TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Hart InterCivic to facilitate the testing of the City's ballot printing equipment.
DISCUSSION
As part of the City Clerk Department's efforts to improve the quality of election administration while reducing its costs, we are in the process of applying to become "Certified Ballot Finishers" with the California Secretary of State's Office. In the event that the City Clerk Department is certified, we will have the authority to print our own ballots on unfinished ballot stock. However, prior to certification the Secretary of State requires that we work with our elections vendor, Hart Intercivic, to ensure that any ballots we print will be able to be read and tabulated by our voting equipment. Hart requests that we sign the attached non-disclosure agreement prior to conducting those tests.
The City Clerk Department has ordered its official ballots from vendors in the past, and we plan to continue to do so for the vast majority of ballots. However, we would prefer to have the ability to print our own ballots ih case of emergency and to facilitate the small number of voters who request absentee ballots atthe City Clerk counter in City Hall. For example, in the very unlikely event that we were to run low on polling place ballots on Election Day for a particular precinct, we would be able to print extra ballots on demand and send them to the polling place. Additionally, we plan on printing a small amount of absentee ballots to satisfy those who come directly to the City Clerk Department to request them. This will help us reduce waste, as we will be able to reduce unneeded inventory.
If the City Council authorizes the City Manager to sign the attached agreement, the City Clerk Department will proceed to test its equipment with Hart Intercivic to ensure that any ballots printed by the City are of the requisite quality. The City will then work with the Secretary of State's Office to implement the procedures necessary to ensure the security of such ballots and unfinished ballot stock. The City Clerk Department will then request certification from the Secretary of State in time for the April 2008 Municipal Election.
This non-disclosure agreement was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Lori Conway on Monday, October 08, 2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
In order to proceed with the required testing of our printing equipment in time to become an official ballot finisher before the April 2008 Municipal Election, the City Clerk Department requests that the Council act at its October 16, 2007 meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT
Authorizing this non-disclosure agreement will allow us to proceed with our application to become Certified Ballot Finishers. To the extent that finishing ballots allows the Department to pre-order fewer ballots and reduce waste, there will be an unknown amount of savings to the City depending on the quantity of ballots saved and the unit price of the ballots.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
LARRY G. HERRERA
CITY CLERK