HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-079-1674 - Cease Purging State Voting Rolls 1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 City of Miami Gardens Agenda Cover Memo Council Meeting Date: June 13, 2012 Item Type: (Enter X in box) Resolution Ordinance Other X Fiscal Impact: (Enter X in box) Yes No Ordinance Reading:(Enter X in box) 1 st Reading 2 nd Reading X Public Hearing:(Enter X in box) Yes No Yes No X Funding Source: N/A Advertising Requirement:(Enter X in box) Yes No X Contract/P.O. Required: (Enter X in box) Yes No RFP/RFQ/Bid #:N/A X Strategic Plan Related (Enter X in box) Yes No Strategic Plan Priority Area: Enhance Organizational Bus. & Economic Dev Public Safety Quality of Education Qual. of Life & City Image Communcation Strategic Plan Obj./Strategy: (list the specific objective/strategy this item will address) X Sponsor Name Councilwoman Lisa Davis Department:Mayor and City Council Short Title: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, URGING GOVE RNOR RICK SCOTT TO CEASE PURGING THE STATE’S VOTING ROLLS IN VIOLATION OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 AND THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT; ENCOURAGING OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO SUPPORT SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS; PROVIDING FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CITY CLERK; PROVID ING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Staff Summary: Recently, Governor Rick Scott directed the Supervis ors of Elections in the State of Florida to purge “non-citizens” from the State’s voting rolls. However, it has been discovered that some of the citizens who are in fact eligible to vote, have been informed they are no longer eligible to vote and must prove eligibility. ITEM K-2) CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTION Cease Purging State's Voting Rolls
1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 The Palm Beach County Superviso r of Elections and the Hillsbo rough County Supervisor of Elections have rejected the State’s voter purge list due to the unreli ability of the list. In addition, the United States Justice Depa rtment has sent a letter to Fl orida Secretary of State, Ken Desner, demanding that the Stat e cease purging its voter rolls because the process has not been cleared under the Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department has also indicated that Florida’s voter roll pur ge violates the National Voter Registration Act which stipul ates that the voter roll maint enance should ceased ninety (90) days before an election which m eans that the process woul d have had to end on May 16 th given the fact that Florida’s pr imary will be held on August 14 th . Councilwoman Lisa Davis is reques ting that the City Council se nd a resolution urging Governor Rick Scott to immediately cease his efforts to have the State’s voting records purged and cease any violations of the Voting Ri ghts Act and the National Voter Re gistration Act. The resolution also encourages other municipalitie s to adopt similar resolutions. Proposed Action: That the City Council approve the attached resolution. Attachment: