2020.06.09 WS Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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the Council to contact staff with recommendations for election judges. She reported City staff would be cross trained to assist with the election in the event there was a severe shortage of judges. Individuals interested in applying to become an election judge should visit the City’s website. Councilmember Allen asked if all four election parties had to be equally represented at each polling location. Spangrud reported no more than half the election judges can be from any one party. She explained individuals that have not declared a political party can also serve, but their duties would be limited. Councilmember Jacobsen requested further information regarding the HAVA funds. Spangrud indicated HAVA funds are released every two years and have to be applied for. She stated HAVA funds are administered through a grant program and are used for making a restroom handi-cap accessible. She commented this program was enlarged to ensure voter safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained the City would have to apply for this grant funding. Councilmember Jacobsen questioned how many election judges the City had in place in 2016. Spangrud stated she did not have that information in front of her. She indicated the City would need seven or eight election judges per precinct to work 15.5 hours for the primary election in August and 16 to 18 election judges per precinct for the Presidential election in November. Further discussion ensued regarding the requirements for election judges. Councilmember Allen commented the City may have accessibility issues if Brightwood Hills was selected as a polling location. Spangrud stated she would keep this in mind. Councilmember Fynewever questioned what type of translator services would be in place for the upcoming elections. Spangrud explained translator services were coordinated by the County and these were typically a call-in translator service. She reported New Brighton has been extremely fortunate to have several election judges who were multi-lingual. Spangrud discussed other election activities noting Ramsey County would be managing abs entee voting at the New Brighton Community Center. She commented on how absentee ballots would be applied for and noted early voting would begin seven days prior to Election Day. She explained health care facility voting would be offered in 2020, along with curbside voting. She anticipated curbside voting would be popular this fall. She stated staff was working on ways for candidates to electronically file for municipal candidacy. Spangrud reviewed Election Day COVID-19 mitigation plans. She explained Ramsey County had used existing HAVA funds to purchase cloth facemasks for every election judge, along with single -use face masks for voters (enough for 10% of the registered voters in each precinct). She indicated the County would also be providing hand sanitizer, single-use pens, disinfectant wipes, gloves and two 3’x3’ plexi-glass shields. She reported elections staff was working on a Communication Plan in order to keep voters apprised of how the upcoming elections would be held. The next steps for the City were reviewed with the Council in detail. Councilmember Dunsworth thanked Spangrud for her thorough report. She asked if postcards would be sent to inform voters of the upcoming polling changes. Spangrud explained notifications (postcards or letters) would be sent and noted the City would be working with the County on this matter. Councilmember Dunsworth encouraged staff to draft an article for the upcoming newsletter regarding elections and elections changes. She suggested staff consider contacting the census bureau to see if census workers were willing to serve as election judges. Mayor Johnson indicated the neighborhood centers were quite small. She wondered if it would be a better