Title
Directing the City Clerk to notify the County Auditor to place a ballot question on the November 5, 2024 ballot regarding changing the years when City elections are to be held and approving the title and language for that ballot question.
Body
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute 410.12 provides for an election for an amendment to the City Charter upon the petition of voters equal in number to five percent of the total votes cast at the last previous state general election in the city; and
WHEREAS, The last State General Election held in the City of Saint Paul was on November 8, 2022, in which there were 108,745 total voters in the City and five percent of the total voters is 5,437.
WHEREAS, a petition seeking such an amendment of the Saint Paul City Charter regarding when elections are held was filed with the Office of the City Clerk on July 8, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the petition was found to be insufficient to satisfy the minimum signature requirements under Minnesota Statute 410.12; and
WHEREAS, the petitioner submitted additional signatures with the Office of the City Clerk on July 22, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the additional signatures were verified to satisfy the minimum signature requirements of Minnesota Statute 410.12; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes § 205.16 requires that the City Clerk provide to the County Auditor written notice of a ballot question at least 84 days before the election, which in this case is on or before August 13, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the written notice must include the title and language for the ballot question; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney has approved the title of the ballot question; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to notify the County Auditor to place a ballot question as to the proposed Saint Paul City Charter Amendment on the November 5, 2024 ballot; and be it further;
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts the title and the language of the ballot question as follows:
Title: Changing City Elections to Presidential Election years.
Shall Chapter 7 (Elections) of the City Charter be amended as follows: Sec. 7.01. - City elections. The election of city officers and such other officers as are required by law to be elected at a city election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd numbered presidential election years. Notwithstanding Section 2.02 of this Charter setting four-year terms, and to transition to presidential election years, councilmembers elected on November 7, 2023, shall serve a five-year term and a mayoral election shall occur on November 4, 2025, for a three-year term.
Currently, city elections take place in odd years. A “yes” vote changes City elections to take place in presidential election years, which occur in even years. A “no” vote keeps City elections in odd years.