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l�'�, <br />Jy <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Department Approval <br />Date: February 9, 2009 <br />Item No.: 10.a <br />City Manager Approval <br />Item Description: Discuss Possible Changes to How Elections are Conducted in Minnesota <br />BACKGROUND <br />Sy any definition, the November 2008 election was historical. Voter turnout was among the <br />highest ever seen. In Roseville 90.5% of registered voters voted, and 17.3% of the voters voted <br />by absentee ballot. This compared with 10.3% statewide. More than 15% of new voters <br />registered to vote this election. <br />The November election also pointed out drawbacks to the current election system. In Minnesota <br />voters may use the absentee voting process if they meet certain criteria — absent from the <br />precinct, illness or disability, serving as an election judge in another precinct or religious <br />observance preventing them from going to the polls. It was clearly evident that many voters did <br />not meet that criteria but voted by absentee ballot anyway. Using the absentee process to vote is <br />extremely expensive, labor intensive and vulnerable to human error. <br />Several groups and individuals are working with the Legislature to propose changes to the <br />current election system that would eliminate or lessen costs and human error. These changes <br />would also make it easier for the voter to cast his/her vote. Two options being suggested include: <br />Earlv Votin� <br />Roughly 30 states allow early voting where any voter can come to City Hall to vote in the days <br />or weeks before election day. Voters complete the ballot and feed it through the voting machine, <br />eliminating the need for envelopes and the possibility of human error which could prevent their <br />ballot from counting. <br />Mail Onlv Election <br />The state of Oregon and parts of Washington, California and Colorado use the mail only <br />elections, eliminating the need of polling places. Sallots are mailed to all registered voters and it <br />is up to the voter to return the ballot by election day. Voters have a personal identification <br />number (PIN), usually their driver's license or passport number, which they include on the ballot <br />envelope. Unregistered voters use the absentee voting process to request a ballot. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />