HomeMy WebLinkAbout13.F.2. Municipal Primary Elections l . F.
CITY OF SHAKOPEE
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM Judy Cox, City Clerk
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
SUBJECT: Municipal Primary Elections
DATE: June 11, 2010
COMMENT:
Introduction:
The Council is asked to discuss information on the desirability of holding municipal primary
elections.
Background:
The 2009 election had four candidates for Mayor, and eight candidates for the two open City
Council seats. The Mayor was re- elected with less than a plurality; the top vote getter of the City
Council candidates received less than 25% of the total votes cast.
The number of candidates who filed was unusual; the City Clerk can recall only a few times over
the past 40 years that there were more than two candidates for each open seat. As recently as the
2007 election, there were only two candidates total for two Council seats.
Assuming that the Council sees a need to address this issue and provide for municipal primary
elections, we have examined the election laws relating to establishing them (MN Statute
205.065), and report the following:
1. The City Council could, by ordinance or resolution, elect to choose nominees for
municipal offices by primary.
2. The ordinance or resolution establishing a municipal primary would have to be adopted
by April 15 in the year where a municipal general election is held. (April 15, 2011)
3. The ordinance or resolution would be effective for all ensuing municipal elections until
revoked.
4. Only when more than twice the number of individuals file for a municipal office seat
(than there are seats available) would a primary ballot be necessary.
5. The filing period for a primary would begin 91 days prior to the primary election date
which is the first Tuesday after the second Monday in August. (May10, 2011)
The 2006 State primary election cost the City of Shakopee $7,516 for election judges, plus staff
time for administrative responsibilities. There was a 9.9% voter turnout. The 2008 State primary
election cost the City $8,113 for election judges, plus staff time. That year, there was only a
5.7% voter turnout. It is doubtful that a municipal primary election would have a greater voter
turnout than would a State primary election.
Discussion:
The advantages of having a primary election would be to provide voters with the opportunity to
ultimately choose between the two most viable candidates, and would allow the winner to be
elected to office with more than 50% of the votes cast.
On the other hand, the primary election would probably have a very small turnout, it would also
require the filing for vacancies to take place in May. If not held in conjunction with the State
primary (Shakopee's current odd year elections don't correspond with the State's), there would
be an extra cost.
Recommendation:
I recommend the Council discuss, and give direction as to whether it wishes to have staff begin
the process to allow for a municipal primary.
Relationship to Visioning:
This supports Goal F: Housekeeping.
Action Required:
Council should discuss, and give direction as to its preference on a municipal primary election.
_ z
ud, Cox Mark McNeill
Cit Clerk City Administrator