TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the Consolidated Precincts and Polling Places by Poll Type Report; refer the Report to the City Manager for review of construction projects in the public right-of-way that could interfere with voter ingress and egress to a polling place on
April 11, 2006.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this agenda item is to provide an update relative to our work in securing polling places for the 2006 elections. As previously reported to the City Council, our goal is to have voters use the same polling place on April 11" and June 6'h. With publication of this report, this continues to be our goal.
Via this report, we also seek to solicit comments on the suitability of proposed poll
locations from your offices, the community and contest nominees by February 9, 2006. Receipt of comments by February 9, 2006, will permit us to "finalize" polling place addresses that will be printed on each voter's sample ballot.
By requesting a review of the attached report to the City Manager we hope to avoid establishment of polls in areas where City construction projects (sidewalk repair, street maintenance) or public utility projects (gas, water, etc.), in the public right-ofway, would impede voter access to the proposed poll location.
Proposed Precinct Voting Locations (Polls)
The attached Consolidated Precincts and Polling Places by Poll Type Report shows proposed polls for April 11 June 6,2006. For each Council District, the attached report lists codes and tables summarizing the type of facility in which the polling places will be housed. Facility codes describe whether a poll is located in a school, church, business, public office, or other establishment.
For the 2006 elections we need to secure 31 1 poll locations. As of February 2, 2006, we still need to secure approximately 30 more polls. As shown in the report, there are 45 proposed vote-by-mail precincts. Without vote-by-mail precincts, we would need to have 356 poll locations.
The proposed polls were developed in collaboration with staff from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder. County staff began working in our Department on December 5,2005.
Vote-By-Mail Precinct Notification Cards
Pursuant to California Elections Code Section 3005, the elections official may designate a vote-by-mail precinct when there are 250 or less registered voters in a precinct as of the 88'h day before the election. In addition, we are required to notrfy each voter of the two nearest polling places in the event the voter chooses to return the ballot on Election Day. In these precincts, voters are not required to file absentee ballot applications. Their vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed on March 13, 2006.
When designating vote-by-mail precincts, we applied these considerations:
1. Whether there are fewer than 250 registered voters in the precinct as of January 13,2006;
2. Whether the precinct boundary is divided by a June 2006 Primary ballot group boundary; and
3. Whether a major street or highway divides adjoining precincts.
The attached Consolidated Precincts Report shows, in Council district order, the number of voters impacted by the vote-by-mail designation.
The geographic implications of vote-by-mail precincts are shown in the maps (attached) relative to all Council Districts, as well as vote-by-mail precincts in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) and the Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) areas.
When reviewing these maps, please note that total numbers of vote-by-mail precincts contained in the District maps the one map titled "Long Beach Unified School District and Community College Areas" include six vote-by-mail precincts lodged outside of City of Long Beach boundaries. In other words, these maps when taken together show all 45 vote-by-mail precincts.
A citywide map showing all voting precincts for April 11, 2006 will be made available via the City Clerk Department website the week of February 6, 2006.
As of January 30, 2006, we have mailed approximately 2,375 vote-by-mail precinct notification cards advising voters that the area they live in may be designated as a mail ballot precinct. Attached is a sample of the card that will be mailed. The notification card format was loaned and printed for the City by the Registrar-Recorder. With the mailing of these cards, we hope neighborhoods will assist in the identification of potential polling places prior to our February 9'h due date.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Receipt of comments prior to, or no later than, February 9,2006, will permit the City Clerk Department to print sample ballots for mailing to voters on or before March 10, 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of poll workers, poll locations, poll notice publications, and other related expenses are included in the adopted budget.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Larry Herrera
City Clerk