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Attachment A �1'I1�IO�T 1Viai1-only �lection? Lot of reasons to do it �;:�s��:r,�;�sE� -�£ ��j�� .�,��s �;:�� Terry Rass Dec. 14, 2Q08 (McClatchy-Tribun� Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- An in�o�ative idea is bei�g cor�sidered for a possibie May vot.� �n continuing ��e city of Yuma's hospitality tax. City Clerk Srigi.��a K�iper has proposed to the Yuma City Councif that the speciaf election -- if approved by the counCil -- be an al!-mail. ele.ction, a first for Yuma County to my knowledge and a rarity for the. nation as a wF�ole. My online research indicates that Oregon has had sarne 5uccess with this method which has helped that state reduce the cos� oP elections: Oregon has conducted them regularly for more than two decades. Some ather states allow them also, but only for limited purpases. There is real value in the �oncept. Kuiper point5 out it eliminates tF�e cost of ha�ing polling places and staffin:g them. Getting workers to handle polling sites �ends to be difficult because re.latively few peaple want to do it. Often they are retirees who ha.ve ti�e abiRity to drop everything for a one-day job. Contrary to what spme believe, it is not necessarily that easy working at polling sites: The hours can be fong. In the EVavember election, some poll workers had to be there nearly 20 hours. They started setting up the sites up at about 5 a.m. so they would be ready to open at 7 a.m., and sarne workers had to stay there until 11 p.m. or so due ta delays and and long lines of voter5. Workers da not simply leave when the paEl.s close officially. Whoever is in line a.� 7 p.m., the tirr�e set to dose, must be gi�en ihe opportunity t.o vote, no matter how long it takes. TF�en workers bre.ak down and clase out the polling sites, much like they did when. they apened the polls. It would be so mu.ch simpler to mail out baflots �o everyone who cauld then either mail them in or drop them off at the electior� afFice where they wquld be counted.