HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2020.07.02 - 33409MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #20241 July 2, 2020
BY: Commissioner David Woodward, Chairperson, Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery
Committee
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — AUTHORIZE FUNDING FROM CARES ACT CORONAVIRUS
RELIEF FUNDS FOR VOTER EDUCATION MAILING AND OUTREACH
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS concerns from the COVID-19 virus pandemic combined with "no -reason absentee voting",
resulted in nearly 99.9% of Michigan voters casting absentee ballots during the May 2020 election; and
WHEREAS city/township clerks have already received a record number of absentee ballot applications for
this year's August Primary Election; and
WHEREAS Oakland County, because of COVID-19, is urging voters to cast an absentee ballot in the 2020
August Primary and November General Elections: and
WHEREAS Michigan Election Law is unique in that the August Primary election is an "open primary" where
both political parties are presented on the same ballot; and
WHEREAS voters who participate in the August Primary may not "split their ticket" and vote in both parties'
primary. If they do so, the entire partisan section of their ballot will not count; and
WHEREAS despite included instructions to voters who are voting by mail, many may not realize they cannot
"split their ticket" thus resulting in a high number of spoiled ballots in the August Primary election, and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners formed the Oakland County Safe, Healthy and
Secure Election Advisory Council to identify challenges and barriers for having safe, healthy and secure
elections in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS the Advisory Council has recommended that the Board of Commissioners authorizes funding for
voter education and outreach, and
WHEREAS funds are available from the CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Fund to cover the costs associated
with a postcard mailing to voters who have requested an absentee ballot as well as other digital and print
media outreach; and
WHEREAS the estimated cost of this education and outreach campaign will not exceed $500,000.
WHEREAS a FY 2020 budget amendment is recommended to reallocate $5D0,000 from the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Non -Departmental Federal Operating Grants revenue line
item (Account 610313) to the Clerks/Register of Deeds Elections Division Public Information expenditure line
item budget (Account 731500)
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby approves
Lip to $500,000 from the CARESAct's Coronavirus Relief Fundsfora voter education and outreach campaign.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Elections Division shall issue a report following the
2020 August Primary Election and the 2020 November General Election to the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners to summarize utilization of these funds
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FY 2020 budget be amended as follows:
GENERAL FUND (#10100)
Project 100000003231
Bud Ref: 2020 Activity: GLB Analysis: GLB
FY 2020
Revenue
9010101-133095-610313 Federal Operating Grants $500,000
Total Revenue $544 2Q
Expenditures
2010301-133095-731500 Public Information $500,000
Total Expenditures
PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY COMMITTEE VOTE:
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Spisz and Miller absent.
Chairperson, on behalf of the Pandemic Response and Economic Rectery CommitteL, I mJove the adoption
of the foregoing resolution. / A•r/
Commissioner David Woodward, D'istr'ict #17
Chairperson, Pandemic Response and Economic
Recovery Committee
Resolution #20241 July 2, 2020
Moved by Gershenson seconded by McGillivray the resolution be adopted.
Moved by Kuhn seconded by Weipert the resolution be amended as follows:
Add the following WHEREAS after the 5th WHEREAS:
WHEREAS information distributed using these funds shall not be partisan and shall not contain the
name or image of any County office -holder; and
Discussion followed.
Vote on amendment:
AYES: Middleton, Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Hoffman, Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long. (9)
NAYS: Markham, McGillivray, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Quarles Woodward, Zack, Gershenson,
Jackson, Luebs. (11)
A sufficient majority not having voted in favor, the amendment failed.
Discussion followed.
Vote on resolution, as presented:
AYES: McGillivray, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Quarles, Spisz, Weipert, Woodward, Zack,
Gershenson, Hoffman, Jackson, Luebs, Markham. (14)
NAYS: Middleton, Taub, Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long. (6)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution, as presented, was adopted.
"+" Q L
I HEREBY APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCL 45.559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on July 2, 2020,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 2N day of July, 2020.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County