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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/01/2011 - ITEMS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL MAIL BALLOT ELECTIONSDATE: November 1, 2011 STAFF: Wanda Krajicek Rita Harris AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 7 SUBJECT Items Relating to Municipal Mail Ballot Elections. A. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 130, 2011, Amending Chapter 7 of the City Code to Expand the Types of Registered Electors Who Automatically Receive Mail Ballots, and to Require the City to Pay the Postage Due for Ballots Returned by Mail. B. Resolution 2011-095 Directing the City Manager to Provide a Written Report to the City Council Following the April 2, 2013 Regular Municipal Election Regarding the Costs Associated With, and Turnout Achieved By, Mailing Ballots to Certain Inactive Voters as Required by Section 7-186 of the City Code. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on October 4, 2011, amends the City Code to require that ballots in a City mail ballot election be mailed to certain inactive electors in addition to all active registered electors. In addition, the Code will be amended to require that the City pay postage on all voted ballots returned by mail. Both amendments are anticipated to increase voter participation. Ordinance No. 130, 2011 was originally considered on Second Reading on October 18, 2011. It was postponed to this date to allow staff to amend the Ordinance to further define those inactive-failed to vote electors who will receive a mail ballot package, and to prepare a Resolution directing the City Manager to provide an analysis of the April 2013 election. This Ordinance was amended prior to Second Reading on October 18 to add language clarifying that ballots will be mailed to inactive registered electors with a status designation of “inactive-failed to vote”. On October 18, Council directed that the Ordinance be revised to provide that any inactive-failed to vote elector who voted in at least one of the past two General Elections immediately preceding any City election conducted by mail ballot, will receive a mail ballot package. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary - October 4, 2011 (w/o attachments) 2. June 23, 2011 Memo Analyzing Possible Changes to Mail Ballot Provisions COPY COPY COPY COPY ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: October 4, 2011 STAFF: Rita Harris AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 16 SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 130, 2011, Amending Chapter 7 of the City Code to Expand the Types of Registered Electors Who Automatically Receive Mail Ballots, and to Require the City to Pay the Postage Due for Ballots Returned by Mail. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance would amend the City Code to require that ballots in a City mail ballot election be mailed to inactive registered electors who voted in the last presidential election in addition to all active registered electors. In addition, the Code would be amended to require that the City pay postage on all voted ballots returned by mail. Both amendments are anticipated to increase voter participation. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Mail ballot elections in Colorado are governed by C.R.S, Title 1, Article 7.5, known as the “Mail Ballot Election Act”. In 2006, the City of Fort Collins codified its own mail ballot election provisions, superceding the Mail Ballot Election Act, although the City’s provisions as written in 2006 were closely aligned with the state law. This was permissible, because under the State Constitution, elections are a matter of local concern. Mail Ballot Recipients The Mail Ballot Election Act and the City Code both require ballots to be mailed to “each active registered elector”. Council has expressed a desire to expand the types of registered electors who automatically receive mail ballots in a City election to include inactive registered electors who voted in the last presidential election. Colorado uses a statewide voter registration system controlled by the Secretary of State. Each registered voter has a designated status, which is defined in current rules promulgated by the Secretary of State as follows: a. “Active status” or “active record” means that there are no conditions or restrictions on the voter’s eligibility. b. “Cancelled status” or “cancelled record” means that the voter’s registration has been cancelled or revoked based upon a determination that the voter is ineligible, or the applicant has been deemed not registered in accordance with these rules and Title 1, C.R.S.; or the voter has withdrawn their registration. c. “Inactive – failed to vote status” means that the voter was active prior to a General Election, but subsequently failed to vote in that General Election. d. “Inactive – returned mail status” or “inactive – undeliverable status” means that a voter information card or confirmation card was returned to the county clerk and recorder by the United States Postal Service as undeliverable. e. “Inactive – undeliverable ballot status” means that a voter was mailed a ballot that was subsequently returned to the county clerk and recorder by the United States Postal Service as undeliverable. This proposal would target a segment of voters classified as “inactive - failed to vote”, specifically those voters who are classified as such only because they failed to vote in the non-presidential General Election (Nov 2010, Nov 2014, Nov 2018, etc.). Voters who failed to vote in both the presidential election (Nov 2008, Nov 2012, Nov 2016, etc.) and COPY COPY COPY COPY October 4, 2011 -2- ITEM 16 the non-presidential election two years later will not automatically receive a ballot under this proposal. However, any eligible voter (other than one who has a “cancelled” status) who did not automatically receive a ballot may request a ballot by completing simple paperwork to document the request and update the voter’s registration information (primarily current address). This paperwork is forwarded to the County elections office after the City’s election and is used to not only update registration information, but also serves to change the voter’s registration back to “active”. Return Postage The second portion of the Ordinance would eliminate the requirement for voters to affix postage when returning a ballot by mail, and instead, requires the City to provide postage. This can be accomplished through a postage permit under which the City will pay postage only on those ballots returned, at the current first-class rate. This change also differs from the Mail Ballot Election Act, which requires the voter to pay postage. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS Mail Ballot Recipients Approximately 9500 additional voters would have received a ballot for the April 2011 election if ballots were mailed to inactive voters who had voted in the last presidential election. The approximate cost to include those additional voters would have been $19,000. Return Postage For the April 2011 election, 16,965 ballots were returned by mail. If the City had paid return postage on those ballots, the cost would have been $7,465. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. ATTACHMENT 2 ORDINANCE NO. 130, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TO EXPAND THE TYPES OF REGISTERED ELECTORS WHO AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE MAIL BALLOTS, AND TO REQUIRE THE CITY TO PAY THE POSTAGE DUE FOR BALLOTS RETURNED BY MAIL WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins is a Colorado home rule municipality and, as such, is authorized under Article XX, Section 6 of the Colorado Constitution to exercise certain specific powers, including the power to legislate upon, provide, regulate, coordinate and control all matters pertaining to municipal elections; WHEREAS, on November 7, 2006, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 165, 2006, establishing in Chapter 7, Article VII of the City Code its own provisions for conducting local mail ballot elections; and WHEREAS, among the provisions contained in Chapter 7, Article VIII is Section 7-186, which establishes the procedure for mailing ballots to the registered electors of the City; and WHEREAS, Section 7-186 presently states that ballots are to be mailed by the City Clerk to each active registered elector in the City, which requirement is the same as exists under the state Mail Ballot Election Act; and WHEREAS, the City Council believes that it would be in the best interests of the citizens of the City to expand the category of electors to whom ballots are mailed and to also amend Section 7-186 of the Code to require that the postage for such ballots be paid by the City, so as to encourage more widespread participation in City elections. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That Section 7-181 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to add a definition of “General Election” to read as follows: General Election shall mean the election held on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November in each even-numbered year and conducted by the County Clerk and Recorder pursuant to the Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 1. Section 12. That Section 7-186(a) of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7-186. Mailing of ballots; exception. (a) No sooner than twenty-five (25) days before an election, and no later than fifteen (15) days before an election, the City Clerk shall mail to each active registered elector, and to each inactive registered elector with a status designation of “inactive-failed to vote”, but who voted in the last presidential in at least one of the past two General Elections, a mail ballot packet, which shall be marked "DO NOT FORWARD," or with any other similar statement that is in accordance with United States postal service regulations. Said packet shall be sent in accordance with all applicable United States postal service regulations to the last mailing address appearing in the registration records of the Larimer County Clerk and Recorder. . . . Section 23. That Section 7-190(b) of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7-190. Voting and return of ballots. . . . (b) The eligible elector may return the marked ballot to the City Clerk by United States mail or by depositing the ballot at the office of the City Clerk or any place designated by the City Clerk. The ballot must be returned in the return envelope. If an eligible elector returns the ballot by mail, the elector may provide the necessary postage or, if not so paid by the elector, the cost of return postage shall be paid by the City. In order to be counted, the ballot must be received at the office of the City Clerk or a designated depository prior to 7:00 p.m. on election day. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of October, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of October, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ Chief Deputy City Clerk -2- Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of October, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk -3- RESOLUTION 2011-095 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOLLOWING THE APRIL 2, 2013 REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION REGARDING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH, AND TURNOUT ACHIEVED BY, MAILING BALLOTS TO CERTAIN INACTIVE VOTERS AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 7-186 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS WHEREAS, this same date, City Council adopted on second reading Ordinance No. 130, 2011, to expand the types of registered electors who automatically receive mail ballots, and to require the City to pay the postage due for ballots returned by mail; and WHEREAS, the purpose of adopting said Ordinance is, in part, to increase voter turnout; and WHEREAS, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of said Ordinance, the Council wishes to receive an analysis of the next regular municipal election on April 2, 2013, with regard to the costs associated with, and turnout achieved by, mailing ballots to certain inactive voters. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the City Manager is hereby directed to provide a written report to the City Council, no later than June 15, 2013, regarding the application of Ordinance No. 130, 2011 during the April 2, 2013, regular municipal election, including the costs associated with mailing ballots to certain inactive voters, as well an analysis of participation in the election by those inactive voters, including voted ballots returned, mailed ballots returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable, and ballots not returned at all. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 1st day of November A.D. 2011. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk