13a. Staff Report-Appointing Election Judges
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: October 7, 2020
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Brenda Eklund, City Clerk
Re: Appointment of Election Judges
Background: Appointments of election judges are made by the City Council no later than 25 days
preceding an election. The Council can appoint any individual to serve as an election judge, with the
exception of the following who are not qualified to serve:
o A candidate in that election;
o The husband, wife, parent, child, brother or sister of a candidate;
o The husband, wife, parent, child, brother or sister of another election judge in the
same precinct (serving at the same time); or
o A challenger.
Proposal Details: A list of judges were appointed by Resolution 2020-17 for the Primary and
General Elections on June 16, 2020. Since that time, staff has received additional persons interested
in working as an Election Judge for the November 3, 2020 election. With the expected heavy
turnout and need for increased COVID precautions for this election, staff recommends appointing
additional judges with the condition that they complete the required election training to become
certified to serve as an election judge.
The list will be used to schedule judges for the general election, provided that party balance is
maintained as required by state law in assigning election judges:
Subd. 5. Party balance requirement.
No more than half of the election judges in a precinct may be members of the same major
political party unless the election board consists of an odd number of election judges, in
which case the number of election judges who are members of the same major political
party may be one more than half the number of election judges in that precinct.
Fiscal Impact: Election judges are compensated at a rate of $10/hour.
Options: 1) Approve Resolution No. 2020-35
2) Amend and then approve Resolution No. 2020-35
3) Do not approve Resolution No. 2020-35
Recommendation: Option 1.