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l�'�, Jy REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Department Approval Date: March 9, 2009 Item No.: 10.a City Manager Approval � / Item Description: Hear a Presentation and Adopt a Resolution regarding Early Voting and Vote by Mail BACKGROUND The current election system has not kept pace with changing demographics and changing demands of a voter's time. The high turnout and follow up from the 2008 election demonstrate several things that can discourage or prevent eligible voters from voting or having their votes count. Numerous election reforms could help make elections easier to administer and make the voting process easier for eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote. Several legislative initiatives have been proposed this year by the Secretary of State and others to make improvements to the election process. Among the proposals are Early Voting and Vote by Mail options. Using the earlv voting�rocess, voters complete the ballot and feed it through the voting machine, eliminating the need for envelopes and the possibility of human error that could prevent their ballot from counting. Currently more than 30 states allow early voting. Using the vote bv mail option, ballots are mailed to every registered voter. It is up to the voter to return the ballot by election day. Voters have a personal identification number, usually their driver's license or passport number, which they include on the ballot envelope. Unregistered voters use the absentee voting process, either in person or through the mail, to request a ballot. Currently townships, cities and unorganized areas with fewer than 400 registered voters can use the vote by mail in state elections. Approximately 275 precincts use the vote by mail process. Additionally, a county, municipality or school district can conduct a special election by mail but no more than two questions may be submitted and no office may be voted on. Advocates for these types of election reform hope they pass in 2009, giving election administrators adequate time to develop rules and procedures before the 2010 election. However, there is concern that legislators may consider these changes too far-reaching without testing them on a smaller scale. Advocates for election reform hope the Legislature is willing to make these voting improvements, but recognize the need to make contingency plans. Ramsey County Elections Coordinator Joe Mansky asked if any Ramsey County city was interested in testing either of these election reforms. City Manager Sill Malinen had experience in Vote by Mail elections in a previous job, so he saw numerous benefits. In addition, because of Page 1 of 2