HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.s. Resolution Supporting Cancellation of 1992 Presidential Primaryr 4
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: DECEMBER 17, 1992
AGENDA ITEM:RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CANCELLATION
AGENDA SECTION:
CONSENT
OF 1992 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
PREPARED BY: SUSAN M. WALSH, CITY CLERK
AGENDA NftEM
# 4
ATTACHMENTS: RESOLUTION, ARTICLE
AP OVE B
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Attached for your consideration is a resolution which would indicate our
City's support for cancelling the Presidential Primary currently scheduled
for April 7, 1992.
I have also attached for your review an article published in the November
22, 1992 League of Minnesota Cities "Cities Bulletin". The article details
the growing support of cities and counties, Minnesota legislators, League
of Women Voters and the Minnesota Association of County Officers urging
state lawmakers to review the law passed in 1990
I have listed within the attached resolution reasons why our 1992
legislators should repeal this law.
It would cast the City of Rosemount approximately $3,500 to run this
election.
Upon adoption of this resolution, I would forward copies to the City's
legislative delegates. It is my understanding the Legislature would have
to act on this law at their opening special session in January.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT
CANCELLATION OF THE 1992 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND TO REPEAL THE
PROVISIONS OF MINNESOTA STATUTE 207A.
COUNCIL ACTION:
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 1991
A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT CANCELLATION OF THE 1992
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND TO: REPEAL THE
PROVISIONS OFMINNESOTASTATUTE 207A
WHEREAS# Minn. Stat. Ch. 207A provides for the conduct of a
presidential primary to be held on the first Tuesday in April of
each year in which a President and a Vice President of the United
States are to be nominated and elected; and
WHEREAS, the results of the presidential primary are not binding
for delegate participation at the national convention of
political parties appearing on the presidential primary ballot;
and
WHEREAS, the party caucus and convention system will be used to
choose delegates to the national convention of political parties
appearing on the presidential primary ballot, regardless of the
results of the presidential primary and
WHEREAS, all persons voting at the presidential primary must
declare the political party for which they wish to vote for and
such designation shall become a part of each permanent voter
record in the statewide voter registration -system; and
WHEREAS, the cost of holding the presidential primary must be
borne by cities and counties at a time when these local
governments are faced with the reduction of local government aid
and levy limits.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City
of Rosemount urges the 1992 State Legislature to repeal the
provisions of Minn. Stat. Ch. 207A which provide for the
presidential primary election.
DATED this 17th day of December, 1991.
Vernon J. Napper, Mayor
ATTEST:
Susan M. Walsh, City Clerk -
Motion by: Second by:
Voted by:
Voted for:
Voted against:
Support grows to cancel 192 presidential primary
Last week, local officials met with
editors of both the Twin Cities news-
papers to discuss concerns about the
1992 presidential primary. The
League has urged lawmakers to review
the current law which establishes the
presidential candidate preference
contest.
Officials participating in the
meeting were Karen Anderson,
Councilmember, Minnetonka, and
Judy Pattison, Big Stone County
Auditor. Deborah Nankivell, Execu-
tive Director of Common Cause, also
attended. Karen Anderson is also a
member of the Dyrstad Commission
on State and Local Relations.
Local officials who make up the
membership of the commission have
reiterated their concerns about the
unfunded mandate for local govern-
ment to conduct the primary. The
commission has recommended that the
Legislature either fund all the costs of
the primary or repeal the law establish-
ing it.
On Monday, November 18, the St.
Paul Pioneer Press published an
editorial agreeing with many city
concerns.
Legislation calling for repeal of
the law establishing the primary has
been introduced in both the House and
Senate. Sen. John Marty is the chief
author of S.F. 1598; Rep. Harold
Lasley is author of a companion
measure in the House. Another
lawmaker who has expressed interest
in co -sponsoring the legislation is Rep.
Virgil Johnson, who had previously
requested that such legislation be
drafted. Marty and Lasley both serve
on elections committees in the
Legislature.
Among lawmakers who have
voiced support for the measures are
Sens. Don Samuelson, Betty Atkins,
Jim Vickerman, and Dallas Sams. In
the House, Reps. Hasskamp, Olson
(Katy), Hugoson, Gutknecht, Boo,
Ostrom, and Wenzel support cancel-
ling the primary if either funding or
voter privacy issues cannot be satis-
fied.
At the local level, many cities
have adopted resolutions requesting
the Legislature to cancel or at least
postpone the primary. County and
townships have joined with cities to
urge immediate action on the issue
when the Legislature meets in January
to adopt a Congressional redistricting
plan and to make corrections to the
legislative redistricting plan adopted
last May.
Newspaper accounts have under-
scored local opposition to require -
meets for voters to disclose their
political party ballot preference in
order to cast a ballot for a presidential
candidate of their choice.
Last week, the state League of
Women Voters indicated that although
the organization supports the primary
as a means of broadening voter
participation in the selection of
presidential candidates, board mem-
bers are concerned about the failure of
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the Legislature to fund local costs of
conducting the primary. If lawmakers
do not provide such funding, the state
League of Women Voters has indicated
that they will reassess their position.
Common Cause has also found
reason to criticize the primary and has
indicated that voter cynicism is likely
to increase as a result of procedures
that require the disclosure of voter
political party preferences on voter
registration records that then become
available for political fundraising and
campaign organizing.
Failure to protect voter privacy is
also causing problems at the local
level where many election judges have
expressed outrage at the situation that
is likely to occur at the polls when
voters find out that they must indicate
next to their name on the voter roster
which political party ballot they prefer.
Up until now voters have been able to
determine their choice of political
party candidates in the privacy of the
voting booth.
At meetings around the state this
fall, the League encountered concerns
about the prospect of conducting the
primary at the local level. Those same
concerns were voiced at meetings
conducted by the Association of
Minnesota Counties. At 7 out of 10
district meetings, resolutions were
approved calling for the repeal of the
presidential primary. The Minnesota
Association of Townships reported that
legislators attending their meetings
strongly agreed with demands to
repeal or at least postpone the primary
until they can address the problems.
Township, county, and city
officials will meet within the next few
days to adopt policies. It is anticipated
that all three organizations will support
measures calling for repeal of the law
establishing the presidential primary.
The Minnesota Association of County
Officers, the organization representing
county election officials and auditors,
has already gone on record in opposi-
tion to the current law. AH
PaLye 6 Printed on recycled paper TAW Cities Bulletin