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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 1996-601 1 RESOLUTION NO. 96-60 A RESOLUTION OF TILE CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE BREVARD COUNTY ELECTION SYSTEM; MAKING FINDINGS; URGING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE POSITIVE ACTION TO PURCHASE A FASTER AND MORE SECURE BALLOT COUNTING SYSTEM; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections operates a ballot counting system that employs the use of ballot cards and tabulating equipment at the office of the Supervisor of Elections (the "election system "); and, WHEREAS, the election system utilized by Brevard County requires the manual handling or manipulation of ballots at several points in the vote counting process, creating the unacceptable potential for fraud at each point; and, WHEREAS, the election system utilizes ballot cards that many times become torn or mutilated, or which upon being punches by a voter retain "stays" or small tabs hanging from the holes punched by voters; and, WHEREAS, the cards with stays or cards that are torn or mutilated will many times result in inaccurate ballot counts when processed by the election system, thereby causing corrective action to be taken which further delays the count of the ballots; and, WHEREAS, the cards are not counted in the individual precincts and are only counted when the cards arrive at the Supervisor of Elections Office; and, WHEREAS, the aforementioned procedure has caused a significant number of voters to question whether there are adequate internal controls over the election system and counting 1 1 1 City of Cape Canaveral Resolution No. 96 -60 Page 2 procedures, even to the extent of precipitating lawsuits over the integrity of certain election results; and, WHEREAS, the election system utilized by Brevard County has resulted in substantial delays in ballot counting in many elections; and, WHEREAS, the election system utilized by Brevard County has caused the County to be the last or among the last counties in the State of Florida to complete its count of the ballots during every recent election; and, WHEREAS, this is unnecessary given the fact that neighboring Orange County, a County of approximately 700,000 people, has been able to complete its count of ballots by approximately 10:00 p.m.; and, WHEREAS, the current system frequently requires the poll workers (many of whom are senior citizens) to work more than 12 consecutive hours, imposing an unnecessary physical hardship on many of them; and, WHEREAS, the election system it utilized at least once each year, as it is also used to count the ballots for municipal elections and various referendum questions; and, WHEREAS, the City of Cape Canaveral has determined that many residents of the incorporated area of Brevard County have expressed a desire to have some type of an alternative election system used in Brevard County which will increase ballot security and increase the speed with which ballots are counted; and, WHEREAS, Supervisor of Elections, Fred Galey has conducted a test in a prior municipal election of an alternative ballot counting system and has investigated other systems and, g: \cityclk\res\electegp.doc City of Cape Canaveral Resolution No. 96 -60 Page 3 WHEREAS, the Supervisor of Election's Office estimates that a new system will result in a large reduction in annual operating costs, with the system paying for itself in approximately 10 years; and, WHEREAS, the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners at its January 9, 1996 meeting did not approve the recommendation of the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City of Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, Florida, as follows: SECTION 1. That the City of Cape Canaveral hereby recommends that the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners take positive action towards the purchase a faster and more secure ballot counting system. SECTION 2., All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. ADOPTED BY the City Council of the City of Cape Canaveral, Florida, this 3rd day of December, 1996. K. ' orter, MAYOR Motion: Randels Second: Bruns FOR AGAINST Burt Bruns _x__ Tony Hernandez X Sand : 0 F.Sims,.C;LERK Buzz Petsos -Lip. g: \cityclk\res\electegp.doc John Porter Rocky Randels X X