for November 2023 elections if the election date is shifted. There was a request from the committee to see two-three examples of how this has been put in place in other jurisdictions to start discussions. G) Review of Upcoming Calendar It was determined the September and October meetings should be cancelled. A date in November or December following the special election will be set for the next meeting to review a potential ordinance amending redistricting provisions as well as determine potential next steps on exploring public financing of elections in light of the results of the special election on the ballot questions. H) Other Business None. I) Adjournment There being no further business before the committee, Chair Canonico adjourned the meeting at 12:50 p.m. MINUTES APPROVED AT THE DECEMBER 5, 2022 ELECTION CODE COMMITTEE MEETING Next Scheduled Committee Meeting: 12 p.m., September 19, 2022 – to be cancelled.