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GOODYEAR ELECTION PROPOSITIONS - SPRING 2019

1/30/2019

The latest Goodyear Neighbor Alert included information about what will be on the city's spring ballot.

Here is the exact wording:

Prepare Yourself for March Elections

On March 12, 2019, city of Goodyear voters will vote on candidates to fill three City Council seats and will vote on three city propositions:

Proposition 421 is a proposed Charter Amendment that would change regular City of Goodyear elections from the spring of odd-numbered years to the fall of even years.
Proposition 422 is a proposed Charter Amendment clarifying that the votes to be used to determine the basis of a majority vote would be those for the subject office.
Proposition 423 is a proposed Charter Amendment changing the date of the induction of Mayor and Council into office as the first meeting of the month after the general election.

Full text of each of the ballot measures can be found in the publicity pamphlet, available online.

READ THE BALLOT PROPS HERE.

READ OUR BLOG ABOUT GOODYEAR ELECTIONS HERE.

SHALL WE STAY OR SHALL WE GO? GOODYEAR'S ELECTION CYCLE UP FOR DEBATE.

8/17/2017

The much awaited meeting to discuss whether Goodyear should continue spring election cycles is Monday night. We have a look at preliminary staff reports.

council_action_report.pdf
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existing_city_code_and_suggested_language.pdf
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Goodyear contacted 10 cities to find out how they included over and under votes... and unqualified write-in votes.

REASONS TO MOVE THE ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE FALL OF EVEN NUMBERED YEARS

Goodyear staff list these reasons for consolidating the city election with state and national elections:

Saves money by splitting election costs with the county
.50 per ballot compared to $2.12 per ballot
Potentially could increase voter turnout

Currently, the city pays $2.12 per voter with an all-mail, non-consolidated election. The March election in 2017 produced a bill of $91,677 and required a second citywide election for an additional bill of $89,843. The total cost for elections in 2017 was approximately $181,520.

The cost would be .50 per voter with a consolidated election. With 40,912 active registered voters, the city could expect to pay $20,456 per election. -Staff Report

REASONS TO NOT CHANGE THE SPRING ELECTION CYCLE IN ODD NUMBERED YEARS

Allows the city to remain with an all-mail election making it more convenient for voters to participate
Recognizes a significant number of Goodyear residents are away in the summer which would be the typical campaign cycle for a Fall cycle
City questions at the end of the ballot – any questions on the general ballot would be a tag line only
Higher turnout equates to higher signature requirements on initiative, referendum, recall and candidate petitions
Faster results from the county for all-mail ballots
Primary ballots are based on party affiliation – impact on independents
City Hall may or may not be a polling location
More political signs during election

THE RECOMMENDATION COMING MONDAY NIGHT

Goodyear staff does not make any recommendation about whether this All-America City should move the election cycle to fall of even numbered years. However, staff does encourage City Council to "pass, adopt and approve an Ordinance to clarify how the majority vote is determined."

That wording would read:
For the purposes of this Section, “votes cast” shall mean a legal vote actually cast in that candidate’s race for a legally eligible candidate and excludes ballots and other votes that were not actually cast in that race including “over votes” and “under votes”.

THE OPTIONS

Goodyear staff lays out the options.

1. Change the Charter to move towards Consolidated Elections. This requires a vote by the People and terms for existing Councilmembers would have to be adjusted.
2. No change and elections would remain in the spring of odd numbered years.

GOODYEAR ELECTION PROPOSITIONS - SPRING 2019

READ THE BALLOT PROPS HERE.

READ OUR BLOG ABOUT GOODYEAR ELECTIONS HERE.

SHALL WE STAY OR SHALL WE GO? GOODYEAR'S ELECTION CYCLE UP FOR DEBATE.

REASONS TO MOVE THE ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE FALL OF EVEN NUMBERED YEARS

REASONS TO NOT CHANGE THE SPRING ELECTION CYCLE IN ODD NUMBERED YEARS

THE RECOMMENDATION COMING MONDAY NIGHT

THE OPTIONS

CONTACT COUNCIL: [email protected]

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