City of Minneapolis, MN 2017 Minneapolis City Council and Committee Meetings, 2 Aug 2017

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From YouTube: August 2, 2017 Elections & Rules Committee

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Minneapolis Elections & Rules Committee Meeting

A

Good morning, I made a call to order this meeting. That's the elections in a Rules Committee, it is August 2nd. My name is jacob. Frye am the chair of this committee and today I'm joined by a quorum of our council members, including council members, Gordon, Cano, Glidden, Johnson, yang, Quincy and Palmisano. We are a quorum.

A

We have one item on the agenda for today, which is a slight changing up of several of the polling locations that we have in the city, in preparation for the 2017 elections and here to present is grace, walk, Lord's, grace, good.

B

Morning, mr. chair and members of the council, my name is graves wakka rohit's and I'm the student city, clerk director of elections and voter services. The election division has worked very hard at planning and preparing this year's municipal rank for a choice. Voting election, as you know, Election Day, is less than a hundred days away. We are now in a in full election mode to administer a successful, accurate, secure and transparent election notable activities. Our candidate filing, which started yesterday August 1st and will end on August 15th at 5:00 p.m.

B

our voter outreach and education team is actively engaging electoral participation in voter registration at City and local community events, including National Voter Registration day on September 29th, absentee voting will begin on September 22nd by mail or in person at our early vote center, located at 217, South, third Street and finally, the reason why I'm here before the committee is to designate the polling places for the 2017 municipal election, where you review and consider a staff is recommending 5-pole royal locations to enhance capacity and accessibility to better serve the voter.

B

The following polling locations were recommended to be both relocated. War3 precinct 545 precinct 5 word: 6, precinct six, four, seven: three: six: nine and more 12 precinct two at this time, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

A

Thank you. Are there any questions for staff at this time, councilmember yang.

C

Thank You mr. chair. No, with regards these changes as specifically more than five, you know for the past two elections: we've had at least a change with regards to the specific, creating time twice and yeah I guess for me, I'm just thinking you know with regard to those changes. Does that have an impact on turnout or I mean? Did we see you know, change and turnout from the last election, where we had changed the polling, location.

B

Councilmember BA, the purpose of changing any polling location, is to better serve the voter to enhance their experience as a voter in a particular location we experienced in 2016 in these particular locations that it wasn't the best experience for the voters and it will enhance in promote participation rather than hinder. We consider that very carefully. We also engage in the communities that are impacted to make sure that they are also comfortable with relocation right.

C

And I absolutely understand voting experience itself, but I mean I, guess for myself and like to you know, have folks or staff look at just. You know whether that impacts that turn out to folks is because yeah I think people get used to go in a certain place. You know they. It becomes habit for them to go to a certain place. Let's say like five, where I live I mean now we're all used to going to the library and I.

C

Imagine if we change the library location to some other place needs make it difficult for people, and you know I, don't know if it has changed on out. You know if staffing look, that that would be helpful. Just at least yeah.

B

It's a thank you for your suggestion. We do seriously consider that, but we will take great care yeah.

C

And I mr. chair I, truly appreciate that we are definitely looking for ways to improve the voting experience because I mean that's. You know ultimately, I mean that's what allows for people to show up more often, it makes it easier for them. I I've, been in the doors, and most folks are just you know. I mean not excited about going out to vote. Unless you know it's quick like and you know, I think. Sometimes you know as a candidate, you always have to promise.

C

So if you know it's going to be about five minutes in and out, and that's going to be the voting experience for yourself and so I appreciate the work in terms of that getting to a place where we're looking at them. You know just the whole loader experience. Yeah, don't give people a good incentive to go and vote. So. Thank you.

C

A

Thank You councilmember yang, if you look at the, if you look at the trajectory of both our citywide population as well as the the voting population and the number of precincts we've gone up dramatically, obviously in in population in the last you know, 10 or so years, while the number of polling precincts have been substantially lower than they were 30 40 years ago, and so what we've been trying to do is rectify that, because if you look at the problems that rose in 2012 and they were very significant, you know it's not like people weren't, showing up to vote.

A

They were showing up waiting in line for two hours in the cold and I. Believe was even raining at the time and some people are, are you know elderly, and they can't just stand there for two hours and this we needed to change things and so for the 2016 elections. Not only did we fairly dramatically increase the number of precincts that were available, we also incorporated early voting uh satellite precincts as you're aware, which tripled the early voting totals, and we saw lines decline substantially.

A

So there were previously long lines waiting in line for two hours and now there's not it's not like the voting population went down it didn't it's just the people we're voting earlier and we had more precincts available. So the the lines didn't exist and I really want to commend the elections department for doing all that work because I think it I mean it matters Thank You. Mr.

A

chair, do we have any further questions for staff at this time, we'll seeing none I, don't think we have any other items so I'll just move approval of the resolution designating polling places for all precincts to the 2017 municipal elections, all those in approval, please say: aye aye, all those opposed say. No, that item passes I will note that councilmembers bender, Wright, Goodman, Johnson Cano, have also joined us and we don't have anything else on the agenda today. So we are adjourned. Thank you.