Title
A Task Force to Study the City Municipal Election Laws and Make Recommendations, If Needed, to Improve the City Code, Structure, and Procedures for City Municipal Elections - For the purpose of establishing a Task Force to study the City municipal election laws and make recommendations, if needed, to improve the City Code, structure, and procedures for elections in the City of Annapolis.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Resolution 52-22
Introduced by: Mayor Buckley
Co-Sponsored by: Alderwoman Finlayson
A RESOLUTION concerning
A Task Force to Study the City Municipal Election Laws and Make Recommendations, If Needed, to Improve the City Code, Structure, and Procedures for City Municipal Elections
FOR the purpose of establishing a Task Force to study the City municipal election laws and make recommendations, if needed, to improve the City Code, structure, and procedures for elections in the City of Annapolis.
WHEREAS, the 2021 City election faced challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and related health and safety precautions needed for voters and polling place workers, which raised the need to more critically review the current City municipal election laws; and
WHEREAS, the Charter Revision Commission appointed by City Resolution R-10-21 recently issued a report that included findings and recommendations related to City municipal election laws; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Elections of the City recently voted at its June 30, 2022 meeting that a Task Force of this nature would be beneficial to the City municipal election process and City voters; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that review and evaluation of the City election laws, as well as investigating alternatives and best practices as relates to election laws, deserve additional attention and consideration.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that a
Task Force is established, consisting of five volunteer members APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY THE COUNCIL as follows:
A. The Board of Supervisors of Elections shall solicit the volunteers from geographically and politically diverse backgrounds possessing expertise, experience, or other valid qualifications related to election administration; and
B. The Board of Supervisors of Elections shall use an open and publicly available application process to solicit and select the volunteer members; and
C. One current member of the Board of Supervisors of Elections shall serve on the Task Force as an ex-officio nonvoting member.
AND, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that:
1. The Task Force shall convene at least one public hearing with proper notice and take written and oral testimony from voters, the candidates, their campaigns, the City Clerk's office and experts on voting practices and procedures to document the actual experiences of voters, understand current practices and procedures and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors of Elections, the Mayor, and the City Council to address City election issues and concerns.
2. The Task Force members shall serve without compensation.
3. The Task Force shall elect a Chair from among its membership.
4. The Task Force shall elect a Secretary from among its membership to take or provide for the taking of minutes for all Task Force meetings.
5. The City Clerk’s Office shall be provided a sufficient budget adjustment in the budget of the City Attorney in order to be able to provide support staff, supplies and materials to assist the Task Force in carrying out its mandate, and to ensure that the business of the Task Force is conducted consistent with the Maryland Open Meetings Act and Robert’s Rules of Order.
6. The Task Force shall submit a final report including any recommendations to the City Council and the Board of Supervisors of Elections no later than six months from the date of its first meeting, at which time the Task Force shall conclude its work unless the City Council takes further action to extend the term of the Task Force.
7. The Task Force shall have no authority to render decisions or opinions on behalf of the City of Annapolis, and shall only act in an advisory capacity.
EXPLANATION
CAPITAL LETTERS indicate matter added to existing law.
Strikethrough indicates matter stricken from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments.