HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOCC Packet 04282010 Primary Election
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
REGULAR MEETING DATE:
April 28, 2010
AGENDA ITEM TITLE
: Combining Polling Places for the
2010 Primary Election
STAFF RESPONSIBLE:
Janice K. Vos Caudill, Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder
Dwight K. Shellman III, Election Manager
SUMMARY OF ISSUE
: The Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder recommends combining polling
places for the 2010 Primary Election.
BACKGROUND
: Pitkin County provides two convenient alternatives to voting at precinct polling
places. First, early voting is available to all registered electors one week prior to the primary
election in Plaza I. Second, mail-in ballot service is provided beginning approximately 22 days prior
to the primary. There are approximately 9,649 active registered voters in Pitkin County, of which
2,080 have requested designation as Permanent Mail-In Voters (“PMIVs”).
In the 2008 general election, approximately one-third of Pitkin County voters elected each of the
three alternative voting methods: early voting, mail-in ballots, and polling place.
Based on historical data, the Primary Elections in the past have garnered the following turnouts:
2008 Primary 216 voters Uncontested Ballot
2006 Primary 182 voters Uncontested Ballot
2004 Primary 1761 voters Multiple Contests
2002 Primary 1521 voters Uncontested Ballot, and one
issue regarding Home Rule
Charter Amendment
KEY DISCUSSION ITEMS:
The 2010 primary election will be a contested ballot for offices above the county level.
Currently, it appears that there will be more than two candidates for at least two of the races
for county office (Sheriff and BOCC 1). Under the Home Rule Charter, races with three or
more candidates appear on the primary ballot, and the two candidates receiving the highest
number of votes are then certified to appear on the general election ballot. (If two or fewer
candidates timely file sufficient petitions for a given office, they effectively bypass the
primary election because the Clerk and Recorder certifies them to appear on the general
election ballot.)
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It is estimated that unfunded federal and state election mandates since 2006 have increased
the cost of implementing county elections by three to four times. This trend is likely to
continue for the foreseeable future. As a result, the Clerk and Recorder’s office continually
seeks opportunities to reduce election costs when consistent with its stated goals of
facilitating voter participation and turnout, eliminating election fraud, and otherwise
administering all elections in a fair, impartial and effective manner.
The following benefits and cost savings will inure to Pitkin County by combining polling
places for the 2010 primary election:
Perennial challenges in securing a sufficient number of election judges for ten
separate polling places will be eliminated or substantially reduced.
Savings of approximately $3,000 will be realized by reducing election judge training,
election judge stipends, polling place rentals, supplies, etc.
Additional savings may be realized by decreasing the number of staff hours required
to prepare the election, because consolidating polling places reduces the number of
optical scan and touch screen voting machines that must be tested, programmed and
deployed, and from which election data must be captured, uploaded and reconciled.
This will enable staff to avoid or reduce overtime, and to devote additional time to
further refining and streamlining election processes, and executing community
outreach strategies for both the primary and general elections in 2010.
RECOMMENDED BOCC ACTION:
For the August 10, 2010 primary election, as listed on
the attached resolution, the Pitkin County Clerk andRecorderrecommends that the Board of
County Commissioners approve combining precinct polling places in the following manner:
Consolidate Precincts 1 - 4 into Polling Place 1 at the Rio Grande Building
Consolidate Precincts 5 and 7 into Polling Place 5 at Schulz Health and Human Services
Consolidate Precincts 8 & 9 into Polling Place 9 at St. Peters of the Valley Episcopal
Church in Basalt
Precinct 6 will continue to vote as before at Polling Place 6 at the Snowmass Village
Town Hall
Precinct 10 will continue to vote as before at Polling Place 10 at the Church of Redstone.
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RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO
COMBINING POLLING PLACES
FOR THE 2010 PRIMARY ELECTION
RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 2010
RECITAL
1.“2010 Primary Election” means the primary election to be held on August 10, 2010.
2.Applicable State Law:
Establishing polling places for coordinated elections.
a.C.R.S. § 1-5-102.5.
(1) No later than ninety days prior to a coordinated election, the county clerk and recorder
. . . shall assure that one polling place be designated to allow an individual elector to vote
for all ballot issues, ballot questions, and candidates voted on the same date.
Combining precincts and polling places – vote centers.
b.C.R.S. § 1-5-107.2.
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of section 1-5-101 [relating to precinct boundaries], 1-
5-102 [relating to precincts and polling places for nonpartisan elections], or1-5-102.5
[relating to polling places for coordinated elections], a designated election official may
combine polling places or precincts or establish one or more vote centers for any election,
subject to approval by the board of county commissioners. A designated election official
who combines polling places or precincts or establishes a vote center shall publish the
location of polling places pursuant to section 1-5-205.
Published and posted notice of election.
c.C.R.S. § 1-5-205.
(1) The designated election official...no later than ten days before each election, shall
provide notice by publication of the election....
* * * *
(1.2) A copy of the notice required by this section shall be posted at least ten day prior to
the election and until two days after the election in a conspicuous place in the office of the
designated election official....
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
by the Board of County Commissioners of Pitkin
County, Colorado, that the polling places for the 2010 Primary Election shall be as follows:
Precincts Polling Polling Place Location Address Precinct Area
Place
Number
1, 2, 3 & 1 Rio Grande Meeting 455 Rio Grande Roaring Fork East /
4Room Place, Aspen Independence Pass /Lower
Smuggler/ Aspen Core South of
Main Street / Ute Avenue
/Shadow Mountain/ Red
Mountain / Hunter Creek / North
of Gibson Avenue and Park
Circle / Aspen West End North
of Main Street / Cemetery Lane
5 & 7 5 Schultz Health & 701Maroon & Castle Creek
Human Services IndependenceEntrance to Aspen / Starwood /
Building Place, Aspen Woody Creek / Brush Creek /
AABC / Aspen Village
6 6 Town Hall of the Town 130 Kearns Snowmass Village
of Snowmass Village Road, Snowmass
8 & 9 9 St. Peters of the Valley 0200 Elk Run Snowmass and Capital Creeks /
Episcopal Church Drive, Basalt Old Snowmass / Lazy Glen /
Basalt /Frying Pan / Emma
10 10 Church at Redstone 0213 Redstone Crystal River Valley
Blvd, Redstone
INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED on April 28, 2010.
ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO
By By
Jeanette Jones, Deputy County Clerk George Newman, Chairman
Date:
APPROVED AS TO FORM: MANAGER APPROVAL:
By By
John M. Ely, County Attorney Hilary Fletcher, County Manager
RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL:
By
Janice K. Vos Caudill,
County Clerk and Recorder