Agenda Date: 08/20/2024
Subject:
Title
Resolution 89-2024: Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder and the City of Littleton regarding the conduct and administration of the November 5, 2024 coordinated mail ballot election
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Colleen L. Norton, City Clerk |
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Presentations: |
N/A |
PURPOSE:
Does city council support approval of an IGA with Arapahoe County for participation in the November 5, 2024 coordinated mail ballot election?
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
A signed IGA, which outlines the duties and responsibilities of each entity, is due to coordinating counties no later than August 27, 2024. These duties and responsibilities range from certifying ballot language and order of candidates, if any, legal notices, pro/con TABOR statements, if any, and all other components required to run a successful election.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 1-7-116(1), if the city and the county hold elections on the same day in November and the eligible electors are the same or have overlapping boundaries, the county clerk is the coordinated election official and shall conduct the election on behalf of all political subdivisions.
Prior Actions or Discussions
IGAs are completed with Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties for each coordinated election and specify the duties and responsibilities of the coordinating entity, the city, and the county.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The cost of the coordinated election is based on the number of active registered electors and other considerations outlined in the IGA; there are approximately 35,500 Littleton registered electors in Arapahoe County as of August 19, 2024. The city will be invoiced for its pro-rata share of the actual cost of the election, divided between the city, county, state, and all other participating political subdivisions. The approximate shared cost of the coordinated election with Arapahoe County is $32,000 and may fluctuate depending on the number of questions submitted by the city to appear on the ballot.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution authorizing the IGA with Arapahoe County to coordinate for the November 5, 2024 election.
ALTERNATIVES:
Coordinated elections save taxpayer dollars by sharing costs with all political subdivisions, counties, and the Secretary of State’s office. The city’s cost for an independent election held in March of 2023 was $146,000. The elevated cost of the stand-alone election was due to the city being responsible for covering all aspects of the election, from equipment rental and ballot printing and mailing, to hiring of election judges and an election consultant to oversee the day-to-day aspects of the election.
Coordinating with the county/ies also reduces voter confusion, as they only receive one ballot with all content for the city, county, and state issues.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Resolution 89-2024 authorizing and Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder and the City of Littleton regarding the conduct and administration of the November 5, 2024 coordinated mail ballot election.