February 6, 2006 - S.D. council may form panel to simplify voting

February 6, 2006 "S.D. council may form panel to simplify voting; Election process would be its target"

SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B-3
LENGTH: 340 words
HEADLINE: S.D. council may form panel to simplify voting;
Election process would be its target
BYLINE: Craig Gustafson, STAFF WRITER

BODY:
With an election seemingly always around the corner in San Diego, Councilwoman Donna Frye wants to create a task force to look at ways to make casting a ballot easier for voters.

The 10-member panel would examine the practicality of mail-only ballots and instant runoff voting for certain elections. It also would discuss ways to increase voter turnout.

The City Council will consider a proposal to form the task force today.

Frye said the purpose of the panel would be to get the public more involved in the election process.

"It's not for the elected officials. It's for the public to talk about how they see things and what their issues are and what things matter to them," she said. "I think we should do everything we can to engage the public. People sometimes forget what the purpose of an election is: It's for the public."

The council's Government Efficiency and Openness Committee voted 2-1 in November to form the task force. Councilman Brian Maienschein dissented, saying there wasn't a need for the panel because the City Clerk's Office should handle election issues.

Under the proposal, each council member and the mayor would appoint a person to the task force, which would also include City Clerk Elizabeth Maland as the chairwoman.

Frye said the panel would also look at election-related topics such as write-in candidates and clean election laws.

One of the more interesting topics, especially in San Diego where runoff elections occur regularly, could be instant runoff voting.

The system would call for voters to rank candidates by preference (first choice, second, third, etc.) on a single ballot. While it could take varying forms, the system would call for the use of voters' other choices if no candidate received a majority. Advocates say it would prevent the expense of a second election.

Council meeting
The San Diego City Council will consider creating an elections task force when it meets today.
Time: 2 p.m.
Place: City Administration Building, 202 C. St., 12th floor
Television: Broadcast on Channel 24, the city cable channel