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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 11-13 CCM Special Meeting CanvassMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND STATE OF MINNESOTA SPECIAL MEETING NOVEMBER 13, 2020 CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council Special Meeting was called to order by Mayor Elliott at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Mike Elliott and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, Kris Lawrence -Anderson and Dan Ryan. Councilmember April Graves was absent and excused. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Dr. Reggie Edwards, City Clerk Barb Suciu, and Deputy City Clerk Alix Bentrud. CANVASS THE NOVEMBER 3 2020 GENERAL ELECTION RES UL TS City Clerk Barb Suciu provided a general overview of the 2020 General Election in Brooklyn Center. She added voter turnout was very high, with 4,811 election day voters and 9,225 absentee ballots for a total of 14,036 voters or 79% voter turnout. She noted this is one of the highest turnouts ever in Brooklyn Center history. Ms. Suciu stated a breakdown of absentee voting shows the majority of votes received in the mail, or 46%; 35% in person; 18% through direct balloting, and 1 % at the health care center. She added health care center staff provided the absentee ballot voting process for their residents due to the pandemic. She congratulated the staff for doing a great job. Ms. Suciu. stated hours were extended for in -person absentee voting until 7:00 p.m. on weeknights, and for four days immediately prior to Election Day, from 12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. She added absentee ballot drive -through service was also available for four days prior to Election Day. She noted these new initiatives worked out well. Ms. Suciu. stated she would like to extend her thanks and appreciation to everyone who helped with the election: CARS staff for the use of Constitutional Hall for a polling place; Maintenance staff for providing help for outside voter lines, including snow shoveling and bringing chairs out for people to sit on; the Fire Department for setting up the drive -through service at East Fire Station; the Police Department for allowing CSOs to assist with the drive -through; Public Works crews for voting equipment delivery and for staffing the drive -through, and to Mr. Cote for assisting with drive -through set-up; Finance Department staff who worked at the drive -through; Earle Brown Heritage Center staff for allowing the use of their facility as a polling place, and for their support and assistance; Engineering and Community Development staff who offered to work at the drive -through; and Administrative staff for their patience and understanding with logistic changes within City Hall. She thanked Mr. Boganey for his understanding and support with the volume of absentee voting. Ms. Suciu expressed her appreciation for the election judges who were well-informed and made the process smoother; Maranatha Health Center staff for taking on absentee voting at their site; City Clerk's staff, for their hard work and efforts in facilitating a successful election during a pandemic; and to all Brooklyn Center voters for their patience and understanding. She stated there were a lot of voters. She added both she and Deputy City Clerk Alix Bentrud contracted Covid- 19 before the election, and she thanked City Staff who stepped in to cover for them. Ms. Suciu. stated the candidates with the highest number of votes were Marquita Butler with 5,217 votes, and Kris Lawrence -Anderson with 5,162 votes. Mr. Boganey stated City Staff recommends City Council adoption of a Resolution related to the 2020 General Election results. Mayor Elliott requested clarification regarding the difference between in -person voting and direct balloting, in terms of logistics. Ms. Suciu stated the in -person process includes paperwork and multiple envelopes and can be a time-consuming process for voters and election staff. She added direct balloting begins 7 days prior to Election Day, and voters can deposit their ballot directly into the tabulator. She noted many voters take advantage of the direct ballot process. Mayor Elliott asked whether many voters took advantage of the drive -through voting opportunity. Ms. Suciu stated approximately 140 voters used the drive -through, which was open for 4 days immediately before Election Day. She noted this can be attributed to the fact that residents are used to coming to City Hall to drop off their ballots. Councilmember Butler stated voters were able to track their absentee ballot via the State of Minnesota website. She asked if this is a new process. Ms. Suciu stated ballot tracking was in place before 2020, but it was more publicized this year due to anticipated high numbers of early voters. Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson expressed her appreciation for the City Clerk and all City Staff for their hard work and long hours throughout the election. She added she has heard many positive reports from voters about their experiences. She noted the entire election process was thorough, expedient and positive. Councilmember Ryan stated he echoes the sentiments of Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson. He added he hopes Ms. Suciu and Ms. Bentrud are feeling better and hopes their experience with Covid-19 was not as severe as it has been for some people. He expressed his appreciation to Mr. Boganey and all City Staff for stepping up and working hard to pull off a good election in a difficult year. Mr. Boganey thanked Ms. Suciu. and Ms. Bentrud and the rest of the City Staff team, who were able to get the job done, and done well, and for their excellent efforts on behalf of Brooklyn Center during this difficult time. There was a motion by Ryan and seconded by Mayor Elliott to adopt RESOLUTION NO.2020- 109 Regarding the Canvass of the November 3, 2020 Municipal General Election. 11/13/2020 Page 2 The motion passed 4-0. Mayor Elliott thanked Ms. Suciu for administering the election, and City Staff for supporting City election operations. He added this is incredibly important work, both locally and throughout the country. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Mayor Elliott and seconded by Councilmember Graves to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed 4-0. The Brooklyn Center City Council adjourned at 6:20 p.m. STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of the Election Canvass Meeting of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on November 13, 2020. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its December 14, 2020, Regular Session. %f f4!7«J1_/ 11/13/2020 Page 3 wi.W1�P" "Ilet�>�I -- Mayor 7