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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-06-09 EC MEMOMEMORANDUM TO: Election Commission Members FROM: G Pat Crow, City Clerk <t~~ DATE: June 9, 1993 SUBJECT: STUDY SESSION WITH CITY COUNCIL Enclosed are copies of items which will be transmitted to city council prior to our study session with them on Monday, June 14 at 6:00 p.m. We can meet in my office around 5:45 so that Jo can brief us on recent Arapahoe County decisions with regard to the coordinated election. For those of you who may not have heard the latest, Mr. Fraser has accepted the City Manager's position of Loveland. His last day with the City is July 2. City Council has appointed Lorraine Hayes to serve as Acting City Manager after that date. Needless to say, all of us in this office are extremely pleased for Lorraine. cc: Lorraine Hayes, Director of Financial Services f'\. Printed on Recycled Paper J~ MEMORANDUM TO: Roger Fraser, City Manager FROM: Patricia H. Crow, City Clerk (Z J(, DATE: June 7, 1993 SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ELECTION COMMISSION The Englewood Election Commission has been meeting over the last several weeks identifying various sections of the Charter which hinder the election process under the provisions of Amendment No. 1 to the State Constitution. With the passage of HB1255 and HB1068, both of which become effective July 1, 1993, the Arapahoe County Clerk is charged with conducting centralized elections for all political subdivisions within Arapahoe County. The County has the option ·of conducting the election as a precinct election or a mail ballot election. As a Home Rule City, Englewood has the option of conducting its own election or being a part of the centralized elections conducted by the County. If Englewood were to decide to conduct its own elections, numerous problems could be encountered: if the County holds a precinct election, it would be necessary for the City to purchase/or lease its own election equipment as the County would be unable to provide us with its equipment; securing election judges and polling places would be difficult as the County would have first draw on those services; and our citizens may have to go to more than one polling place. If the County holds a mail ballot election, similar problems would be encountered, since the County has informed us their equipment and support staff would not be available for us to lease. Other options open to the City include our own mail ballot election or a precinct election using paper ballots. The Commission unanimously agrees that it is in the best interest of the electors of Englewood to conduct its future elections jointly with the other political entities within the County. With that objective in mind, the Election Commission respectfully submits the attached recommended amendments to the Charter for Council's consideration. />-). Print~d on Rer.ycled Paper -~~ These amendments, if approved, would permit Englewood to coordinate its .future elections with other entities within Arapahoe County should it wish to do so, but would not preclude the City from conducting its own election if that action would be advantageous to the City. These amendments also leave room to accommodate anticipated legislative changes. The Election Commission discussed these amendments with the City Attorney on April 28, 1993. Mr. DeWitt concurs in the proposed amendments to the Charter and has assured the Commission of his support to the recommendations being made. City Council is meeting with the Election commission on June 14, 1993. At that time, the Commission will discuss these recommendations with Council. Additionally, the Commission may recommend that Council approve by ordinance the utilization of the Uniform Election Code of 1992 for the November 2, 1993 election. Hopefully, we will also have drafted an intergovernmental agreement between the City and the County with regard to the 1993 election. The Commission's 1993 activity report is attached for submittal to City Council. cc: Englewood Election Commission Rick DeWitt, City Attorney Lorraine Hayes, Director of Financial Services 2 ENGLEWOOD ELECTION C01v1MISSION Members Jo Lay, Chairman Rene Mulnix Llomar Warren Betty Wilson Patricia Crow June 10, 1993 Mission Term Expires February 1, 1994 February 1, 1996 February 1, 1997 February 1, 1995 Tenure The 1TI1ss1on of the Englewood Election Commission is to ensure that all municipal elections are conducted in accordance with the Colorado municipal election laws, the Englewood Home Rule Charter, and the City of Englewood Municipal Code. 1993 Activities The Election Commission conducted one employee election for a Commissioner of the Englewood Career Service Board. This election was held in March and Jo Ellen Turner, who ran uncontested, was reelected by the employees for another term to expire March 15, 1997. Reapportionment of City Council Districts was finalized. In accordance with Charter provisions, the Election Commission identified city precincts within those district lines, reducing the total number of precincts to 12, three in each district. Recommendations have been submitted to City Council proposing various Charter amendments to be considered by the electors as part of the 1993 regular municipal election. Items for Discussion 1. Charter Amendment Recommendations 2. Procedure for 1993 election 3. Coordinated election to be conducted by Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder 4. Adoption by ordinance of the Uniform Election Code (for the 1993 election) should Englewood wish to participate in coordinated election or conduct its own mail ballot election. 5. Intergovernmental Agreement with Arapahoe County 6. Candidate packets will be available July 1, 1993. 7. Additional recommendations : Compensation increase for election judges RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENGLEWOOD ELECTION COMMISSION FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ENGLEWOOD CITY CHARTER June 7, 1993 The Commission unanimously agrees that it is in the best interest of the electors of Englewood to conduct its future elections jointly with the other political entities within the county. With that objective in mind, the following amendments to the Charter are proposed: Section 10 -modify by eliminating "Municipal" to read: GENERAL All municipal elections shall be governed by the provisions of the Colorado Municipal election laws, and as hereafter amended or modified, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. The Council may adopt by ordinance such rules and regulations in respect to elections including by reference any laws of the State of Colorado not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter or the State Constitution, as may be recommended by the Election Commission. Section 11 -modify by eliminating "Municipal" in second paragraph; eliminate third paragraph regarding "tie vote" to read: ELECTION COMMISSION There is hereby created an Election Commission consisting of the City Clerk and four qualified electors of the City. Said electors, during their tenure in off ice, shall not be City officials or employees or candidates for elective City office. Council shall make two additional appointments, one term of appointment to terminate January 1, 1983 and one term of appointment to terminate January 1, 1985; thereafter appointments shall be for four-year terms. The Commission shall elect a Chairperson from its membership. The Election Commission shall establish precincts and appoint the election judges and clerks for each precinct as provided in -t:fte Colorado Municipal election laws and have charge of all other activities and duties required of it by law or this Charter. In ease of a tie vote the Election Commission shall determine by lot the person or persons who shall be elected. Where municipal election procedure is in doubt, the Election Commission shall prescribe the procedure to be followed. Section 13 -eliminate in its entirety REG I S'l'R"t'l' I OH Eligibility to vote afld registratiefl shall be as required er prescribed by the Colorado MuHicipal Election Laws. Qualified electors may register at the off ice of the County Clerlc and Recorder er at the off ice of the City Clcrlc at such times and on such dates as may be provided by statute. 'l'he registration boolcs er lists of the County Clerlc and Recorder shall be the registration boolcs or lists of the City. Qualified electors, who arc unable to register as provided above, may register as provided by statute for absentee registration if eligible to do so. Section 15 -modify second paragraph to read: NOMINATIONS FOR ELECTIVE MUNICIPAL OFFICE Each candidate for an elective municipal off ice shall be nominated by petition signed by at least fifty registered electors residing within the municipality, or the district, from which the officer is to be elected. Petition forms supplied by the City Clerk may be circulated and sigHed not more than fifty days prior to the day of the election and shall be filed with the City Clerlc not less than thirty days prior thereto. Petitions. Petitions shall be circulated and filed in accordance with Colorado Municipal election laws. Section 16 -eliminate in its entirety VO'l'HJG 'l'he method of voting on all proposals and election of candidates shall be as the Election Commission directs. 'l'he names of the candidates nominated for public off ice shall be set up without party er other designation and shall be arranged under the designation of the office according to surHame alphabetically from a to 2 and in reverse from 2 to a in alternate precincts. Section 17 -eliminate in its entirety ABSEH'l'EE VO'l'HJG 2 • In accordance with Colorado Municipal Election Laws, an absent voter must file with the City ClerlE an application which may be in the form of a letter for an absent voter's ballot not earlier than ninety days · before and not later than the close of business on Friday im:mediately preceding any municipal election. 'l'he manner of easting such absentee ballot shall be in accordance with Colorado Municipal Election Laws. Such ballot must be in the hands of the City Clerk not later than five P.M. on the day of the election. Section 18 -eliminate in its entirety ELEC'l'IONEERING NEAR POLLS No person shall do any electioneering within one hundred feet of any polling place on election day. These amendments, if approved, would permit Englewood to coordinate its future elections with other entities within Arapahoe County should it wish to do so, but would not preclude the City from conducting its own election if that action would be advantageous to the City. These amendments also leave room to accommodate anticipated legislative changes. June 27, 1993 3