Submitted by: Laura Reams
Submitting Department: City Clerk
Agenda Section: Discussion
Item Title:
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Hyattsville Charter Amendment Resolution 2020-01: Election Day, Certification of Election, and Council Organizational Meeting
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
For Discussion and Public Input
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Summary Background:
In November 2018, Mayor Hollingsworth and Councilmembers Ward, Suiter, and Lawrence submitted a motion proposing the City make revisions to the Election Code necessary to enable the Board of Elections Supervisors to distribute, proactively, a Vote-by-Mail ballot to all registered voters in the City of Hyattsville (on State and city-only registries) and appropriate funds necessary to support this effort in the 2021 municipal election. Council discussed the motion on November 19, 2018. Council indicated support for bringing the proposal back for further discussion after evaluation by the Board of Supervisors of Elections. The Board made a commitment to Council to research the feasibility and logistics of moving to a Vote-by-Mail system post-Election 2019.
Since that time, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a renewed national initiative for Vote-by-Mail elections. Locally, several elections have been held by mail including the State primary and the Cities of Rockville and New Carrollton. Benefits of an all Vote-by-Mail election include increased voter turnout and civic engagement.
The Board and Clerk's office have worked with the City Attorney to review and make recommended changes to the City Charter and Code for an all Vote-by-Mail election in 2021. These changes include three (3) separate pieces of legislation: the enabling ordinance for City Code: Chapter 8, Elections, the Charter Amendment, and a resolution formally designating the 2021 election as Vote-by-Mail.
The ordinance enabling the administrative changes required to implement a Vote-by-Mail election was adopted by Council on November 2, 2020. To for...
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