City Council Meeting Date: November 21, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Title
Consider approving Resolution for Counting Write-In Votes for Local Elective Office.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the attached Resolution for counting write-in votes for local elective office.
Summary Report:
A new law change in 2023 allows for a governing body of a statutory or home rule charter city to adopt a resolution governing the counting of write-in votes for local elective office. Cities can now adopt a resolution requiring that either:
• Write-in candidates submit a request to have their individual votes tallied (Option 1) ; or
• Write-in candidates will only have their individual votes tallied if the total number of write-in votes for the contest is greater than or equal to the fewest number of votes cast for a non-write-in candidate (Option 2).
Staff recommends Option 1 for the City of Northfield as this option streamlines reporting for the election process. This option also would be easier for the election judges at the end of the night as write-in candidates for Federal, State and County offices have to declare as well. If this option is adopted, election judges would handle all write-ins election night and only count the write-in declared candidates for City offices. Both Rice County and Dakota County Election staff prefer Option 1 also for the cities in their counties as this will streamline reporting for their offices after the election. Cities in Rice County will be recommending approval of this option for their cities. A few cities in Dakota County have adopted this option also.
For Option 2, since Northfield is in two counties (Dakota and Rice County), this option would require the City elections judges to go to the Property, Tax and Election office in Rice County the morning after election day to put the numbers together for ALL precincts in the City to see if the write-in votes are greater than or equal to the fewest number of votes cast for non-write-in candidates. If the total number of write-in votes is greater, then the City election judges would have to go over the write-in votes for all precincts to determine the winner.
Alternative Options:
Council could choose Option 2 versus the staff recommendation of Option 1.
Financial Impacts:
There are financial impacts should the Council choose Option 2 as the City would be responsible for paying the City election judges mileage to Rice County Government offices in Faribault and their hourly wage for reviewing election results the morning after and determining the if write-ins need to be counted as stated above.
Tentative Timelines:
A resolution needs to be in place by May 1, 2024 designating the counting method for write-ins for local elective office.