MEMORANDUM

To: City Council

From: David J. Deutsch, City Manager

Subject: Elections Task Force January 16, 2008

As a result of various situations which related to the City’s 2007 election, Council is interested in establishing a Task Force of residents to examine the entire election process. Resolution 8-08 creates a Task Force of fifteen members. The Resolution charges the Task Force with a thorough review of the election process, and requires the Task Force to submit its recommendations in a report no later than nine months from the date of its appointment. The schedule is clearly designed to produce recommendations in time for Council to take necessary actions, such as amending the City Code, prior to the 2009 election season getting under way.

Attachment - R-8-08

R-8-08

R E S 0 L U T I O N
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOWIE, MARYLAND
CREATING AN ELECTIONS TASK FORCE

WHEREAS, the Bowie City Council recognizes and honors the city’s history of political independence and its non-partisan election process, and

WHEREAS, the City Council honors the traditions of the founders of our city and the drafters of our City Charter that established procedures that have generally resulted in elections and campaigns that have been free of activities that impair the dignity of the process; and

WHEREAS, the City Council is committed to maintaining the integrity of our city, our government, and our elections process.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council hereby establishes an Elections Task Force to review all Bowie City Code references to the conduct of city elections, to identify ordinances that remain current and valuable or ordinances that would benefit from updating and to identify those sections of the Code that should be amended or deleted:

Section 1: The Elections Task Force shall review procedures as they relate to:

· Candidate filing, including all reporting requirements pertaining to the conduct of the election and candidate campaign fundraising standards
· The appointment of and standards applicable to election campaign treasurers
· The establishment of campaign fund raising reporting procedures and standards
· Limits on certain types or forms of campaign contributions
· Rules or limits on the display and timing of campaign related signs or billboards
· Sanctions for non-compliance with election ordinances and the enforcement mechanism appropriate to enforce these standards and rules
· Conduct of elections themselves, including ballot related issues
· All City documents and references that relate to the election process
· Any other element of the election process the Elections Task Force feels appropriate to review.

Section 2: Membership

· The Mayor shall appoint two members of the Task force and one chairman
· Each member of the City Council shall appoint two members to the Task Force
· All members appointed to the Elections Task Force shall be residents of the City of Bowie and registered voters in the City of Bowie
· The City Clerk shall serve as a resource and/or liaison with the Elections Task Force
· Additional city staff support, to include regular consultation with the City Attorney, shall be provided by the City Manager.

Section 3: Tenure

The Elections Task Force shall serve for a period of nine months from the date of appointment of its members.

Section 4: Reports

The Elections Task Force shall submit a report to the City Council at the conclusion of its appointment period

INTRODUCED AND PASSED by the Council of the City of Bowie, Maryland at a Regular Meeting on ___________________, 2008.

___________________________
G. Frederick Robinson
Mayor

Attest:

_____________________________
Pamela A. Fleming
City Clerk