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CC - (1) Consideration of a Request for Los Angeles County to Use City Properties as Vote Centers for Upcoming 2020 Elections, Including Room Rental Fee Waiver; and (2) Direction to the City Clerk as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: September 23, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Jeremy Green/Administrative Services
Phone Number: (310) 253-5851
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/17/19);
Department Approval: John Nachbar, City Manager (09/16/19)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) consider the use of City properties by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (LAC RR/CC) Offices as Vote Centers for the upcoming March 3, 2020 Primary and November 3, 2020 Presidential and Culver City General Municipal elections, including room rental fee waiver; and (2) provide direction to the City Clerk as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
In 2018, Culver City determined to consolidate elections with general municipal elections. Culver City’s first general municipal election will be consolidated with Los Angeles County on November 3, 2020 and all election items (presidential through local city candidates, as well as any local, county, and/or state measures) will be included on a global, single ballot.
The Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP) voting system was developed by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (LAC RR/CC) to “address an aging voting system and an increasingly large and complex electorate. The project seeks a collaborative approach to voting system design that will put voters at the center and maximize stakeholder participation.”
The VSAP system is brand new voting equipment, built specifically for the LA County elections, allowing voters to vote at any location, significantly reducing provisional voting. The new VSAP system will first be used at the March 3, 2020 election and placed at differently sized vote centers. The plan is for fewer vote centers that will be open for longer periods of time than the former polling locations. Vote centers will operate for a period of either four or 11 days, depending on the size.
Through the Voter Center Placement Project (VCPP), LAC RR/CC worked with consultants and advisory teams to gather and consider community input regarding potential vote center locations, and then conducted on-site reviews to ensure that the centers meet the regulatory requirements for use as a vote center.
At the August 26, 2019 City Council meeting, LAC RR/CC requested use of City facilities and received consensus to place consideration an upcoming agenda.
Three Culver City facilities were reviewed by LAC RR/CC. The Patacchia Room at City Hall was not approved for use due to its small size. On September 9, 2019, LA County RR/CC completed its review of Veterans Memorial Building and determined that the auditorium space met all requirements to be a large 11-day Vote Center. The third location, Lindberg Park, has met the requirements to be used as a four-day vote center.
DISCUSSION
The 2016-2020 Strategic plan prioritizes civic engagement through increasing voter turnout. Providing City properties for use as vote centers ensures that Culver City voters have a nearby location where they may cast their vote in person and allows a longer period of time to do so. The vote centers will have access to real time information which means that 1) same-day registration can occur; and 2) registered voters can vote at any vote center, greatly reducing provisional voting.
As of this meeting, there are two locations that meet the requirements that are Culver City properties: 1) Veterans Memorial Building Auditorium; and 2) Lindberg Park Stonehouse.
All vote centers require six days to load in and set up equipment and another six days to remove equipment and vacate the facility, as well as the dates when the facility would be open for voting.
Lindberg Park Stonehouse
This location qualified as a medium sized vote center. The RR/CC is requesting use as a vote center for four days. Including time to set up the equipment, stay open for four days and load out equipment, they are requesting use of the room for a total of 16 days:
• Sunday, February 23, 2020- Thursday March 9, 2020 (Voting occurs February 29-March 3)
• Sunday, October 25, 2020-Thursday, November 9, 2020 (Voting occurs October 31-November 3.)
Using the Stone House would displace both the La Playa Preschool Cooperative and the Culver City Afterschool Recreation Program (CCARP). There are no alternative locations available to which these programs could be moved, since all other City park sites are being used by other preschool and afterschool programs.
Due to the displacement of programs, staff recommends that this location not be considered as a vote center.
Veterans Memorial Building Auditorium (VMA)
The VMA qualifies as a large vote center. Including time to set up the equipment, stay open for 11 days and load out equipment, LACCRR is requesting use of the room for a total of 23 days.
• Sunday, February 16, 2020- Friday, March 9, 2020 (Voting occurs February 22-March 3.)
• Sunday, October 18, 2020- Friday, November 9, 2020 (Voting occurs October 24-November 3.)
The VMA attracts many large events and regular uses that would cause potential revenue loss. A church would lose use of the space for four Sundays during each election period, and there are at least two additional potential events that might be displaced during the election timeframes. Finally, PRCS Adult League Basketball program, which holds games Mondays through Thursdays would need to be moved to another indoor facility. Staff is trying to determine if there might be a viable, similar space to which the leagues could be moved and what the associated costs would be.
Staff has identified that a vote center at the VMA would have the least impact on City programs and would have a larger presence for voters.
If City Council authorizes the use of one or more of the facilities as a voting center, staff recommends the City Council consider waiving the fees for the room rental.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Lindberg Park Stonehouse
Potential revenue loss includes La Playa Preschool Cooperative displacement at $550 for the 11 days that they would be removed from the Lindberg Park Stonehouse, as well as an estimated additional $1,000 if the weekend events that typically occur during this timeframe that would not be able to be held at the City facility.
Rental costs as a government entity are listed at $166 for the first 4-hour block per day and an additional $26 per hour for a total of $270 per day (based on an eight-hour rental). The total cost to rent the Lindberg Park Stonehouse would be $4,320 for the 16-day period. However, the space cannot be reserved at any time during the period needed and rent could be charged for the full 24-hour period. Staffing may also be necessary at $25 per hour to open and/or close the facility or remain on site if requested by RR/CC, as the Stonehouse is not typically staffed.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium (VMA)
Potential revenue loss includes church displacement at $1,355 x 8 Sundays = $10,840, as well as an estimated additional $6,500 if the annual events that typically occur during this timeframe cannot be held at a City facility.
PRCS Adult League Basketball program, which holds games Mondays through Thursdays would need to be moved to an indoor court that is not owned by the City at a cost that has not yet been determined, if one is available.
Rental costs as a government entity are listed at $165 per hour for VMA. Based on an eight-hour rental, the cost to rent the VMA would be $30,360. However, the space cannot be reserved at any time during the period needed and rent could be charged for the full 24-hour period.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2019-09-23_ATT - LAC RRCC Review Results of Culver City Properties
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Consider use of City properties as vote centers for upcoming elections in March and November 2020 and provide approval or disapproval for requested locations;
2. If desired, approve fee waivers for use of Lindberg Park Stonehouse and/or Veterans Memorial Building Auditorium; and
3. Provide direction to the City Clerk as deemed appropriate, including potential use of same facilities for future elections.