HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 02 Springfield Voters Guide or Pamphlet AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 11/12/2013
Meeting Type: Work Session
Staff Contact/Dept.: Amy Sowa/CMO Lauren King/CAO
Staff Phone No: 541.726.3700
541.746.9621 Estimated Time: 40 Minutes
S P R I N G F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L Council Goals: Provide Financially Responsible and Innovative Government
Services ITEM TITLE:
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD VOTERS GUIDE OR PAMPHLET
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Discuss feasibility of offering a Municipal Voters’ Guide or Pamphlet for local candidates and measures in Springfield.
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
During the December 10, 2012 Council Goal Setting, the following was suggested as a two-year goal:
• Explore the viability of a voter’s guide for Springfield.
This topic was brought up again during the February 4, 2013 Council Work Session
and Council asked for a separate work session to discuss this topic further.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: Council Briefing Memorandum
DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
Council expressed a desire for the City to prepare a voters’ guide or pamphlet for
local candidates and measures that could be more affordable to candidates and
political action committees than the State Voters’ Pamphlet, and would provide important information to Springfield residents.
ORS Chapter 521, which governs voters’ pamphlets and the requirements for both state and county distribution of voters’ pamphlets, is silent as to the production of a
municipal voters’ pamphlet. Currently, Eugene and Beaverton are the only two
cities in Oregon who produce their own voters’ pamphlet. The City of Cottage Grove does not normally create a voters’ pamphlet, but did produce one for the
March 13, 2012 Special Election. In checking with those cities, we learned that
producing a paper voters’ pamphlet that is mailed to residents requires considerable staff time and can cost anywhere from $12,000- $15,000 (printing and mailing
costs) for a city our size. Another option would be to create an online voters’ pamphlet. This would reduce
the cost of printing and mailing, while still providing a venue for citizens to access information on local candidates and measures. It is suggested that a postcard be mailed to every postal address in the Springfield jurisdiction with directions to
access the online guide or pamphlet to ensure equal access to all citizens. The cost of such a mailing would be approximately $5,900.
Attachment 1, Page 1 of 2
M E M O R A N D U M City of Springfield
Date: 11/1/2013
To: Gino Grimaldi COUNCIL
From: Amy Sowa, City Recorder
Lauren King, City Attorney
BRIEFING
Subject: CITY OF SPRINGFIELD VOTERS GUIDE
OR PAMPHLET
MEMORANDUM
ISSUE: Discuss feasibility of offering a Municipal Voters’ Guide or Pamphlet for local candidates and measures in Springfield.
COUNCIL GOALS/
MANDATE:
Provide Financially Responsible and Innovative Government Services
Providing a municipal voters’ guide or pamphlet would allow local candidates and measures an affordable venue for getting information out to the citizens of Springfield on local issues.
BACKGROUND: Council expressed a desire for the City to prepare a voters’ guide or pamphlet for local candidates and measures that could be more affordable to candidates and
political action committees than the State Voters’ Pamphlet, and would provide important information to Springfield residents.
ORS Chapter 521, which governs Voters’ Pamphlets and the requirements for both state and county distribution of Voters’ Pamphlets, is silent as to the production of a municipal voters’
pamphlet. Currently, Eugene and Beaverton are the only two cities in Oregon who produce their
own voters’ pamphlet. The City of Cottage Grove does not normally create a voters’ pamphlet, but did produce one for the March 13, 2012 Special Election. In checking with those cities, we
learned that producing a paper voters’ pamphlet that is mailed to residents requires considerable
staff time and can cost anywhere from $12,000- $15,000 (printing and mailing costs) for a city our size.
Another option would be to create an online voters’ pamphlet. This would reduce the cost of printing and mailing, while still providing a venue for citizens to access information on local
candidates and measures.
The City Attorney’s Office recommends that whichever option is chosen, the City take the
following steps:
1. Adopt a process for including information in the voters’ guide or pamphlet that matches State voters’ pamphlet guidelines
2. Amend the Municipal Code allowing for creation and production of a voters’ guide or pamphlet.
3. Engage stakeholders that may have an interest in the municipal voters’ guide or
pamphlet.
Attachment 1, Page 2 of 2
4. Consider titling the City of Springfield’s voters’ guide or pamphlet in such a way as to distinguish it from the State Voters’ Pamphlet. 5. If an online guide or pamphlet is created, consider mailing a simple postcard to every
postal address in the Springfield jurisdiction that includes directions to access the website, as well as information as to where a paper copy is located should a resident not
have internet access. This would help ensure equal access to all citizens.
_____________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discuss feasibility of offering a Municipal Voters’ Guide or Pamphlet for local candidates and measures in Springfield. Provide staff direction on whether or not to move forward with the process to implement a Municipal Voters’ Guide pamphlet, an
online Voters’ Guide, or neither.