TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a no-cost pilot project agreement with Trellis Projects for implementation of the VoteGuideNow smart phone application for the April 10, 2012, Primary Nominating Election, with the term of the agreement ending April 11, 2012.
DISCUSSION
With enactment of AB1717 California voters now have the opportunity to voluntarily elect whether to receive a paper or electronic sample ballot pamphlet.
AB 1717 authorizes county and city elections officials, if specified conditions and deadlines are met, to establish procedures to allow a voter to opt out of receiving his/her sample ballot and other ballot materials by mail and instead obtain them via electronic means such as e-mail or accessing them from a county's or city's Internet web site.
With approval of the suggested action the City of Long Beach, Trellis Projects and the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder will take steps to issue the VoteGuideNow application so that voters may:
• Opt-In to the Registrar's electronic sample ballot pamphlet for the federal, state and local elections;
• View their City of Long Beach sample ballot including candidate statements; and
• Locate their polling place.
With launch of the smart phone application participation data will be collected to measure:
• Electronic sample ballot pamphlet adoption rates via smart phones;
• Adoption rates across demographic categories; and
• Potential cost savings in future elections statewide and locally.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Approval of the suggested action will permit launch of the VoteGuideNow smart phone application for the April 20, 2012, Primary Nominating Election.
FISCAL IMPACT
Other than staff time for uploading of data and review of smart phone screen information, there is not cost for use of the VoteGuideNow smart phone.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
LARRY G. HERRERA
CITY CLERK