LTC 091-2009 November 2009 Run-Off Electionm '~~~11AM1 BEACH
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OF ICe OF TI1E CITY NJ~NAG[R ~ _;.t
NO. LTC# 091-2009 LETTER TO COMMISSI~(~, ;~
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?o Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission ~: :5;
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FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~ _ v
DATE- April 3, 2009 ~ i'
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suslECr: NOVEMBER 2009 RUN-OFF EL~CTION
On March 9, 2009, via LTC 066-2009, (see Attachment "A"J, a letter from Mr. Lester Sola,
Supervisor of Elections, Miami-Dade County Elections Department, was transmitted to the
Mayor and Cify Commission notifying the city clerk that because of the new optical scan
voting system, the Elections Department is strongly urging each municipolity to conduct the
general election and runoff election a minimum of three (3j weeks apart. Pursuant to the City
Charter, the Miami Beach run-off period is two (2) weeks.
At the City Commission meeting of March 18, 2009, a referral to the
Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) was approved and Mr. Sola was
invited to attend fhe Committee meeting to answer any questions the Committee may have
regarding extending the run-off period. The item is scheduled to be heard at the NCAC
meeting of April 15~, (sec Attachment "B").
The municipalities of Miami Beach, Hialeah and Miami, hold elections on the same election
schedule. The city clerk's from these cities have been in communications regarding this matter.
On April 2, the Miami-Dade County Elections Department made a presentation to the City of
Miami Commission. During testimony to the Miami City Commission, Miami-Dade County
Elections representative indicated that "we can make the [November] 17-^ [two week run-off]
work".
Robert Parcher, City Clerk, received an email on April 2, from Ms. Tara Smith, Chief Deputy
Supervisor of Elections, indicoting that "all three run-off election [Miami Beach, Hialeah, and
Miami] will now be held on November 17" [two (2) week run-off period(.
In Mr. Sola's February 1 1'~ letter, (Attachment "A"J, ha indicates that the new optical scan
voting system "requires much more preparation time" to give the Elections Department time
that is required to properly prepare for an election and to give voters the opportunity to take
advantage of absentee voting. He also indicates that we share a common goal to ensure that
your elections ore thorough, complete, and accurate.
With the recent change in direction by MDC Elections there still remains the concerns initially
expressed by MDC Elections regarding absentee voting, and ensuring that the elections are
thorough, complete and accurate. With this in mind it is recommended that the
Neigh pbo~rhpood/Community Affairs Committee get this commitment at Their April 15'F meeting.
I`,`y'
JMG/REP
Cc: Jose Smith, City Attorney
Hildo Fernandez, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Assistant City Manager
Robert Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
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HC LTC # 066-2009 LETTER TO COMMISSION
r0; Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager '~
DATE March 9. 2009 ` J l
SURIEC7 NOVEMBER 2009 RUNOFF ELECTION
On February 1 l , 2009, Mr. Lester Sola, Supervisor of Elections, Miami-Dade County Elections
Department, notified the City Clerk that becauso of the new optical scan voting system, the
Elections Department is strongly urging each rnunicipalily to conduct the general election and
runoff election o minimum of three 13) weeks apart. Attached for your perusal a a copy of
Mr. Sole's letter.
A referral to the Neighborhoad/Community Atfairs Committee will be placed on the March
18, 2009 Commission Agenda and Mr. Solo will be invited !o attend the Committee meeting
to answpe~r~any questions.
JMG/REPf
Cc: lost Smith, City Atlarney
Hilda Fernandez, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Assistant Cily Manager
Robert Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
\C. `4\~ICR\(i.iRMS\''<OGS R_noff eloc-ion 3 wcoks.bc.doc
Elections
171 ;..i '~'d. i:.1h:\vrnur
MiAMI•DADE {{~, , r• / r .~Hami, Florida 33172
R I 1.. ~ ~ ~~ (- I) 1 illi-J94-VOtE f ill.i .l iJ{'I OS•17
iu~7 FEB 17 F;112~ 32
miamidade.guv
February 11, 2009 : ', 11' : a . ~ " ~ i
Robert Parcher
City of Miami Beach
1700 Convention Center Dr., Suite 200
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Bear Mr. Parcher:
With the 2008 election year behind us. the Elections Departrnenl is looking to refine our procedures
based on the new optical scan voting system. What we have learned this past year is that this
system requires much more preparation time than what was previously required. This, in iurn,
requires that your municipality reevaluate when you hold your run-off elections. In order to give this
Department the time that is required to properly prepare for every election and in addition, give your
voters the opportunity to take advantage of absentee voting, I strongly urge you to conduct your
general and run-off elections a minimum of three weeks apart. As you know, there are many steps
involved in preparing for a municipal election. This includes:
• Updating voter registration records
• Coding, proofing and testing two different voting systems (optical scan and electronic)
• Ordering, printing, processing and mailing absentee ballots
• Giving adequate time to voters to receive and return their absentee ballots
Hiring and training personnel for early voting sues, if applicable, and for Election Day
Delivering paper ballots and supplies to early voting sites and polling locations
• Resetting, reprogramming, and retesting all election equipment
Preparing for the state-mandated Logic and Accuracy Test (L&A) and Post Election Audit
It is a tremendous challenge for this Department to perform all of the procedures statod above in the
timeframe that curcently exists between your general and runoff elections. The greatest concern is in
regards to absentee voting. The stwrt time period between elections may prevent voters from taking
advantage of absentee voting alxllor being able to successfully return the ballot to our office by the
deadline-
I know we share a common goal to ensure that your elections are thorough, complete, and accurate.
With this in mind, I hope you take this recommendation into consideration and allow a minimum of
three weeks between your general and run-off elections. I would like to remind you that F.S.
100.3605 stipulates that municipalities have the authority to change the date of their elections. a
right that many municipalities have exercised in the past.
Should you have any questions or require additional information, please feet fr~ to contact me
directly or Tara Smith, Chief Deputy Supervisor of Elections, at 305-499-8509.
Sinc~ y,
j/
Leste Sola
Sup rvisor of Ele Ions
Miami-Dade Elections Department
X47-r~c~9-rn fYt~' `~ g"
m MIAMIBEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convunlion Center Orivo, Miomi Beach, flmida 33139, www.miamibeochil.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
i0: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ~\~
uArE: March 18, 2009 JV)
SUBIECT REFERRALTOTHENEIGHBORHOODSlCOMMUNITYAFFAIRSCOMMITTEE-
DISCUSSION REGARDING CONDUCTING THE GENERAL ELECTION AND
RUN-OFF ELECTION A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) WEEKS APART.
RECOMMENDATION
Refer the item.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to the City Charter Section 2.01, "........ A candidate must receive a majority of the
votes cast to be-deemed elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, there
will be a runoff election between the two candidates in each group receiving the highest
number of votes; should a tie result, the outcome shall be determined by lot. This runoff
election shall occur two weeks from the date of general election."
In a special election held on November 4, 2003, 4,057 voters or 66.41 % voted in favor of
amending City Charter Section 2.01 to change the run-off election date from one (1) week
after the general election to two (2) weeks after the general election.
ANALYSIS
Mr. Lester Sola, Supervisor of Elections, Miami-Dade County Elections Department, is
strongly urging each municipality to conduct the general election and run-off election a
minimum of three (3) weeks apart. In his February 11, 2009 letter to the City Clerk, see
Attachment "A", Mr. Sala explains the reasoning for this change.
He also states in his letter that pursuant to F.S. 100.3605, municipalities have the authority
to change the date of their elections.
Following the current election timeframe, the November 2009 general election would beheld
on Tuesday, November 3t° and the run-off election, if one is required, would be held on
Tuesday, November 17"'. Should the additional week be added, allowing for a three (3)
week run-off period, the run-off election would be held on Tuesday, November 24"'which is
the week of Thanksgiving, November 26"'.
Agenda Item C yD
Date 3-f>?-v5
32
Commission Memorandum
Sunrtse Log Cabin
February 25, 2009
Page 2 0! 2
CONCLUSION
It is requested that this issue be added to the next available Neighborhoods/Community
Affairs Committee meeting for discussion and to provide direction. Mr. Solawill be invited to
attend the meeting to answer any questions the Committee may have.
JMG/REP
Attachments (1)
T:IAGENDA120091March 181Consanik4 raferra! extend runo9 election.CM.doc
33
MIMI®DADE
February 11, 2009
Robert Parcher
City of Miami Beach
1700 Convention Center Dr., Suite 200
Miami Beach, FL 33139
'' ~ f~ 'r'HC-
Elections
2700 N1N 87th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
(; i- I~ F n T 305-499-V(7TE F 305-499-8547
'TTY~305-499-8480
2009 FEB 17 PH 12~ 32 miamidade.gov
CITY CLtKr;'S OFF ICE:
Dear Mr. Parcher:
With the 2006 election year behind us, the Elections Department is looking to refine our prooedures
based on the new optical scan voting system- What we have learned this past year is that this
system requires much more preparation time than what was previously required. This, in tum,
requires that your municipality reevaluate when you hold your run-off elections. In order to give this
Department the time that is required to properly prepare for every election and in addition, give your
voters the opportunity to take advantage of absentee voting, I strongly urge you to conduct your
general and run-off elections a minimum of three weeks apart. As you know, there are many steps
involved in preparing for a municipal election. This includes'
Updating voter registration records
• Coding, proofing and testing two different voting systems (optical scan and electronic)
• Ordering, printing, processing and mailing absentee ballots
Giving adequate time to voters to receive and return their absentee ballots
• Hiring and training personnel for early voting sites, if applicable, and for Election Day
• Delivering paper ballots and supplies to early voting sites and polling locations
Resetting, reprogramming, and retesting all election equipment
Preparing for the state-mandated Logic and Accuracy Test (L&A) and Post Election Audit
It is a Vemendous challenge for this Department to perform all of the procedures stated above in the
timeframe that currently exists between your general and runoff elections. The greatest concern is in
regards to absentee voting. The short time period between elections may prevent voters from taking
advantage of absentee voting and/or being able to successfully return the ballot to our office by the
deadline.
I know we share a common goal to ensure that your elections are thorough, complete, and accurate.
Wdh this in mind, I hope you take this recommendation into consideration and allow a minimum of
three weeks between your general and run-off elections. I would like to remind you that F.S.
100.3605 stipulates that municipalities have the authority to change the date of their elections, a
right that many municipalities have exercised in the past.
Should you have any questions or require addftional information, please feel free to contact me
directly or Tara Smith, Chief Deputy Supervisor of Elections, at 305-499509.
Sincere) ,
Leste Sola
Sup rvisor of Ele ions
Miami-Dade Elections Department
34