HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - No. 85-12 ERRESOLUTION NO. 85-12
RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL URGING MODIFICATION
TO ABSENTEE VOTING PROCEDURES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lodi is concerned
with the growing use of absentee ballots, the increased potential
for election fraud, and the administrative difficulties created for
the State's election officials; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lodi feels that the
need for legislative changes in the area of absentee voting is
clear.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the
City of Lodi does hereby support the following modifications to
absentee voting procedures and urges the adoption of legislation
that would enact these modifications.
a) Require absentee ballot applications to be identical
and conform to the application prepared by the
election office and that no address other than the
election office's address appear on the application;
b) Blake official applications available 90 days prior
to an election;
c) Keep the list of absentee voters confidential until
election day;
d) Require that voted ballots be returned to the
election official by mail or in person with each
jurisdiction having the option of providing the
voters with prepaid postage for the return of
voted ballots.
e) Allow only members of the immediate family (of
first consanguinity) to return a voted absentee
ballot if the person signs a register upon
returning the ballot.
f) Only a designated election official should be
allowed to collect and return absentee ballots
from homes for the unsighted or handicapped, or
from other residents or convalescent homes,
hospitals or homes for the aged;
g) Include on the application a statement that,
once issued an absentee ballot, the voter will
only be allowed to vote in the polling place on
election day if he/she surrenders the issued
ballot; and
85112
h) Require absentee ballot applications to be
submitted no later than two weeks prior to
an election rather than one week as is now
provided. (The "special application process"
which currently permits persons to apply for
an absentee ballot during the week immediately
prior to the election if necessitated by an
"emergency" situation, and which allows a
designated third party to handle the ballot,
would be amended to extend that pre-election
period to two weeks.)
i) Make any fraud involving absentee voting
a felony under state law.
Dated: January 16, 1985
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 85-12
was passed and adopted by the City Council
of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting
held January 16, 1985 by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Members - Hinchman, Pinkerton, Olson,
Reid, and Snider (Mayor)
Noes: Council Members - None
Absent: Council Members - None
kev Ak - 4xt.�
Alice M. Reimche
City Clerk
-2-
85-12