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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2015-33CITY OF KENAI RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -33 Suggested by: Mayor A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF KENAI, AT THE REGULAR ELECTION OF OCTOBER 7, 2015, THE QUESTION OF AMENDING ARTICLE 10, ELECTIONS, OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF KENAI TO PROVIDE DESIGNATED SEATS FOR EACH COUNCIL POSITION AND ALLOW QUALIFIED VOTERS TO VOTE IN AN ELECTION FOR A CANDIDATE FOR EACH SEAT. WHEREAS, Article 10 Elections, of the Charter of the City of Kenai provides for council members to be elected at large without designated seats; and, WHEREAS, under the current process, in addition to voting for a candidate for mayor, each voter is entitled to vote for two candidates for council from the pool of candidates, or write in a person whose name does not appear on the ballot; and, WHEREAS, this process entails that essentially all candidates for council are running against each other; and, WHEREAS, changing to a system where each council position has a designated seat and allowing voters to vote for one candidate for each seat may encourage more candidates to run because candidates can choose a seat to run for and avoid running against certain other candidates running for different seats. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, Section 1: That the following proposition shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Kenai at the October 7, 2015 regular election in substantially the same form as set out hereafter: PROPOSITION No. X Elections Shall Title 10, Elections, of the Charter of the City of Kenai be amended to provide for designated seats for each council member position and allow qualified voters to vote for one candidate for each seat up for election, as opposed to the current process in which all candidates run against each other for the available council positions and qualified voters may vote for up to two candidates. New Text Underlined; ]DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Resolution No. 2015 -33 Page 2 of 3 PROPOSITION YES [A Yes vote will amend the City's Charter as described above] NO [A No vote will defeat the amendment described above] Section 2: That following the October 7, 2015 regular election, if the voters approve the proposition in substantially the same form as set out above, the following charter amendments would become effective: Section 10 -2. Three -Year terms- Election at large- Nonpartisan Elections. (a) At the regular election in 1965, and at the regular election held every three years thereafter, a mayor shall be elected. At every regular election after this Charter goes into effect, two councilmen shall be elected. (b) The Mayor and the other councilmen shall be elected for overlapping terms of three years, and shall serve thereafter until their respective successors are elected and qualify; provided that, if only one councilman is elected and qualifies in any year (because of failure of other candidates to file or for other cause), then lots shall be cast in a meeting of the Council and under its direction to determine which of the two councilmen whose terms are about to expire shall continue to serve; and provided further that, if (because of a vacancy) there is only one councilman whose term is about to expire, he shall continue to serve in such case. (c) The terms of office of the mayor and other councilmen shall begin at the time prescribed for the second regular Council Meeting after their election. If the mayor -elect or a councilman-elect fails to qualify within one month after the beginning of his term, his election shall be void, and the Council shall £ill the vacancy. (d) The mayor and other councilmen shall be elected at large, with council members elected to a seat designated as A, B, C, D, E or F, by the qualified voters of the entire City, by secret ballot. The election shall be nonpartisan, and no party designation or emblem shall be placed on the ballot. Section 10 -3. Filing. Any qualified person may have his or her name placed on the ballot for the election as a candidate for mayor or councilman for a council seat by filing, with the City Clerk at times and pursuant to procedures provided by ordinance, a sworn statement of his candidacy provided that such sworn statement shall be accompanied by a nominating petition signed by 20 or more registered qualified city voters. New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Resolution No. 2015 -33 Page 3 of 3 Section 10 -4. Voting - Who Elected. (a) Every qualified voter of the City shall be entitled to vote for one candidate for mayor and for one candidate for each council seat [TWO CANDIDATES FOR COUNCILMAN. ON THE BALLOTS BETWEEN THE TITLE OF THE OFFICE AND THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES, SHALL BE PLACED THE INSTRUCTION "VOTE FOR ONE" OR "VOTE FOR TWO," AS THE CASE MAY BE. ]A voter may also write in the name of, and vote for, a person whose name does not appear on the ballot for any designated council seat or for mayor. (b) The candidate for mayor receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected. The [TWO] candidate[S] for each council[MAN] seat receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected. In case of failure to elect because of a tie, the election shall be determined fairly by lot from among the candidates tying, in a meeting of the Council and under its direction. Section 10 -5. Filling Vacancies at Elections, etc. When a mayor and /or councilman or councilmen are being elected to fill a vacancy or vacancies for the unexpired term or terms, the provisions of this Charter shall apply as in the election of a mayor and /or councilmen for regular terms, insofar as applicable. The phrases "for one -year term," "For two -year term," and /or "For three -year term," as the case may be, shall be placed after the titles of the offices on the ballot as necessary to identify the places on the Council being filled at such election. [THE INSTRUCTION "VOTE FOR ONE" OR "VOTE FOR TWO" SHALL BE PLACED ABOVE THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES, DEPENDING ON WHETHER ONE OR TWO ARE TO BE ELECTED IN THE CATEGORY.] PASSED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, this 17th day of June, 2015. r)z�Zt_ ATT 4ST-� NA PAT POR ER, MAYOR ti Sand a od h, Ci Clerk OUNDEO � New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]