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Doris
On the Minneapolis City Ballot, Question 1 - dealing with 4 year terms of
Council members
- The Minneapolis City Charter states the City Council members have a 4
year term. The state law requires Council members to represent people
within their new Ward boundaries after reapportionment. That means Council
members elected in 2021 prior to reapportionment can not have 4 year terms
because reapportionment will occur in late 2021 or 2022. Then in the 2023
election they must run in their new Ward Boundaries. Therefore once in a
while when reapportionment occurs, Council members can not have a 4 year
term. Hence the 4 year term must be changed in the City 'Charter to comply
with the state law. If the voters do not adopt the new Charter amendment
and keep the 4 year term, someone will file a law suit pointing out that
the Charter is not in compliance with the state law. The lawsuit will win
and the state law will prevail. The City Charter will be negated by the
court decision.
On the Minneapolis City Ballot, Question 2 - dealing with dates to hold
special elections to fill vacancies on the City Council.
- The State Legislature passed a law which every city must comply. That
law stated that there are specific times that a special election can be
held. The Minneapolis City Charter states specifically that there must be
a special election within 90 days after there is a City Council/Mayor
vacancy. There is a very good chance that holding an election to fill a
vacancy will not fit with the time that the State law provides. Therefore
we need to change our City Charter to comply with the state law. If the
people do not change the Charter, whenever there will be a special
election, if Minneapolis does not hold the special election during the time
set by the state, the person elected will not officially be elected because
the Minneapolis special election was held on an illegal date.