05-14-1982
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CITY OF EDGEWATER
Charter Review Commission Special Meeting Minutes
May 14, 1982, 1: 00 PM
This meeting was called to discuss specifically the ballot question~ The
meeting was held at 1 :00 PM in the conference area of the Community Center.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Messrs. Dore, Millard, Hardin, Kropp, Mrs. Mason, Mrs.
Bennington. Also present: City Manager, Mr. Mitchell, City Attorney,
r'lr. Henderson, Ms. Bunch.
DISCUSSION OF BALLOT
Mr. Henderson stated that they have taken the position that they would have
a basic document with two options for the selection of the council and mayor.
They felt that was the fairest way to present it. He stated they have tried
every way possible to get the voting machine to program the two options and
explained how it worked, and why it would not work on this question. He
stated that it was absolutely impossible to use the machine with two options.
He explained there were three alternative plans; No.1 would be to incorporate
into the basic document the terms of the status quo; Alternative 2, put three
questions on the ballot: question 1 being the basic document, question 2 being
what is called Option A, and Question 3 being what ;s called Option B. Alter-
native No.3 would be for paper ballots, which would be just like absentee
ballots.
Mr. Henderson explained how the paper ballots would work, and explained the
problems. He said that in 1936 the people of Vo1usia County voted to go with
voting machines, and they could not, by law, go back to paper ballots. Sec.
101.36 states that municipalities under certain populations have the option
to use voting machines or paper ballots. He explained how voting by paper
ballots would work.
The question was raised as to whether the press had been notified of the
meeting. Mr. Mitchell stated that the secretary knows that they should be
notified, and he was sure that it had been done. Mr. Henderson said that
this was truly an emergency meeting. The press will be informed immediately
of what was decided.
With regard to the use of the voting machine and the options, it was felt
by all members present that there was an honest chance for confusion. They
agreed there seemed to be no choice but to go with the paper ballot and
wanted to avoid confusion; there is no way to program the machine. It
was stated there should be a lot of publicity regarding the use of the paper
ballots, and the reasons for it.
Mr. Henderson stated that in the instructions on the ballots there should be
a statement that "you must select one YES and one NO". Two yeses, two nos or
a blank would cancel the ballot. Others stated that it would be enough to
state, "vote for ONE only". The clerks would be responsible for the count.
Several suggestions were made as to how the Options would be put on the ballot.
One suggestion was that the complete Charter would be printed on the ballot
two times: one with Option A, and the other with Option B. A NO vote for
either option would mean a vote for the Old Charter. Another suggestion was
made that there could be just one option, that would be for the five zones.
If that loses, the option would be to go back to the Old Charter which has
four zones and election of the mayor. There would be instructions stating
that if you vote NO on five zones, then it is automatically four zones. It
was decided that this would not give the people a choice.
Mr. Henderson read controlling language of the Statute: "Whenever a constitu-
tional amendment or other public measure is submitted to the vote of the people,
the substance of such an amendment or other public measure shall be printed
in clear and unambiguous language on the ballots after the list of candidates,
followed by the word YES, and also by the word NO, and shall be styled in such
a manner that a YES vote will indicate approval of the proposal and a NO vote
will indicate a rejection."
It was decided this meant you could not state "vote for one on1yll.
You must vote one YES or one NO, and you must state on the ballot that two
yeses or two nos or a blank would disqualifY the ballot. It was ~tated that.
this would guarantee an accurate vote, which you could not have wlth the machlne.
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A vote was taken as to whether there would be a machine or paper ballot.
It was UNANIMOUSLY voted to go with the paper ballot.
Mr. Henderson went over some ballot questions given to him by Mrs. Odham
to help settle the question of wording on the ballot. He stated that how
the Council is selected is the heart of the document, and much discussion
was held regarding the headings for Option A and Option B. It was decided
the headings would be "Four Zone Council and Mayor" ,and "Five Zone Council
with Mayor".
Wording on the ballot was discussed and it was agreed that it should read
as follows: Shall all sections of the Charter of the City of Edgewater,
Florida, except that part describing the boundaries, be amended by the New
Home Rule Charter recommended by the Charter Review Commission to provide
for the creation and powers of the municipality, legislative branch,
administrative branch, merit system, personnel, a districting commission,
conflict of interest prohibitions and provisions for elections amended by
petition and transition.
Discussion was had regarding the presentation at the Council meeting
scheduled for May 17, 1982. Mr. Henderson was to explain that the machines
are incapable of being programed to handle the two options and the Commission
recommends use of the paper ballots. Mrs. Mason would give~a'summary of what
the Charter Commission did, and that they found that the voters would have been
deprived of choice by using machines.
It was recommended that a thorough explanation be given to the Press as soon
as possible. Mr. Henderson suggested having a short meeting Monday with
the Press, to make everything clear, but it was decided that it was proper
for the Chairwoman to make the announcement at the Council meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:40 PM.
Minutes submitted by:
Joan Taylor
Charter Review Commission Meeting Minutes, May 14, 1982
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