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O: Carolyn Curti Communications Specialist City of Roseville From: Jerry Freeman 651-49-3-1293 65 1-493- 1295 fax S ub j e c t: Comments for Odd/Even Election Year Cycle Meeting for April 10, 2002 site: April 10, 2002 I would like my comments and opinions on the above subject added to the discussion and thus the record of the meeting to be held this evening. During the campaign for City Council this past fall, I spoke with more than 1000 residents of Roscville asking them what issues might be important to them. Not one person mentioned to me concern over changing the election year cycle or that they thought there was a problem with the current election cycle. However, one frequent issue was how the general public, or voters, could stay informed about the issues being discussed by the candidates for local office. My concern with going to an even year election cycle is our local voters will become even less informed about local issues because of the `clutter' from the State or National campaign ssUes. After our 2001 City election Al Sands wrote a very interesting letter to the editor expressing his concerns about the money that was spent by council candidates in that election. The 2001 city election may indeed have been the most expensive election so far in Roseville's history. His conclusion was that this was too expensive and there must be a better way to get the candidate's message to the voter. This was during an odd year election cycle when we did not have to compete with State of Federal election campaign issues. I don't see how moving the election cycle to even years is going to help this situation. Actually, I believe moving to even years would i ncrcas,e local spending on elections just to keep the message of local issues at even keel with State and Federal issues. Going to even years might increase turnout, but the increase in voters might actually be less informed voters, again, because of the clutter and loss of attention to local issues. If the Council does decide to change the election cycle to even years, I would respectfully request the council to shorten, by a one-time ordinance, the length of term of the affected office holders by one year. This would have the effect of causing an election to take place this fall as a result of these changes. Otherwise, current council members would have the one time authority to increase their own elected terms by one year without voter approval. I understand State statute allows for either method, but I believe the voters should decide if they want to extend terms of elected officials. These are just some of my comments on this issue. Thank you for allowing me to submit these in writing. .1 e 1.1-x,, Freeman