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From YouTube: August 13, 2014 Elections & Rules Committee Meeting
Description
Minneapolis Elections & Rules Committee Meeting
A
Good
morning,
I'm
going
to
call
to
meeting
of
the
elections
and
Rules
Committee
for
Wednesday
August
thirteenth.
My
name
is
Jacob
Frye.
Am
the
chair
of
this
committee
and
joining
me?
Are
a
bunch
of
council
members
here,
councilmember
palmisano
Goodman
or
saw
me
Quincy,
Johnson,
bender
and
Gordon.
We
have
a
quorum
presently,
colleagues,
we
just
have
one
item
on
the
agenda
for
today
and
that
deals
with
our
elections.
Judges
due
to
the
successful
increase
in
the
minimum
wage
at
the
state
level.
We
also
have
to
raise
the
wage
for
our
Alexa.
A
B
Morning,
mr.
chair
members
of
the
committee,
my
name
is
Casey
Carla,
the
privilege
of
serving
a
city
clerk
and,
in
that
capacity
I
also
serve
the
city
and
its
voters.
As
the
chief
elections
official,
as
the
chair
stated,
the
request
before
you
pertains
to
an
increase
in
pay
rates
for
our
core
of
election
judges.
This
is
the
first
requested
increase
in
pay
rate
since
2007.
When
the
council
authorized
pay
rates
to
be
tied
to
specific
position
types,
those
rates
have
remained
in
place
without
change.
B
Since
that
time,
staff
has
prepared
a
chart
that
compares
Minneapolis
pay
rates
for
its
election
judges
to
other
metro
cities
that
chart
shows
that
in
almost
every
type
of
position
serve,
Minneapolis
is
slightly
under
the
average
for
its
head
assistant
head
and
base
election
judge
salaries.
As
the
chair
noted,
the
statewide
increase
in
minimum
wage
further
compounds
the
issue,
as
some
of
our
election
judges
would
fall
under
the
new
minimum
pay
rate.
B
The
minimum
wage
will
increase
incremental
II
over
the
next
two
years,
as
well,
topping
out
at
nine
dollars
fifty
cents
per
hour
and
twenty.
Sixteen.
As
this
body
is
aware,
we
continue
to
have
challenges
recruiting
a
sufficient
number
of
election
judges
to
adequately
staff
the
city's
125
polling
places,
let
alone
the
number
of
election
judges.
We
need
to
assist
our
small
permanent
staff
in
preparation
for
election
day,
which
includes
absentee
balloting,
health
care,
soup
services
and
other
efforts
which
require
the
use
of
qualified,
well-trained
election
judges.
B
B
At
this
time,
we
do
plan
to
work
with
our
partners
in
the
finance
department
to
monitor
the
impact
of
this
request
and,
if
necessary,
we
would
come
forward
at
the
appropriate
time
to
request
contingency
funding
if
the
increase
cannot
be
absorbed
with
other
within
other
existing
appropriations
in
the
department,
and
with
that,
mr.
chair
staff
is
pleased
to
support
a
recommendation
to
increase
pay
rates
for
all
election
judges,
effective
August,
1
2014,
which
is
the
date
that
it
became
effective,
statewide
and
I'm
happy
to
stand
for
any
questions.
The
committee
may
have
Thank.
A
You
mr.
Carlin,
before
I
open
it
up
to
questions
I,
just
like
to
give
a
full
heartfelt
thanks
to
11
the
entire
elections
team,
but
grace
as
well
as
Casey
and
everyone
else.
That's
been
involved
into
the
election
judges
I
mean
they're
working
like
dogs
out
there
they're
not
getting
paid
very
much,
in
fact,
I
think
oftentimes
they're
losing
money
due
to
gas
and
food
and
other
circumstances
and
they're
doing
a
tremendous
job.
So
my
sincere
thanks
to
all
of
our
dedicated
election
judges.
A
We
certainly
could
not
do
without
them
before
I,
open
it
up
to
questions.
I
will
just
move
the
the
motion
so,
which
is
to
authorize
increase,
so
I
move
that
we
authorize,
increases
and
pay
rates
for
election
judges
across
all
position,
types
by
two
dollars
and
forty-five
cents
per
hour,
as
recommended
by
staff
to
be
effective
august.
First
2014
consistent
with
the
state
law
raising
minimum
wage
across
Minnesota.
Are
there
any
questions
or
comments?
C
B
Last
through
the
chair,
councilor
Yang,
yes,
this
would
be
effective
for
all
the
election
judges
who
have
been
serving
as
of
august
first
for
those
who
are
working
in
different
capacities
prior
to
August.
First,
the
service
before
August
first
would
be
covered
under
those
pay
rates
and
then
from
August
first
and
after
would
be
covered
under
the
new
pay
rate.
Thank
you.
A
B
A
A
B
Half
of
the
elections
and
voter
services
division,
I'm
pleased
to
provide
unofficial
results
from
yesterdays
primary
contest.
To
be
clear,
the
report
that
we've
distributed
reflects
initial
data.
These
results
have
not
yet
been
certified
as
official
results.
The
Hennepin
County
canvassing
board
meets
on
Friday
to
complete
that
work,
at
which
time
the
results
will
become
final.
As
the
official
report
shows,
29,000
106
Minneapolis
voters
participated
in
yesterdays
primary,
that's
just
over
twelve
percent,
as
anticipated,
turnout
was
low.
A
notable
exception
was
in
the
total
volume
of
absentee
ballots.
B
The
record
for
the
number
of
absentee
ballots
cast
in
a
primary
contest
was
3352,
which
was
achieved
in
2010
this
year.
The
city
accepted
a
total
of
3917
absentee
ballots
during
the
primary,
an
increase
of
more
than
500
ballots,
compared
to
2010,
setting
a
new
record
for
the
total
number
of
absentee
ballots
cast
in
a
primary.
The
report
that
we
provided
breaks
down
turn
out
by
ward
and
precinct.
B
Yesterday
we
will
post
our
initial
data
report
that
we've
distributed
just
now
to
the
city's
elections
website
for
public
access,
which
can
be
accessed
at
vote.
Minneapolis
MN
gov
will
also
post
notice
about
the
report
and
how
to
access
it
via
our
social
media
accounts.
More
than
one
thousand
two
hundred
and
seventy
election
judges
were
recruited
trained
and
deployed
yesterday
to
staff
the
city's
125
precincts.
That
represents
the
city's
largest
single
workforce,
which
we
just
compensated
included
in.
B
That
number
were
68
city
employees
from
various
departments
who,
in
addition
to
their
full-time
jobs,
helped
us
yesterday
by
serving
as
election
judges.
In
addition
to
our
election
judges,
we
have
approximately
34
seasonal
staffers,
who
join
us
year
after
year
to
help
us
prepare
for
and
conduct
the
elections.
In
addition
to
our
full-time
team
of
four
election
administrators,
all
working
under
the
direction
of
our
director
of
elections
and
voter
services
grace
what
Lords
they
do.
Amazing
work.
B
They
support
the
constitutional
rights
of
our
voters
and
they
make
the
city
look
good
with
the
primary
now
behind
us.
The
elections
team
immediately
begins
to
finalize
plans
for
the
2014
gubernatorial
general
election,
which
is
scheduled
for
Tuesday
November
4th
just
12
weeks
from
yesterday,
mr.
chair
I'm
happy
to
stand
for
questions
about
the
initial
data
report
or
to
conclude
and
finish
this
meeting
Thank.
A
F
B
No
through
the
chair,
councilmember
Quincy,
as
you
know,
we
had
117.
Last
year,
we
added
eight
brand-new
precincts
this
year,
based
on
population,
totals
trying
to
more
evenly
distribute
locations
within
the
neighborhoods
throughout
the
community,
and
we
also
change
voting
locations
and
for
specific
areas
to
better
facilities
in
order
to
help
serve
voters
and
cut
down
on
lines.
So
we
think
that
those
eight
new
places
and
for
change
locations
were
very
successful.
Thank
you
Thank
You.
A
Councilmember
Quincy
no
I
will
add
that
we
are
also
looking
at
additional
measures
that
will
increase
accessibility
for
the
general
election
both
days
and
end
times,
and
we're
just
figuring
out
the
staff
resources,
as
well
as
the
financial
resources
that
we
have
to
do
it
I'm
sure
mr.
Carl
and
I
will
be
updating
all
of
you
in
the
in
the
coming
weeks.
So
are
there
any
other
questions
for
mr.
Carl,
seeing
none
and
that
we've
completed
everything
we
need
to
do?
We
are
adjourned.
Thank
you.