It's April 27, 2026, and we're beginning meeting 11-26.

Like to begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Please join us as you're able.

And to the Republic stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice.

Thank you.

Just wanted to turn it to Sarah Taylor Farrell for agenda review.

Madam Mayor and Council members, there are no changes to the agenda for this evening.

Okay, thank you.

I did give my colleagues a heads up about this, but I just wanted to see if we might uh change the order of our action item and work session so we can have the discussion about the election code and then move into discussion on introduction.

Do we need to council member Valeri?

I would agree with making that change.

I think that order um makes more sense to me as well.

So everyone, uh Councilmember Van Greck.

I would just ask it, just I want to make sure because I know that the introduction has certain time periods as well as relation to what we do with regard to our work sessions.

I just want to make sure from either a legal perspective or orderly perspective, what we're doing and discussing, there isn't any concern or issues.

Yeah, we'll uh just to clarify if we're still having the discussion tonight, it's just putting the work session tonight first.

Well, now and that that that's what I want to make sure.

So we can just so I'll take a stab, and then if my colleagues have anything to add.

So the order we typically do traditionally action items first, then we do work sessions, but as long as we do the introduction after the work session and you guys direct us to schedule the public hearing, then we'll still be able to stay on schedule.

Thank you.

Colleagues, is everyone okay with this?

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Next city managers report.

Welcome, Mr.

Mahillick.

Mayor Ashton, members of city council, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening.

We continue to be in high season and a number of different things, which were we're happy to be super busy based on last week's really good work session.

We are now putting the final touches on the budget, which we'll present to the council for adoption here in a couple weeks, working on a number of different updates to the city code in a number of different areas, including zoning and landlord tenant, and of course, election code, which we'll talk about in some detail in a little while.

We're also doing a number of different park improvements in in the city.

This is playground equipment, paths, et cetera.

But then every now and then we get to do something fun, and we did that this past week as a number of city departments hosted Take Your Child to Work Day.

You know, a lot of kids running around City Hall having a good time learning about their parents' work.

It was really neat.

So we had a bunch of budding police officers and park planners, etc.

For some reason, though, no kid wanted to sign up to be the future city manager, but I get that.

It's understandable.

So that's all I have to report, Mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We're moving on to agenda item six.

We have a number of boards and commissions appointments and re-appointments for Cultural Arts Commission.

We have the Financial and the Financial Advisory Board as well as Rockville Housing Enterprise.

Councilman Valeri.

Madam Mayor, I can do the Cultural Arts Commission the purchase, too, if that makes sense.

Please proceed.

Okay.

Uh I move to appoint Anika Varton to the Cultural Arts Commission to serve a three-year term until March 1st, 2027.

And I move to appoint Emily Pucello to the Cultural Arts Commission to serve an expiring three-year term until March 1st, 2028.

Thank you.

Can we keep them together?

Perfect.

Uh do we have a second?

Councilmember Jackson, seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Excellent.

We have a few more on the cultural arts commission.

Does anyone want to make the motion?

Councilmember Larry.

Sure.

Um I move to appoint Jerry Callestine to the Cultural Arts Commission to serve an expiring three-year term until February 1st, 2028.

And I move to appoint Molly Scott to the Cultural Arts Commission to serve an expiring three-year term until February 1st, 2028.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Shaw seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Next, we have the Financial Advisory Board.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, I move to reappoint Jack Kelly to the Financial Advisory Board to serve a three-year term until June 1st, 2029.

Thank you.

Do you also want to do the next one?

Yeah, just take it separately.

All right.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Shaw seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

All right.

Thank you, Mayor.

Now the last one.

Uh I move to appoint Jocelyn Fortis to the Financial Advisory Board to serve an aspiring three-year term until February first, 2027.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Fulton seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Okay.

Next we have Rockville Housing Enterprise.

Councilmember Shaw.

I move to appoint Megan Meakin to the Rockville Housing Enterprise Inc.

to serve an expiring term, expiring three-year term until April 1st, 2027.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Valerie Seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Excellent.

Okay.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to serve.

And you'll be hearing from our city clerk's office with more information.

Next we have community forum, and this is the time that we hold sacred to be able to hear feedback from the public on your ideas, your concerns, and anything we can do to be supportive.

Please address the mayor and council and also speak in a civil and courteous manner and also be respectful to members of the audience.

Each person will be allowed three minutes, and we ask that you stick to the time clock in front of you.

You will hear an audible beep when your three minutes has concluded.

Please state your name and whether you live in the city of Rockville for the record.

I'm gonna proceed with those who have signed up in advance.

Welcome, Robert Koernick.

Okay.

Um Madam Mayor, members of the City Council, I'm Robert Koernick.

I'm the chair of the Board of Supervisors of Elections, and yes, I live in Rockville.

Uh I wanted to offer a few comments about the proposed redraft of chapter eight of the city code, which you are scheduled to consider later this evening.

Uh that draft represents a lot of work.

And to be sure it is a it represents a good faith effort on the part of the city attorney, and in several respects, to be fair, it's an improvement over the current law.

But it was prepared and drafted without any significant input from the BSE.

We saw it for the first time just a few days ago.

And as a result, there are provisions and omissions that are really problematic.

So for example, there are no provisions requiring those who make independent expenditures to register or report.

So the organizations that spent money in the last election, like CASA and Czech and Affordable Maryland and our revolution, would have no obligation to reveal what they had spent.

There is no reference in there to the mailings that we are required under current law to send out in advance of the election.

There's nothing about the number or the location of ballot drop boxes.

The draft purports to impose obligations on the Montgomery County Board of Elections, which I don't think we have the authority to do.

The description of when the campaign finance reports are due is hopelessly complicated.

The actual dates only appear in the definition section, and at least one of those dates is just wrong.

It requires disclaimers on anything posted on the internet, which is more than the FEC actually requires.

It says that it's unlawful to contribute more than a thousand dollars to a candidate, but it doesn't say it's unlawful to accept more than a thousand dollars.

And the definition of contributions does not exclude volunteer work.

So people that do volunteer work would be making a reportable in-kind contribution, which is not something I think that we want.

My point is not that you should discard this draft.

My point is it still needs a lot of work, and that the mayor and council should seriously consider this only after the BSE has uh an opportunity to review it and propose changes, and I hope that you will give us that opportunity.

Thank you very much.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Welcome, Stephen Fisher.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the council.

For the record, my name is Stephen Fisher, and I've been a resident of Rockville since October 1957.

The same week that former mayor Dick Ran Hosepian signed Rockville's first sister city agreement with Pinneburg, Germany.

Twenty years later, I had the opportunity to run with Viola Hosepian, wife of Dick Ranho Seppian, twice, first in her bid for council re-election in April of 1984, the last city election to be held in the spring of an even numbered year.

And again, as a supporting candidate on the alliance of Rockville Citizens Slate in November 1985, a transitional 18-month term of office when Viola sought to retain her seat as Rockville's first female mayor following the resignation of former mayor John Freeland, a member of the independence for Rockville nonpartisan political party, referenced in my written comments on the draft city election code.

I wish to bring to your attention that this Friday, May 1st, 2026, represents the one-year mark prior to the commencement of the 2027 city election cycle.

I would ask that you obtain, if not already have in hand, a timeline of activities and processes as outlined by the city clerk that must be completed before the 2027 candidate handbooks can be made available to interested parties commencing on May 1st, 2027.

Twelve months may appear to be a generous period of time.

However, as you know, the mayor and council and all city boards and commissions generally take a hiatus in the month of August each year, removing one month from the 12-month calendar for progress on this issue.

As things now stand, the mayor and council must first address their preferences in the draft election code with regard to language concerning some or all of the ballot questions included in the draft code, as well as decide what to do about enforcement provisions for election code violations, and decide how large financial expenditures by political action committees and independent expenditure groups will be publicly reported and addressed in the election code, as well as address the question of how and where the city's 10 election districts will be referenced in the code, as these matters were not included or significantly considered in the current draft.

These next steps represent about 30 percent of what still needs to be addressed.

And I know we've run out of time, but I will have copies of these sent to you.

Thank you.

And we have your written comments as well.

Thank you.

Welcome, Vincent Russo.

I don't know if I see he's not here yet.

Okay.

Welcome, Stephen Wiener.

Madam Mayor, members of the council, I'm Stephen Wiener.

I reside in uh the King Farm community here in Rockville.

I'm a member of the city's Board of Supervisors of Elections, but I need to stress that I'm not speaking for the board tonight.

But I do want to address some of my specific substantive concerns about the draft revision of chapter eight, and then make a broader overall comment.

Expanding the current section 8-1 definitions is a much needed upgrade, but issues still remain.

For example, the code uses the terms voter, eligible voter, and registered voter, but only defines voter, and it uses it incorrectly.

The proposed definition of candidate is too inclusive, making it difficult for the code to clearly stipulate which candidates at what point in the election cycle it addresses.

And there are terms defined elsewhere, particularly in the 8-90s that should be in 8-4.

The process described to address code violations in Article 8 is too long.

One of my marginal comments that the process was, I need a flow chart.

So not only is it too long, the process is too complex, or perhaps clunky is a better word.

But in this case, neither complex nor clunky is a good thing.

In addition, Article 8 puts too much responsibility on the board.

Task that should be performed by the paid personnel of the Office of the City Attorney are devolved on paid, mostly little legally illiterate board members.

The draft suggests that we count ballots postmarked on or before election day that arrive no later than the close of business, two days later.

Why?

Why that Thursday?

Why not the following Wednesday?

My point is that whatever day, date, or time after the close of the voting centers on election day is arbitrary and cannot logically be defended.

I have other subjective comments on the draft.

But let me move to a broader issue.

In a document, anything that is makes the message more difficult to understand is noise.

And this is a very noisy document.

Please don't say we have more important things to do than to get rid of legalese, to correct the grammar, to align the text.

We'll do that later.

Later almost always becomes too late.

So please have a document specialist, someone who knows how to use MS word, I assume you're using, who knows how to use it and use it well.

Reformat this document, and please have a good substantive editor, not just a proofreader.

Read over this to make suggestions to help you make it easier to identify and concentrate on big things.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

JD Kumara.

Okay.

Brigita Mulligan.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Brigita Mullikan, and I'm a 60-year resident in Twinborough.

It has been some time since I've appeared before you.

I would like to acknowledge that our city Rockville has been recognized as one of the top three places to live in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Our residents are highly educated, contribute substantial tax revenue, and we appreciate the services provided.

However, the high cost of living in Rockville has led many property owners to move away and rent out their homes, resulting in approximately 50% to the city residents now being renters.

I am here this evening to gain better understanding of the potential changes to the Rockville election code.

My interest in this matter comes from my experience as a four-time city council candidate and as a former member of the Board of Supervisors of Election here in Rockville.

I have heard that some of the proposed changes to the election code as posted on the Rockville website have not received input from the Board of Supervisors of Election.

Could you please explain why that step may have been bypassed?

I hope that tonight's work session will provide clarity regarding the process that is being followed.

I am here to offer several comments on the Rockville City election codes and to listen to what the work session will accomplish this evening.

One of my questions is why does Rockville allow individuals to vote in the city election without being registered with the state of Maryland?

Is this situation is rare?

Why maintain a separate process?

Having a separate registration system adds administrative complexity and can cause potential confusion.

I would also like to know how many people vote exclusively in Rockville City elections without being registers at the state level.

Additionally, I am seeking the clarification on whether Rockville election code, the authority of the separate city voter registration system is defined and explained.

I haven't seen it.

In the past, I have spoken at multiple public hearings to express my opposition to lowering the voting age to 16 and to oppose adoption of ranked choice voting.

I intend to present my concerns again at your next public hearing on the election code changes.

Furthermore, I plan to speak in opposition to implementing city campaign financing and in support of instituting term limits for the mayor and council positions.

And it took me considerable time and effort to locate and download the election codes from the agenda.

Thank you for your attention, and I'll be here to see what you all discuss at the work session.

This is a very important issue.

Thank you very much.

Welcome, Kevin Owen.

Good evening.

My name is Kevin Owen.

I'm a resident of the city of Rockville, and I'm the former chair of the Rockville Charter Review Commission.

Uh two of you voted to uh put me in that position, and two of you spent countless hours working with me on the charter review for seemed like years.

During the charter review process, the Board of Supervisors of Elections was present for almost all of the meetings.

We took into consideration what the BSE thought.

We cared about it.

We formulated a lot of our opinions and recommendations to this body based on the input from the BSC.

So I was surprised when I learned that the rewrite of the election code did not include the input of the Board of Supervisors of Elections, and I'm also wondering how much input there was from the city clerk's office who is the entity that actually administers the elections.

Refer it to the Board of Supervisors of Elections for further consultation, and then pick it up.

There is a lot of good in what these recommendations look like.

There is a lot that have yet to be discussed.

And I have concerns about how this will play out over the rest of this process.

I also will caution that there were two recommendations in the Charter Review Commission report, one of that made it to the ballot, one of which was the 16, 17-year-old voting.

That was a recommendation that I supported.

I voted in favor of lowering the voting age, and the mayor and council put it on the ballot.

And that lost 28 to 69%.

And yet, term limits were also on the ballot, and that passed 74 to 22 percent.

And I'm a little perplexed as to why the 16, 17-year-old voting is making its way into the draft legislation where we have not yet done anything on the term limits.

That signals to me, and I don't think this mayor and council presently intend this, but that signals that the process we all went through for the Charter Review Commission and then for the voters to speak is not being listened to.

And so I strongly encourage the mayor and council to address that and to refer this matter back to the BSC.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome, Vincent Russo.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Vincent Russo, City of Rockville resident.

I'm also speaking about the proposed revision to Chapter 8, and would like to share some thoughts about both the content and the process.

In terms of content, I still do not think ranked choice voting makes sense for council elections where voters choose up to six candidates.

When these selections are all aggregated, the result is a collective ranking, not unlike the outcome from ranked choice voting.

It might make sense for the single seat mayoral election.

But uh in the history of Rockville elections, no voter has ever had to choose from more than two mayoral candidates.

So ranked choice is a is a good solution, but it's in search of a problem that does not exist in Rockville.

Take it off the table, even for 2031, and keep the focus on issues that are more salient to Rockville.

The read the rewrite does improve alignment with state law, but some details unique to municipal elections are not addressed or are unclear.

For example, the the section outlining the boundaries of the city's election districts is removed.

What is the implication of this?

The draft addresses reporting requirements for out-of-state campaign committees, but leaves unclear the reporting obligations for Maryland committees that are participating in Rockville elections.

Nothing in the draft addresses stipends for members of the BSE, despite the significant demands it still places on them.

Nor are there any provisions protecting election officials from intimidation or harassment.

But what concerns me most is that the uh approval process here feels very rushed.

From introduction tonight to adoption in eight weeks is as unworkable.

This draft, which includes many technical adjustments to the conduct of Rockville elections, is being presented to you without prior review by the city's election officials.

By contrast, the Planning Commission painstakingly reviews zoning changes before they come here.

You should want to know from the BSC its views on the enforcement mechanisms that are revised in the text.

Will the administrative hearing process be effective?

Will the new financial reporting requirements provide timely transparency on who is funding city campaigns?

What are the implications of randomized ordering of candidate names on ballots or tabulating ballots received up to two days after the election?

There are lots of technical changes here, and they are not easy to find without a red line markup.

So you should you should hear from the Board of Supervisors of Election before introducing this ordinance tonight.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Welcome, Dr.

Mohammed.

First, I won't say I didn't plan to be speaking here, but since I get the opportunity, I might as well let it all out.

Um my name is Doc Mohammed.

I've been a in Maryland for about 40 years, been in business for 40 years.

My situation is in Maryland is uh I'm currently in process of a lawsuit in Charles County and Prince George's County for discrimination against black people.

We found that uh, especially in New Crowd, I took care of it in in New Crowdon.

People go to stores like Subway, uh Starbucks, 7-11 different places, right?

And the law in America is that when you have a public place of business like these businesses are, no one can be put off the property as long as they're not stealing.

But yet, in Maryland, I found in Charles County, PG, and now in Rockville City, that these people working in these stores have green cards and they're intimidated by white supremacy groups to call police on black people for no reason.

I mean, they I've been told they'd be saying if you just don't want them because you don't like them, just call us, but come get them off the property.

That's wrong against the law in America.

Um I ran into a situation right here in Rockville Town Center in some bakery places, the French place.

The guy immediately soon I came in the door.

Can I help you like I didn't belong there?

So I left and he called the police while I was in there and went to Starbucks.

Do you know the city?

Rockville City rookie police officer came in the Starbucks concerning the situation in another address and convinced the store lady to go along with him and bar me from the Starbucks right here in town center, which had nothing to do with that store.

There's no situation in the Starbucks.

He just wants to follow me from one store to another.

And I found this to be a habit with the police officers.

Uh they seem to follow you on the road when you're off the property and still want to tell you uh you can't come back for a year.

That's against the law.

They can't do that.

No police officer has the authority to do that in a public place of business that you have out here.

And this is mainly aimed at black people, okay.

My lawyers are working on this in Charles County and in uh PG County.

I took care of a situation in in uh in in New Carroll.

It was a 7-Eleven of Starbucks and a subway doing this.

You know what they did?

They find all three of these businesses.

So you only didn't need to do the same thing to these businesses in Rockville.

I don't want to include Rockville in the in this lawsuit, but since I've been given the platform this morning the ladies that come up, I figure I would mention it, okay.

Now uh something needs to be done about that.

These officers need to back up why they attacking black people, it's only black people.

I know they don't call on no one else but black people, okay?

So this is a racial thing, and it's promoted by white supremacy that's still in this state, unfortunately.

Um while I'm up here, I might as well mention to you.

I also I'm also a part of ICE uh from Saturday to Monday.

Thank you.

And I'm gonna tell you all not to be able to do that.

Who can uh the time is expired?

Or is it a good idea?

I'd like to have a stop and bring the back meeting to share more of your concerns.

They hacking you big time.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate your testimony.

Welcome, John Becker.

Good evening, my name is John Becker.

I am a resident of Americana Center condominium across the street from the Rockville Metro Station.

I'm here also to comment on the election situation uh and the future of elections in the city of Rockville.

Um I'm gonna pick it back on some of the statements made previously.

Um, and just in a general sense, um, this situation right now, as far as the report and the process that has been mentioned, is strictly ramming and cramming.

Um not enough time.

It should have been done and presented earlier this year at the latest.

Um there should be a review in detail of the proposed language and the existing, so we can even people like me can figure out what's going on.

I can tell you right now, this is going to be a multi-part process that probably is not gonna get done in June, based upon the comments tonight, and more people who will come forward.

Costs need to be considered.

Any proposal that's on here on this report, I'm all for looking as far as considering it, but there has to be a cost analysis of city funds to do these things in the future.

I sure wouldn't want them to take money away from the police department or the fire department or some other organization.

I think the consultants report, both the written report and what was presented last year at his presentation before Mayor and Council needs to be considered.

And finally, I just would like to say that um the process has to include the BSE, and I hope you will treat them with respect, which they are due.

And include them in this process.

I have other things I want to talk about regarding budget, but tonight is more or less the election thing, and I will be back next week.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Welcome, Libby Adams.

Um, so before my time starts, the last time I was here a couple weeks ago, uh I did not have everybody's full attention.

Some people were on their phones, and I would appreciate if that doesn't happen this time.

My name's Libby Adams.

Most of you know that.

I've been here a few times.

I am not a current resident of Rockville, however, all of my belongings are.

They are still being held hostage over across the street at Fields of Rockville in a mold-infested apartment that I recently had tested, shows black mold and active mold growth.

They have refused to clean and return our belongings unless I sign a release, giving them blanket immunity over the situation.

According to the Maryland Tenant Protection Act passed July last year, and in effect, as of October, landlords have 45 days to complete remediation.

It has been 11 months since I discovered the mold and six months since they remediated their property and have since left mine there with nothing done to it, despite their industrial hygienist being the one to suggest that it needed to be cleaned.

This is beyond an accept unacceptable on their part, but the city's inaction to hold them accountable is both disheartening and disgusting.

I am presenting presenting myself to all of the renters in Rockville City as an advocate, also Montgomery County in Maryland as a whole.

We are stronger together, and it is time we hold the landlords and the governments accountable for their inaction and neglect as far as protection for the renters in our community.

My phone number is 657-855-3194.

I can also be reached at mold in Rockville City at Gmail, and mold in Gaithersburg City at Gmail.

It was a Rockville City inspector who cleared my apartment as habitable at the end of uh November, beginning of December, something like that.

Five months later, I have ran my own mold test that shows black mold and active mold growth.

I have presented it to you guys.

Not only does this fall on them, but this also falls on the city of Rockville now, because you guys also cleared my apartment as habitable when it wasn't.

I don't know how many more times I have to come back here and ask for help, how many emails I have to send, how many times I have to be ignored, how many senators I have to reach out to.

You guys all know my story.

You know my trail of things.

And um, if I'm the only one that thinks it's unacceptable, that's pretty ridiculous.

I feel like my family should have gotten help by now.

Um but yeah, I'll be uh uniting the rest of the renters in Rockville, and I guess we'll be seeing you guys.

Have a great day.

Thank you.

Welcome, Madison Dunn.

Hi, I'm uh my name's Madison Dunn, and I used to be I used to live here with my mom and my sister, but now we don't.

And I personally, I this is my own opinion, feel like we haven't gotten any help.

All of our stuff, as my mom said, is still in the mold-infested apartment.

And and they said that they were gonna help uh replace everything if my mom signed something saying that she wouldn't sue them.

She never said to.

She never actually signed it because that is ridiculous.

And so now our stuff is still in there, and we can't even we can't even replace any of it because most of the stuff in there is really expensive.

For example, my record played and on my records.

It's very expensive.

My mom got it for me for a Christmas.

And it's very expensive, so my mom cannot replace it.

And most of the stuff in there also is from me, my sisters, and my mom's childhood.

So that also can't be replaced because it's very special.

So we have been asking for you guys' help and action and stopping the fields of Rockville and helping to just do just for everything.

But so far we haven't gotten help, and we've been here been here constantly and constantly, and I'm kind of getting tired of coming here.

And like just to be honest, I'm tired of coming, having to come here.

I just want all my stuff back, or at least for it to get replaced.

We we went to the apartment multiple times to get clothes and stuff to clean it.

My mom found some people it found some people to uh to see if they could clean the stuff.

It's a bunch of money.

I don't know how much it is.

I don't remember the specific amount, but it's a bunch of money.

And my mom doesn't have that money, and then she got hacked in her bank account, and now and now we don't have any money at all.

So I'm just asking for your help.

That's all I'm saying.

Thank you.

Welcome, Cassidy.

You all have seen me before.

Um after we've been living in the mold apartment for two years, it is disgusting that you guys have done nothing for us or helped us.

And now, since you guys have done nothing, we all develop symptoms because of the mold.

And this made us feel like shit.

And since you guys have done nothing about it, I hope you guys can do something now.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Mr.

City Manager, can you please help to follow up on this issue?

I know that the mayor and council have requested this previously.

Happy to do so.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome, Mark Busciella.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of council.

Uh 816 Fordham Street in Rockville.

First of all, I want to thank five members of this mayor and body for showing up at the ready retreat on Saturday.

It was a fabulous um showing of support from mayor and council.

Appreciate that very much.

Secondly, I wish to speak about the zoning ordinance on April 20th, the city released new documents.

Um there is a red line version between what you all approved in December for discussion and what is now before you, but who cares?

What we really need is a comparison between what is the current law and what will be the next zoning ordinance.

It's hugely important.

And if a red line is not possible, then there are a few things that really need to be in the an improved highlights document between the current law and the new law.

And one is uses, and I presented something to you a few weeks ago.

The other one, if if nothing else, include a comparison of definitions between present law and next.

And um, you know, the you might just keep the city out of several lawsuits if you do that.

I would like to speak about the elections now.

I speak as somebody who participated as a candidate in seven straight city elections.

I've already said I'm not gonna run again for a Rockville election.

Uh I just finished this afternoon reading the draft.

I didn't have a lot of time to study it, but it just needs a lot of work.

It needs a red line version between the current code and the new code.

Um it also needs to clarify what will be in place for this coming election and what will be in place starting in 2031.

And I know having sat on that body for 12 years, um, that it's awkward to be uh a sitting elected member discussing election law changes because these changes may impact you if you run for re-election.

And the closer we get to the next election, the more awkward it becomes.

Take for example voting age 16 or 17.

Well, that would probably impact some of your election chances.

That's where the awkwardness comes in.

I would say uh please pay attention to the advisory ballot questions that were posed in 2023.

Some of those uh outcomes were very decisive.

And um, I'm not sure ranked choice voting was even on that advisory ballot in 2023, but I know uh 16, 17-year-old voting was uh term limits was um and several other things.

So please pay attention to those results, especially where they're very decisive.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I am having trouble reading this uh name here, but it's Mr.

Is there an A L A L A S H E.

Oh sorry, welcome.

Please state your names.

Oh, for sure.

Good evening, Mayor and Councilmember.

My name is Ibo, and I'm speaking on behalf of Rank Choice Voting.

We support the effort of upgrading Rockville local election and approve many process changes in the city code, including improvement of accessibility, combined funds, and lowering the voting age, and of course, ranked choice voting.

There's a three reasons why we believe the city is ready for RCV.

The first one, RCV has already done a lot of work.

Back in 2022, the Rockville Charter Review Commission recommended the city considered voting.

Since then, the community and the city have given careful consideration to implementation.

The second reason, Rockville is not alone.

DC is using Rangers Voting after 18 months of adapting.

Greenbelt is implementing range choice voting in 2027, and I believe Rockville can do that in 2027.

RCV Merlin is here to support Rockville with knowledge and resources.

And we do it, we've been doing education around the city in the past four months.

We've been doing canvassing and tabling, and we have separate answers.

The people who is not voters, they were like, it's really democracy, and I would love I can't vote about it.

And whose voters they were really excited because that's happening in their city, and that's considered in their city.

The council can size is the moment to give voters more power in Rockville.

We're spoken we respectfully urge the council to follow Greenbold example and give the voters ranked choice voting in 2027.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

That exhaust the list of those who have signed up in advance.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Welcome.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Anita Neal Powell, and I serve as President of the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation.

I'm also a former candidate for the Rockville City Council and a former commissioner of the Rockville Charter Review Commission.

Based on these experiences, I offer the following recommendations for this evening's work session.

My remarks focus on the proposed charter amendments currently under consideration.

Article 2.

As you review this article, please re note that members of the board are volunteers rather than paid staff.

If the amendment would expand the board's duty, I recommend assessing the resources and administrative support required to ensure a successful 2027 election.

Article 3.

I support lowering the minimum the minimum voting age from 18 to 16 to promote early civic engagement and increase voter participation.

Article 5 term limits.

I support establishing a limit of three consecutive four-year terms for the mayor and council members.

This approach would expand opportunities for residents seeking office, encourage the introduction of new ideas and support city leadership.

Representative districts.

I also support establishing council districts and recommend excuse me that the mayor and council determine an appropriate number of districts and at-large seats.

Article 6, voting.

I support maintaining the city of Rockville Currents voting system.

Based on my experience as a candidate, the process was well organized and accessible, and it provided voters with clear information and sufficient materials to make informed decision.

Also want to thank the city clerk's office for its continued support of the Board of Supervisor Election and for its leadership in advancing updates to the Rockville City Charter and Chapter 8 of the Rockville City Code following Rockville's 2019 election.

This includes amendments implemented for the 2023 election, such as expanding the size of the council from five to seven seats.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments during this evening's community forum, and I look forward to the discussion along with including BSE into the process to allow for their expertise and experience to be considered.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Thank you to everyone who provided testimony.

I will note we received a number of written comments and appreciate what we have received thus far, and we welcome additional written comments.

We'll continue the discussion during our work session.

Next, we have a special presentation.

It is agenda item 8A.

Presentation on Climate Action Plan and Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

Tonight we are well, you just said we're providing a special presentation on the fourth annual progress report for the climate action plan and the first annual report for the electric vehicle readiness plan.

We've integrated reporting on the two plans since the electric vehicle plan is basically a sub plan of the climate action plan.

I'm joined by Denzel John and Erica Shangera.

Um so I'm going to be providing a action status summary and then highlight community wide progress and the EV plan progress.

And then Denzel is going to cover the municipal projects and go over the next steps.

A reminder that this presentation is just a really quick overview, and so please go to the Rockville website and look under results Rockville, where both of the dashboards for the two plans are posted, and you could drill down to get more details.

Here's the status summary of all of the different actions in the climate action plan.

The FY26 budget performance measure aims for 45% of the climate action plan items to be completed or institutionalized this year.

But by 20 by the end of 2025, 56% of the actions were completed or institutionalized.

Whereas completed refers to like a one-off project that has a completion date.

Another 42% of actions is shown in yellow that that are in progress.

So completed and institutionalized is green and blue if you're looking at that circle.

Between the baseline year of 2005 and 2023, Rockville reduced our net greenhouse gas emissions by 34%.

We outpaced the metropolitan Washington region as a whole, which only achieved a 20% reduction over that same period.

Most emissions are derived from building energy use, which is shown in the orange on this diagram, and blue, which is you know methane gas, uh, heating oil, electricity, and then the blue is transportation emissions, which is mostly uh consists of vehicle emissions.

A smaller amount comes from other sources such as waste that they also track.

So now I'm going to go through the different action areas.

So energy efficiency is really the bread and butter of climate action.

Plus, you don't have to pay for energy that you don't use.

The existing commercial and multifamily buildings over 25,000 square feet in the city are subject to Montgomery County's building energy benchmarking and performance standards that will require strengthening energy performance over the next decade, starting in 2028.

But since energy reporting began in 2018, the median site energy use intensity of the 245 buildings that report their energy use in Rockville, it's already dropped by 25%.

The Montgomery County Green Bank also provides subsidies and loans to assist with compliance with the performance standards.

And then the new buildings that are built in Rockville will soon be subject to our strengthened green building codes, which were adopted earlier this year.

Many residents have also taken advantage of energy efficiency programs and seen the comfort and energy savings that can come from those.

PEPCO offers up to 10,000 in rebates and some free services.

Last year, over 2,000 homes in Rockville participated in the home energy home performance with Energy STAR in the quick home energy checkup programs.

Installing insulation and air sealing really can go a long way.

Um, and it's an appliance electrification discount program.

The program helps homes make the transition from fossil fuel to electric appliances for cooking and heating.

Participation is growing.

Last year, 17 appliances were electrified with almost $30,000 worth of rebates.

Moving on to renewable energy, Rockville buildings continue to install solar systems.

We cross promote the affordable solar with switch together group discount program.

And last year saw another 620 registrations in the program.

This year's program is open now for residents and small businesses through mid-August.

Regarding materials and waste reduction, we opened a fourth compost drop-off station, and you can see the rise in the number of tons of food waste collected over the last few years.

Um, leading up to 2025, we collected 242 tons of food waste in those four locations.

The city also opted into the plastic bag law, which took effect in January.

In the area of land management, while we continue to implement our rainscapes and our tree planting programs, over the next few years, we'll be developing a green space management plan to better manage over 1,000 acres of city owned property.

The plan will assess biodiversity and invasive plants and recommend strategies to foster healthy and resilient ecosystems.

We're planning to award the consulting track contract in fiscal year 2026 coming up, and launch community engagement and field work in fiscal year 2027.

The draft plan is anticipated in fiscal year 2028.

My last three slides cover transportation and the electric vehicle readiness plan.

The Rockville community's electric vehicle ownership continues to just blossom, growing another 22% between 2024 and 2025.

The blue colors in the bar chart represent electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The green line is public chargers, which have grown to 326 ports.

Here's uh a spotlight on some of the actions in the in the electric vehicle plan, which was adopted a year ago.

Over one third of the actions are already completed or institutionalized, which are in blue and green on this ring here.

Several more will be incorporated in the upcoming zoning ordinance rewrite.

And to give you a sense of the depth and breadth of the actions that we've already completed, I'm not going to read through all of these, but it's a lot of really fun actions to help facilitate EV adoption in the city.

Now I'm going to hand it over to Denzel for Municipal Projects.

Awesome.

Thank you, Amanda, and good evening, Mayor and Council.

I'll now transition to our municipal projects.

This is where we are putting the climate action plan and the EV readiness plan into practice through city fleet and facility operations.

Starting with transportation, we've made steady progress, expanding alternative fueled vehicles across the city's fleet operations, including 25 battery electric vehicles, two plug-in hybrids, and three hybrids.

We have also secured our 160,000 Maryland Energy Administration grant for two senior center electric buses, which helps move us toward cleaner, lower emission senior shuttle service.

We've continued expanding our EV charging infrastructure, including six ports installed for fleet charging at City Hall, one port at the police station.

We have four port fleet ports planned for installation and erect services in the coming week.

Our designing five ports for fleet and public use at sixth HAFCOT and planning the city's first fleet direct current fast charging ports at Rothgeb for the electric senior shuttle buses in future medium and heavy-duty fleet charging.

We are also coordinating with Montgomery County on our broader public charging effort through a carbon reduction program grant that would install 28 level two charging ports at seven sites within city limits.

Next, I'll turn to facility energy efficiency, where we've continued delivery of direct cost avoidance and emissions reductions at city buildings.

In 2025, we completed LED lighting upgrades at several city facilities, including the F.

Scott Fitzgerald Theater, Thomas Farm Community Center, Cording Creek Nature Center, and Rothgab maintenance.

In total, we converted 1,022 facility lights to LED at a total project cost of roughly 197,000.

What's especially encouraging is that we were able to leverage strong outside funding, including Maryland Energy Administration grants and PEPCO rebates, resulting in a city share under 10,000 and a phenomenal sub-eight-month return on investment.

Another major efficiency project is our LED streetlight conversion.

Phase one and phase two are now complete.

Phase one and phase two are now complete, phase two being completed in 2025.

Phase three is planned for 2026.

To date, we've converted 2,500 street lights to LED with another 650 planned for phase three.

This is a good example of a project that delivers both visible public benefit and long-term energy savings, while also making smart use of state and utility funding through leveraging over 1 million dollars in Maryland Energy Administration grants and PEPCO rebates.

Looking ahead, we've also developed a new building energy performance improvement CIP for fiscal year 27.

This new program is designed to help modernize city facilities, improve energy efficiency, and expand on site renewable energy generation.

It's closely aligned with our broader climate goals and with state and county building energy performance requirements.

The project list includes rooftop and carport solar photovoltaic across city facilities, installation of energy submeters, and designing hot water heater conversions to high efficiency heat pump units.

We've already secured for 454,000 in Maryland Energy Administration grant funding to support projects planned within the BEP CIP.

We will continue to leverage outside state and utility funding to support the energy efficiency projects planned.

On the renewable energy side, we're moving forward with the multi-facility solar strategy.

In March 2026, we completed solicitation and awarded the contract for rooftop solar at Lincoln Park Community Center, funded through a U.S.

Department of Energy grant.

This project, which is current currently under design, will be the city's first municipal solar installation.

Earlier in 2025, we received Maryland Energy Administration solar evaluations for five facilities, and staff utilized findings to draft a multifacility RFP for rooftop and carport solar with plans to explore either a power purchase agreement and slash or city purchase, depending on what gives us the best value and flexibility.

The multifacility solar RFP is anticipated to hit the street in the coming week.

Looking ahead, our focus will be on implementation.

We will continue work on the flood resiliency master plan and the green space management plan, while also moving forward on key code and policy updates to support these plans.

At the same time, we'll continue we'll keep advancing the capital projects that are already in motion, including solar, EV charging, senior sensor electric buses, street light conversions to LED, and building energy improvements.

The goal is to keep momentum moving planning into the from planning into delivery.

This concludes the presentation.

Thank you for your continued commitment to a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable Rockville.

Thank you very much for your wonderful presentation.

Colleagues, this is a special presentation.

So we are listening and receiving.

And if anyone has any further questions, please feel free to read reach us, reach out to us.

I also wanted to flag that we have a great resource called Results Rockville, where you can track our progress in percent completion.

Thank you for an outstanding annual report on behalf of the council.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay.

We're now going to be moving on to our work session.

Agenda item 12B, discussion on the proposed draft election code, chapter 8.

Welcome Jeff Mahalic, City Manager, as well as Terra Sarah Taylor Pharrell, our city clerk and director of council operations, and Cindy Walters, Deputy City Attorney.

And I know Barack Matita also has helped on this effort.

Thank you all.

Mary Ashton, thank you very much.

We are very excited to present to you this evening the draft election code.

We are presenting just this evening articles one through six.

There are a number of work sessions planned in the future, a couple with the BSC and a couple more with City Council.

And then we'll bring back the final chapter.

So a lot of work tonight really should be considered just an introduction of a draft.

We know I have a lot of work to do, but we also need a few questions answered before we can put the final touches on a code in advance of presenting this to the BSC.

So we're going to go through just a little bit of background tonight that led us to this introduction.

We certainly have some feedback that we need to receive from council.

I'll present to you at a very high level the first several articles of the code.

Again, we'll seek feedback and then I'll describe the next steps in a bit more detail.

So it's important for residents that are just tuning in that this has been a long initiative.

The Myron Council last year had a couple of work sessions, both on May 19th and July 21st of 2025, along with the assistance of an election consultant.

Those are great work sessions.

We got into some really good detail, received quite a bit of feedback from the mayor and council, and we all agreed that we need to do a complete rewrite of the election code.

That's what I heard loud and clear from the members of the body, and we've done that.

We also had some really good community engagement sessions on June 5th and June 7th.

A final report was developed by the consultant, and the mayor and council accepted the report.

I want to stress that the acceptance of the report was just thank you very much for your expertise, consultant.

But now let's go ahead and write a code.

And that work has been going on back since September of 2025, and we're here to present that to tonight.

If people want to know a little bit more about those work sessions, about the community community engagement sessions, all those links are attached to the staff report to tonight's meeting, and they can go online and check all that information out.

And if there's additional information that folks want, just let us know.

We're happy to share that with you.

So the feedback that we need tonight, and you've heard a couple people in the audience mention that.

And again, I'll get to this at the end, but just for you guys to be thinking about it over the next 20 minutes or so.

Question number one: should Rockville allow 16 and 70 year olds to vote?

Should Rockville limit the mayor and council terms?

And if yes, there's a couple follow-up questions.

Should Rockville create representative council districts?

Again, a couple follow-up questions there.

And then lastly, should Rockville institute ranked choice voting beginning in 2031.

So you guys can think about that for a little bit and we'll look for some feedback from you.

So let me start going through the articles again, very high level, and then we'll entertain as many questions of you guys would like to put forward to us.

So Article One is really the general all-purpose portion of chapter eight.

It provides a number of definitions.

We think it's a great improvement to the past code.

It also includes a general provisions section.

And it's another important amendment, and we heard this loud and clear from council members during the work sessions who were candidates back then, that you wanted to see that no changes to the election code could be made within 180 days of the Rockville general election or within 30 days of the Rockville Municipal Special Election, unless approved by a supermajority or six members of the body.

And the only reason we think that this little exception could be in there is what if something happened at the federal level or the state level, and the council had to react very quickly and make what I would consider, and I think the city attorney will go with me, an emergency amendment to the code.

Short of that, recommending that no changes are made prior to 180 days of the election.

Article two is really talking about the Board of Supervisors of Elections.

I think there's a few of them here today, I'm pretty sure.

So hopefully they'll give us some really good feedback on a couple of weeks on that.

Um the way it's drafted is that it consists of five members serving four-year staggered terms.

Those members are appointed by any member of the mayor and council and approved by a majority.

The duties include registration of voters, administering the nomination process, and enforcing the code, developing administrative policies, procedures, forums, etc.

in concert with the city clerk's office.

Um, and we'll obviously we'll do what we can to support the work of the BSC, both in work session during the election and then any follow-ups thereafter.

Article three is all about voter registration that was brought up a little bit today.

There is a registration requirement contemplated within the code.

Registration can be done with the state of Maryland or it can be done with the Board of Supervisors of election.

One of the one of the areas that we've saved as a section that could be added is whether or not you wanted to allow 16 and 7-year-old oaths to vote.

This is where that article could be amended.

And then a voter registration challenges and appeals processes also outlined in Article 3 as well.

Article 4 is about candidates, talks about candidate eligibility.

Again, we have the section in here built in.

If you're going to allow 16 to 17-year-olds to vote, then I guess the next logical question is would you also allow them to be a candidate for elected office?

We would need that direction before we put it in the code.

We also call out in this article that candidacy for more than one office is prohibited.

It simply means you couldn't run for a council uh district and the mayor at the same time.

You have to pick one or the other.

It outlines the candidate nomination petition.

It also notes that city employees can be candidates.

However, they cannot engage in political activity during work hours and they shall resign upon assumption of office.

That is state statute, by the way.

We're just showing this within our local code as where as well to provide some clarity.

And we're noting that writing candidates are permitted as well.

Article five is about the municipal elections themselves.

It covers general elections, special elections, and recall elections.

Couple sections are reserved there in case you want to do term limits, and also whether or not you want to create council districts beginning in 2031.

Council districts, if you decide to go, that is a very involved process.

I've been through that in other jurisdictions.

It's really interested to go through that process.

If you want to do that, I'd recommend that you create a separate body that would you guys would all appoint to go through that development of creating those council districts along the with the help of a demographer that can provide real-time maps.

If you guys haven't been through that before, it's fascinating because the United States constitution has language that you may remember.

It's called one person one vote, which requires that all of your council districts have to be within 10% of one another, because if not, you'll have undue representation.

So in other words, um, district one couldn't have 10,000 people in the district, and district two only has 5,000.

They all all got to be within 10%.

And good demographers have these really cool um systems that if you change one little boundary, all the other um districts will adjust, and you can see real time the population there.

It's kind of a cool activity.

So if you decide to do that, we need to create a new process for that as well.

And we'd have plenty of time if you want to do that for 2031.

Article six is about voting.

It covers the mechanics and framework on how to vote in the elections.

It's the system requirement, voting by ballot, ballot distribution, canvassing, um, vote by mail, and voting centers, et cetera.

It also talks about election judges, the appointment qualification, etc.

Rules, the do's and don'ts about electiering, and also depending on the feedback we're received tonight.

Um, there's a section there that could be allowed to see whether or not we want to do rank choice voting.

We can slide that right in, but of course, we need the direction first.

So that was a very, very high level.

I I assumed you didn't want us to go through page by page, so we didn't do that.

I'm sure we'll have a bunch of questions in a second, but let me go through the next steps.

I'll slow down here because we heard a lot of comments from folks.

We wanted to hear from council tonight first, get those key questions answered, update the draft code.

Then I know the BSC wants to review this in some detail or great detail on May 7th.

Then you want to have another work session on May 14th.

We'll develop their more specific um comments, and then we'll present all that information to the city council.

If you guys decide to introduce tonight and direct staff, we are recommending a public hearing on June 1st.

And then we'd also have a work session that same night where we present the results of the work sessions we're gonna have with the BSC, along with Article 7 and Articles 8.

Then we'll do the difficult work of melding it all together, the community engagement, feedback from council, feedback from PSC, do that drafting process.

It'll be a piece of cake, right, team, to do all that.

Eyebrows are up, and then hopefully we'll have the adoption of a new election code on June 29th, 2000 2026.

Um again, just a quick reminder: the what the feedback we're looking for tonight is on this page, but before we get to that, Mayor, we're happy to try to entertain any questions that you might have.

Thank you so much.

I want to thank everyone who testified this evening.

Uh, we appreciate all of your feedback.

We take it seriously.

I know my colleagues have been reviewing uh and we welcome more feedback through throughout the entire process, even before the public hearing.

So just wanted to note that uh I want to thank staff.

This has been long awaited, and we really appreciate all the work that you've put into it.

Um I think that we can proceed with the questions you have asked us.

However, I do want to note that I I think it would be prudent for us to also go through some of the sections because I know some of us have submitted questions by those sections, and if you're going to evolve those drafts, uh it's it's gonna be critical that we give you feedback on those sections.

Um I also wanted to note that we really value the BSC.

All the comments that you have given us, and the mayor and council have always asked that the BSC be involved.

Uh so I want to note that it is our intention to also make sure that happens, and I believe a draft has been sent and there's a meeting scheduled as you noted on the next steps.

Uh is that correct, Mr.

City Manager?

That is correct.

Okay, and then a broad level question, just in terms of process and next steps before we go through your questions.

Um, can you please share?

This is for the uh uh deputy city attorney, um, the correlation between the charter as well as the code and how they um I know that we have to to make changes to our constitution as well as potentially the code.

So can you just talk about the interplay of those and how they would work together?

Certainly.

So there are changes in this code or potential changes in the code that would require a charter change.

So the charter is really more, as you said, our constitution, the code is more specific.

Um with respect to the charter amendments, that process is about a three to four month process.

Once we do a resolution, once we do a public hearing, once it's been passed, it has to be posted for 40 days, and it doesn't become effective until the 50th day.

However, we could adopt an ordinance with a future effective date that we would coordinate so that the charter changes would all you know be effective.

Well, the charter changes would be effective first, and then the ordinance would be effective thereafter.

So I hope that makes sense.

That is very helpful.

And if you could just also finish, what are the key things in here?

Just as we discuss these questions, if if you can point out to us which ones will require a charter change.

So there are about six items that would require a charter change.

Voter age, candidate age.

Um in the draft, there's um the discussion of the reduction of the number of notices and advertisements of the election, term limits, council districts, ranked choice voting, and public finance.

Now, some of these clearly were anticipated, you know, not for the 2027 election.

However, all of those would require a charter change.

Okay, thank you.

City manager, go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just a follow-up too in terms of procedure.

Completely agree with the city attorney.

We talked about that the your three appointed earlier today.

If council decide to move forward with adoption of a new election code on June 29th with a later effective date, we don't have that date, but we come up with you.

But right after June 29th, we'd start working on the process procedures, notices for the charter change, and then also we heard about this from the BSC tonight, and we agree with them.

The election procedures, we start on that right away, too.

Because there's a there's a long run for that.

Clerk's office needs to need to work with the BSC and city staff on those procedures.

This is one of those things where I think we need to run concurrently and not go to one step, then the next step, then the next step.

Because we need all the time we can get.

Thank you, Mayor.

Okay, and then uh you will be producing a summary of changes for the boards, the BSC.

I know some of them have asked about that.

Yes.

Okay, all right.

Let's start at the top.

Uh, we have uh Dr.

Miles, the requested feedback.

Um, I would also then we after we go through the requested feedback, then we can um weigh in on uh the sections before we begin.

I just it's does anyone have a burning overarching question that you are.

I'm gonna go on order of all of us, but do you have a burning overarching question?

Go ahead, Councilman Van Gratt.

So um we can certainly provide these feedback, but um, and this uh you heard from you know the chair of the BSE.

This is a great start, this is a great structure.

But one of my concerns is you're just have us looking at the first part today.

A lot of those first parts interact with the second parts, and there's a lot of interaction.

I think we've got a lot of work, even just within the definitions with where in the first part, which correlate to parts within the second part.

And we're not having a public hearing until we've essentially exhausted the discussion based on this presentation on the first part.

I think that we need to, I mean, and certainly give feedback, address what you need to be, and we can even potentially be on schedule, but we've got a lot of work to do.

I mean, I know the mayor and council, we didn't receive this just until a few like uh less than a few weeks ago, much like when the public didn't get it, and there's a lot of work to be done.

Great structure, great beginnings, but I'm a little bit concerned about us just giving feedback on the first part without addressing the interaction of the second part and trying to cabin it when I think a lot of us, and I hope I don't speak for everybody, have some overarching views of how this interacts with it, how it's plays, and how everything comes together.

And it might even be better for us to have a discussion about overall issues as opposed to drilling down in just the first part, which is essentially being suggested.

And I know this is I mean, a lot of people from the city didn't receive this within you know a couple weeks.

So I think everybody is trying to play catch-up with not having seen this draft until recent.

And you've heard it from the public.

I'm sure you'll hear it from us.

And so I don't know if the best start of it is for us to just give it comments on the first part without looking at it overall.

So that would just be my overall thoughts.

Thank you.

I know I've sent out a lot of questions and overarching thoughts.

I'm holding some of them back, but uh just want to let my colleagues ask some overarching questions first, and then Councilman Valeri, Councilman Fulton.

Then we're gonna go down the line.

Okay.

Just an overarching uh question.

Um, and this is for um, and thank you to the acting city attorney um for for stepping up.

Um the voting rights age, the age eligibility, and rank choice voting, unless explicitly not include um uh delineated in the charter.

Wouldn't we have I thought it was my understanding from Trider Review Commission that we have that capability to implement those two things without having to amend our charter.

Okay, because that yeah, no, and we can get back to that one too, and I can send that also to you as well.

Um, only because um Tacoma Park, Hyatt's will, and others were able to load the voting age explicitly without a charter amendment, but I don't know if it was because their charter specifically didn't have the so yes, so um that that's why I raised the question.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And then I do want to concur um with uh my colleague, Councilmember Van Grack on in particular the definitions um are concerning me, and to his point, you know, um the code in some ways complements the charter, but also I think we need to do a deep dive because some of these definitions I think are problematic.

Councilmember Fulton.

So I I absolutely agree that there's a lot to get through, and uh it's difficult to figure out the best way to get feedback.

We all just heard and we all just said we wanted to hear from the BSE before we decide a lot of things or weigh in on a lot of things.

So I worry, I don't know what the right answer is, but I don't think the right answer is us providing sort of scattershross the whole co-provision, sort of unique, un unorganized thoughts.

Because number one, we're not informed, and number two, I don't know how helpful that is in drafting.

So while I agree that maybe what we have planned here might not be the most optimal, I think that a sort of free-for-all without the informed of the BSE also isn't a good idea.

Thank you very much.

We have more overarching comments, council members.

I'll be brief.

Uh as usual, uh, Councilmember Filton has uh actually stated it very well, and I agree 100% with your comments.

And then I'll just say the elephant in the room, a lot of us are seeing this very recently.

We've been asking for it, we've been pushing for it, we know this is important, we know we want to get this done not too close to election season, and so we're in a crunch.

Um we all want the feedback of the BSC because they do the actual work, and we can't operate in the vacuum.

We need the feedback of the city clerk and uh the city attorney's office to kind of grapple with the feedback that we all give.

Um, so I will just note that any feedback we're giving tonight is very preliminary, but there's some overarching things that we need to do.

We need to make sure we have a clear summary of changes.

We've heard that from many of the BSC members and the public.

Um we need to really map out a concrete timeline to see what is feasible, because there may be some elements of this that can be done sooner than later, but because of staff limitations and other things, they may require more time.

And we need staff to be open and honest with us about you know whatever your limitations are, so that we don't put you in a difficult position.

The number one thing is to make sure we have free, fair elections and that they run well.

Uh that's a core part of our democracy and what we will work to uphold.

Uh and we appreciate all the work.

We know this is a work in progress, and maybe that this is part one.

I think that for for me, I will say the most critical things is fixing what we know needs to be fixed from the last election.

There was some very specific feedback the feet the BSC has provided us.

So some of those are represented here, but there are a lot of them that are not, and that are deeper in the code.

Um so I I will just note that there's more to come.

This is just a discussion.

This is not a final decision making effort.

So just uh wanted to set some of that context.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you to my colleagues.

They said much of what I would say in overarching comments.

I apologize to staff to particularly our appointments.

Um we agree in principle to an agenda.

Um, and also I guess an apology to the public.

Um, as was noted, there were these ballot referenda that people participated in.

We got feedback, um, and there was I think a fair expectation that would we would be implementing it in a timeline that was I think implied in in some of the questions that we are going to answer tonight.

As my colleagues have stated, there are concerns about process, which I think are valid.

Um, and I'll have some specific questions later to ask to the folks uh who are ministering the election, particularly our our city clerk, um, about the implications of co-changes and does that necessitate necessitate us doing charter changes, and if so, how long that process is.

While I want to honor all the feedback that we've gotten from the public, both in the referenda as well as those in your testimony tonight, and I hope in subsequent sessions.

I think that my personal take, and I'm I'm not be an outlier on this, I'd hate.

I prefer to get it right than to get it done quick.

Uh to that end to take the process as is, get all the feedback, particularly from the Board of Supervised Elections, those who help the city clerk in the administration of election to make sure we get it right.

And I'll I'll I'll stop there and then go ahead and answer your your questions.

I think again, implicit in my answering these questions.

I I don't, I mean, as expressed by one of my colleagues, there's some who might think that we can make the timeline.

My gut tells me we probably won't be able to make these timelines.

And so my answering the questions are going to be couched in this knowledge, just you know, the other elephant in the room is are we gonna be able to make these time?

I just don't think in order to get it right, I don't know that we'll make it then.

I think we'll make the changes, but I don't foresee if we're gonna do it right, that we'll get them done as outlined here.

So this is probably much used in a long time.

I'll stop there and go ahead and answer questions.

Number one, so 16, 17-year-olds be allowed to vote yes.

Number two, um there term be term limits, yes.

The timing, again, it's it's it's a function of how we're gonna implement this.

And I think there needs to be you know more public hearings, more input from uh the community, more input from city clerk's office, legal, make sure we're in city clerk's office that administered and then legal to make sure that we're above board with any changes that are being made.

So, yes, in principle, I support term limits.

Um, should we create representative districts?

I go back and forth on this one.

I think as I've noted in the past, there's been some historic underrepresentation of certain communities.

Um, and I think um just even just geographically, um, certainly in the recent era in the past 20 years, um, and I think there can be some benefit in doing district, but I think we have to do that right as well.

There's some questions about how districts will be um designed, split up, um, and I think we need to have some very extensive discussion.

So I can't, you know, if if there are to be districts, I I can't even say with confidence 23.

Like, I don't know.

I have to hear back from the experts to see the feasibility of doing so.

You know, I know there's smaller municipalities that do district election, but we need to learn from them to see how to implement it if that's the will of the the rest of my colleagues.

Um how many council designated districts?

I think it's a function of how we break things up.

Um I do agree with you though that I think as um as a representative, regardless of their districts now, you're still representing all of Rockville.

So I I go back and forth, but I do recognize that there's certain communities, just geographic outside of SES, um race, ethnicity that are underrepresented, uh, that whose voices should be heard as well.

Number four, uh rank choice one.

I think I'm open to it.

I want to learn more how to how to implement it.

Again, we are a very small municipality.

I think it can work, but I have to get the input of the people who are going to administer the election to see its feasibility before I can opine further.

Sorry to be nebulous.

Um sorry to be cagey.

Um I'm sorry not to give you all firm day outlines, but I just think there's a lot to be done to get it right as opposed to get it done quickly.

Now in there, thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Fulton.

Thank you.

I'm gonna be so excited if we make it down this line and get this feedback tonight.

So should Rockville allow 16 to 17 year olds to vote?

Yes.

Should Rockville limit the mayor and council member to terms, yes.

And it should be no more than three, and it should be as soon as possible.

Um should Rockville create representative council districts, no.

And I will uh expound a little bit on my answer there.

Um it we are elected to represent all of Rockville.

Factionalism is not good.

We're trying to be one town.

Uh, you know, I looked earlier today, you know, county has uh districts, there's a hundred and forty thousand people in each of the districts in the county.

It's when you're that big that you need to break down into districts.

Um given our size, given how we want to be as a city, I would not uh support council districts.

I do believe representation is a problem, and I do believe we need to do more to get uh better representation on the council and city government in general.

I think there are better solutions to that problem.

And I also for number four think Rockville should institute ranked choice voting as soon as possible.

And I'll just one thing on that.

I there were comments made today that wouldn't make a huge difference in City of Rockville elections, not based on history, but we can't predict the future.

And I also think that um ranked choice voting in general in our society is a better representation of democracy, and we should be supporting it writ large regardless of the impact here in this city.

Councilmember Larry.

Yes, hello.

Um so I I feel, and it was referred to during community forum.

I feel like I had the the deep dive master's level course in uh a lot of these issues through the Charter Review Commission.

I am I'm sure my my colleague, Councilmember Shaw feels the same way.

That was two plus years as the acting city attorney knows of just going through every study and being very thoughtful, I think about the recommendations that we put forward.

And I really do encourage folks to check out the Charter Review Commission webpage, it still has the 2022 report as well as the previous ones.

Um so you'll hear me uh refer to the findings of that report in my going down the list.

Um and you'll you'll hear a little bit from me on that.

In regards to the voting age, yes, I think from the get-go, especially since charter review have been supportive uh for allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.

Um, and I feel like there was a sub note on this as well, but I note that we're not getting into it, which would be the age eligibility to run for council and the age eligibility to run for mayor.

So I just want to flag that, put a pin in, that that might be something that we need to come back to.

Um I also want to reflect back that yes, the um advisory ballot measures and the results of that were not in favor of this.

However, unlike other jurisdictions, our ballot measures are not um implemented, they are advisory, um, and then that is part of the full breadth and scope of how I think we all come to these decisions.

I know for me as well.

I I don't take it lightly if I do not agree um with the the end result of the ballot measures on term limits.

Again, I I really think um the Charter Review Commission had a very good solution to this.

Um I support uh term limits.

I believe it should be um three consecutive terms.

Um, and then if if somebody wants to take a year off, take four years off and come back, you know, um go with God.

But I I think having it be three consecutive makes sense.

Um uh representative districts.

I think I have been very outspoken in my support for this, both on charter review commission as well as a candidate, as well as sitting up here on the dais.

Um, while I appreciate this, the idea of parochialism, um, that the fear of parochialism that comes from implementing uh representative districts.

Um, I think that if we have a structure of four districts, two at large, that really does eliminate a lot of those parochial concerns.

Um we can have geographic representation while having the best interests of the entire city at the at the core.

Um, and I I really do feel very strongly about it.

I feel strongly about it as well in terms of the affordability to be able to run uh for council.

Um it is much more affordable to run for a smaller uh district if you were to do a a mailing in particular, yeah.

And I think that that quite frankly is the um elephant in the room, which is the actual affordability to be able to run to be up here.

Um and I hope that we get to a variety of uh uh strategies that really impact that because the affordability of running is a direct connection to representation and diversity on the dais.

Let's see.

So and also I will note that there was one election district that went for council districts.

So just want to throw that out there.

Ranked choice voting.

I am very supportive of that as well.

I I do I would like to test it out with mayor only, maybe initially, because I noticed in the proposed definition language that God forbid there would be a tie that it would be decided by lot.

Like could be flipping a coin, could be throwing some dice.

I'm not a big fan of that for a variety of reasons, but I think ranked choice voting is extremely smart.

And then I do want to flag as well as something that we did mention in previous uh sessions, is not in our our our slide.

It was not on a ballot measure, but we did talk about it and would have implications for the code, and that would be public financing of elections, several members of the body, and um the at some point during the the drafting process, it was alluded to.

I believe that the draft went farther than what some of us on the dais wanted to see in terms of a pilot.

Um, but I I do want to note that I know it's missing from here, and if we could add it in maybe to uh a future work session, um, because I think that that goes a long way toward increasing the representation up here.

So thank you.

Thank you.

I think the body answered many of these questions in a previous work session.

So I I you know I really appreciate that you're double checking, but I did want to note that we had we did have a robust discussion and would encourage or look back to that.

Um, in terms of 16 and 17 year olds voting, uh I was I'm okay, I do support it.

Um I do know that um we didn't ask 16 and 17 year olds about their opinion on this, but the youth commission does support it, so I just wanted to note that.

Um I think of the ones that are here, we already collect information from the county on who's eligible.

So this is not a necessarily uh a heavy lift, uh, although there is a potential charter change here.

So I want to acknowledge that as well, and I do want staff to share with us if this would be a hardship uh or an issue with implementing the election, but if you would come back to us with that as you're analyzing this.

In terms of uh term limits, I for me it would be uh four consecutive terms.

Um I do think the word consecutive is important in there.

Um this one is one that I know that um we've asked and shared feedback about previously.

In terms of representative district council districts, um, I want to say something about the code change here.

The current draft of the code currently removes the entire district section.

I am very concerned about that because there's no way we could implement this by the next election, and we need to have that inserted back into the code.

So the very strong feedback to look at the current code and don't scrap that section because we still need something to exist for the next election in 2027, and I would like to see that put back in.

Um answer to this question, I agree with Councilmember Fulton.

Um I do think this is something that is very useful for very large jurisdictions and maybe something that must be revisited or should be revisited when Rockville reaches 100,000 people.

I do think we're in a high, I've mentioned this before in the last work session.

We're in a high growth phase, and so I'm concerned about frequent boundary shifts that would have to happen as we're adding you know more housing in town center exam.

For example, if you look at development review watch, you'll see there's a lot coming.

And each time you have those populations similar to what the city manager said, you have to make sure that you are redrawing boundaries.

Uh so that's something that I that was on mind for me.

Um in terms of ranked choice voting, I do think that um the 2031 is the right date given where we are in the code.

Uh I do think that it would be helpful for staff to share with us what it would take to implement, how much it would cost, et cetera.

And I know that we were at at the work session previously asking about um the state code and the machines, and we asked our D17 team for help.

And I don't think I don't think that passed, but please let us know if it did what what the machine situation would be, because we want to make sure that the voting machines can handle it.

Um so those are some of the specific questions.

I did want to also note um we have not discussed as a body um changing the age for being able to run.

So I was surprised to see that in here.

That requires a much more robust discussion and feedback from the public.

So I would not flippantly add that into the code at this stage.

Um I think it's you know an interesting topic, but I I just want to note that we haven't had that discussion.

This is the first time we're having that.

Um so that I I wanted to point to that because I know that's also included in the draft.

Um I'll stop there.

I have other comments.

Mr.

City Manager.

Mayor, could I just I just want to make sure I'm not sure I heard a clear yes or no from you on representative districts or ranked choice voting.

I'm I said no at this time for I was very clear.

If we get to 100,000 as a larger, you know, that's when I think the city should look at that.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um and I said because we're in a high growth stage, it's the timing is not it seems to be an interesting one now because we'd be redrawing the boundaries very soon.

Um I also think that staff wouldn't we when we met last time we wanted more information about how this could work.

Um and so to put it in code right now would be very would be premature, in my opinion.

Um, though I do think it's something worth exploring when we get to 100,000.

And ranked choice voting, I said 2031 is the right date, but I also think that staff needs to come back to us with what can you do, how much it costs, and do that we have the machines to get it done.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

And did you get the comment about adding in the section on re you know Crystal Claire?

Okay, the districts that was removed should be out re-added back in.

Councilmember Jackson.

All right, I'm up.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um first uh uh I do agree with uh some of the comments that I made earlier.

Um, especially I think uh it was uh a former council member uh Pruscella who said that you know we should have a red line document um that we can see what is being repealed and what is being replaced and laid out like that uh because I do think the mayor's uh point on the districts that are are in the code right now or the ordinance and the fact that you know uh we should retain um uh those as we go into the national election.

And I wonder, you know, are there other things that we should be retaining or at least uh uh debating?

Uh so a red line document would be a very helpful, at least to me.

Um the feedback, um, so I just go down the line.

So should Rockville allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote.

I understand the um the reasoning behind people saying that we should allow 16 and 17 year olds to to vote.

I think though that that solution is misguiding in that we want to get up the participation uh in general in 20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40 year olds.

And I think that people think that we're gonna uh expand voting, and uh that by going to 16 and 17 year olds, it's somehow going to um uh uh produce a big uh influx of new voters.

And while I do think it will uh uh produce some, a very little bit, I think that it's misguided, and we should be actually putting our efforts into uh upping participation of from the uh the existing groups.

So I'm a no for uh the 16 17-year-old uh uh uh votes.

Um should Rockville limit the mayor and council members' terms.

Um I think I've been pretty clear.

Um yes, but like the mayor said, I believe it should be four terms and uh consecutive consecutively.

Um should Rockville create representative council districts.

That one's a tough one for me.

Um because honestly, I went into the election and uh I was talking to people door to door, um, and I was very strongly in favor of uh districts.

But um as I've been learning more about it as I've been talking to the city manager about what it takes um expense-wise, staff-wise, uh resource-wise, to actually make sure that uh there are representatives in this is the same size.

I don't think that Rockville is a size enough yet, city, to um justify having uh uh representative council districts.

I like the concept.

I really like the concept and for all the reasons that um my council uh colleague uh Marissa Valeri said, but I just can't countenance um the expense and everything else of actually keeping up uh those boundaries uh when Rockville is not really a a city uh of a good significant size to to have uh um representative districts.

Um and finally, should rank Rockville Institute ranked choice voting.

Um I've gone back and forth and not on ranked source vote voting.

I'm a strong supporter of ranked choice voting, but should it be for the council or just for the mayor?

Uh and um I also recognize what some people uh in community form were talking about, the fact that you know ranked choice voting is really for one about three candidates, four candidates, and that we have six candidates that are elected, but when you have six candidates elected, and you have maybe 15 running or 12 running, I think it does make a difference to actually take those uh votes and count them up.

Um so I am in favor of ranked choice voting and uh beginning in 2031, and for mayor and council um races.

So I'm uh totally in favor of ranked choice voting.

And I think though that we should uh take the time.

We can't implement it now because we don't really have enough time to do it, but we should take the time to fully explore ranked choice voting, determine how it would work, and then make sure that we educate the public because I think that it's gonna be a little bit complicated.

I think it's the right thing to do, but I think it's a little bit complicated, so we should implement it beginning in 2031.

And with that, I'll yield back.

Thank you, Councilmember Shaw.

First, I want to express my appreciation for staff.

Um, I know this was a lot of work and a lot of hands were involved in this and a lot of different voices, so I greatly appreciate uh the draft that the first starting draft is a starting point that we have right now.

Um whatever we choose, I would like um, and I'll just echo my colleagues.

I would like to see a cost analysis um as well as understanding the administrative concerns, as well as an equity uh demographic impact analysis as well.

Um just so we can see which uh populations may be impacted the most.

Uh okay, so uh for um should Rockville allow 16 to 17 year olds to vote.

Yes, I um this is uh something that uh I pushed forward in the Rockville Charter Review Commission commission, um and I served on the subcommittee subcommittee, and this is something I introduced, and it came out of looking to expand the number of voters.

Um there were a number of measures to do that, and this was one of them.

Um in Tacoma Park when it was implemented, uh the amount of voters actually increased among all ages because 16 and 17-year-olds are actually really good messages in their families, and their excitement about voting brought their family out.

Um, and so this is something that across the board can help to increase voting.

Um I will I will also share that it's it's also good to get uh some of the demographic information, how many 16 and 17-year-olds are registered in the city, um, how how that would expand just to have a broader impact.

Uh should Rockville limit the mayor and council terms?

Yes.

Um, and I I believe we should begin um well, I'll I'll get to I'll get more information on that of when we should begin on timing.

Um, but I I also agree with the three uh consecutive terms as well.

Should Rockville create representative districts?

This is a tricky one for me.

Um I keep going back and forth.

Um ultimately my concern with representative districts is I I know that we are one of the reasons that we wish to do this is to address inequities in geographic inequities, but sometimes inequities can be created within the districts themselves, and um it can be it can be harder to hear from certain voices if there's already um some structural systems there within um those those representative districts.

Um and it could we could look at something that our representative districts and at large districts.

Um there's a lot of different ways that we can we can look at this, but I would also like to just get some more information.

And I know um there will be a large cost with a boundary study, and that will take a really long time.

Should Rockville Institute ranked choice voting beginning in 2031?

Yes, and I'm also not sure if that is enough time.

I know a lot can go into that, just like anything else.

I'd love to see the administrative process as well as the cost, um, and just have some more details.

But overall, yes.

And this is also something that I introduced on the uh Rockville Charter Review Commission when we were looking at different electoral systems.

Um, this is more representative of the majority, and so that's one of the reasons why I support it.

Thank you.

Councilman Van Greg.

Thank you.

Um, so um I'm gonna say this again.

I really want us to make sure that even though we're talking about the first part here, I think there's other issues with regard to this first half.

I know Councilmember Valeri talked about some of the other issues and my colleagues did too.

Um, I think I really want to see the Board of Supervisors of Elections results and some uh I've got like line item comments that have reviewed that I want to make sure that we're integrating.

Um but with regard to the feedback, uh, question number one with regard to 16 and seven-year-old votes.

I fully understand the need to want to increase voter involvement.

It's an important thing that I know everybody on this council has talked about.

I don't know if this is the right decision.

And it's interesting because um during the past election, um, one member of the Richard Montgomery student government went back to the student government, asked if they want to take a position, they decided not to.

I was talking with a number of students from Wooton High School just this past week, knowing it was coming up, and there was they were actually talking about issues that were before the mayor and council.

And when I asked them, what do you think about 60 and 70 year voting?

They specifically said, uh, I don't know.

I don't know if that's a good idea.

And they were 16 and 17 year olds themselves.

Um, so I don't know if that's the right method, so I don't currently support it, um, though I do love the idea of expanding it.

Um, with regard to term limits, I I think there's a need for term limits.

Um, I think it makes sense.

Um, however, I also understand when it comes to municipalities, um, we've really got to see a lot of things through.

We've got a lot of plans, and I don't want to restrict that more than we need to.

I think four consecutive terms is reasonable, and if you're getting above that, then there really needs to be a change of course.

Now, with regard to districts, um, oh, and I have no trouble implementing that in the next election or whenever it's possible for the next election.

Um, with regard to districts, this has been something that I've definitely wrestled hard with.

Um, I went back and looked the last five elections, um, the average number of candidates from the west of 270 um regions, which is essentially almost a third of the city, it was less than one candidate per election in the last five elections.

So we clearly need to do better better, just as Councilmember Valeri talked about with districts.

That being said, as much as the community that I've lived a large portion of my life has been underrepresented, I don't think we should do districts.

Uh for a lot of the reasons that some of my colleagues have said, it doesn't make sense.

I did um another quick math, and I saw that if we were to just go to four districts and two at large, someone essentially could be elected with only a thousand or less than a thousand votes.

And that's concerning to me because just as was said before by some of my colleagues, we represent the whole city.

And it's important for us to make sure that not only do we represent the old city, but we are um essentially beholden to the city with regard to the votes that we have.

Um, just as councilmember Fulton said eloquently, there's a reason when you are large as Montgomery County or large as a state, or have a huge city like Baltimore, when you have a large portion, you need to be able to have a representative, because outside of at large, you have too many regions that would take control.

I don't see that in the city that is currently only 70,000, and even if we get up to 100,000 in the city, I still think it's probably too small.

So I don't support that.

Ranked choice um, and so the other questions about when we should begin, I don't think we should begin.

Um, with regard to ranked choice voting, ranked choice voting is something that is important.

The more and more I look at it, the more and more I see that it is something that benefits a community.

And I am thoroughly in support of ranked choice voting, especially when you have a race where you have one candidate.

And one of the most important things you see in data is the collaboration, because when you have ranked choice voting, and people are essentially going to be ranking to determine a mayor, a county executive, a president, a senator, there has to be collaboration because you want to get the second place votes.

So having that collaboration when you have a single entity voting is important.

However, when it comes to a multi-choice election, I actually see a difference.

And uh it's interesting.

I've had a lot of meetings with ranked choice voting folks and ask them how would you implement a six-election ranked choice voting.

I met with three different groups, all three gave me different ways in which they've implemented implemented.

And even more importantly, I think the greatest benefit of ranked choice voting is actually the collaboration that you get.

You potentially would go the other direction if you implemented in council.

And want to give an example why.

You have six votes in Rockville.

Right now, I can go to anybody else in the city saying you're best friends with Barry Jackson, your best friends with Isola Shaw, give me your vote too.

There's no essentially risk.

But if you're now ranking all six of them, and you're actually now giving a number aside from a vote, there's no competition.

Because I want to get your first vote, not just your second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth.

Because the number you give me in a council actually matters with ranked choice voting.

When it's simply a levered choice with regard to six, there's no longer competition.

So considering the fact that it potentially could be complicated, as well as the fact that you're now gonna implement competition where there wasn't competition before, I don't think it makes sense to do so in a council.

In addition to which there was some data done on a county level with regard to um the at-large selections where they chose four.

They actually found on the council level, most people didn't choose four.

I suspect with Rockville, we're also have situations where people aren't choosing all six.

And to actually say you now have to rank all 13 or 14 votes in a council election could potentially cause more stress or confusion for voters.

So I think with regard to mayor, it's a great idea.

With regard to council, I think we need to potentially think whether it's the right idea, and I wouldn't support it at this time.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mahalik.

That was extremely helpful.

Can I just recap what I heard and make sure everybody heard what I heard?

Um 17-year-old voters to allow them.

Yes.

Um term limits, yes.

I'll come back to whether it's three or four in a second.

Representative districts, I heard no.

Ranked choice voting, I heard yes.

What I heard on um terms, yes, or we should be term limits, but three of you said three consecutive terms, and three of you said four consecutive terms.

So I don't know how you want to bring it up.

We can do a straw poll if we'd like, or we can and we can just draw a poll, but then also maybe get some feedback from the BSC.

The straw poll now would be helpful to just allow us to write it, and then of course we'll get feedback from PSA.

So three terms or four terms.

Does anyone want to change?

Let's just do it again.

So who is for four consecutive terms?

There you go.

Is that at four or no?

Okay, so four.

Okay.

Who's for three?

Okay, thank you.

Clear?

Extremely helpful, and thank you.

Okay, and we welcome the feedback out of the BSC, of course, on all of these things.

Um, I do think from what I'm hearing, that I'm hearing some like choice voting, want to hear the co cost.

Uh, we we're gonna need additional information.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

And also like Mayor versus Council, all the whole thing.

I heard a mixture of that too.

So we'll really love to hear the feedback of the BSC and from staff on implementation constraints and cost.

Councilman Valeri.

Yeah, to that on that point, um, it was alluded to by one of um my colleagues that there is cost information that's been gathered specifically on districts.

If that has already been prepared, I would love to see that as well.

Um, and for any of the other items, I think sharing it broadly um with all the members on the day would be helpful.

I will also say I was digging into this preparation for this meeting.

There was some analysis of of um Montgomery County when they were going through how they were gonna break up the districts that they had less competition in the districts than at large.

Um it was very interesting.

Uh so I that that kind of data is probably helpful to make sure we're not introducing unintended consequences.

But I know that it didn't pass this time, but I think it's something that is still helpful for future bodies and maybe perhaps this body.

No, I I madam, I have some of our like I have to do.

Yeah, sorry.

On on that point, um, actually, there's a lot of good footnoting and research and numbers in the Charter Review Commission report, which was not um did not seem to be reflected in um our draft yet, maybe, but um I would urge everybody um who has not committed it to memory or clicked all the footnote links.

Um, and if if you'd like to chat more, I'm sure Councilmember Shaw and I are always available.

But no, um, it's a really good report, and a lot of these sort of studies work on representative districts as well as 16 and 17 year old voting.

There's good stuff in that that I hope we can use.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mihaly, do you have any other questions about these?

I do I do have some comments on the sections.

I was gonna say if there's other comments or questions on the sections, we'll entertain them.

As I mentioned, all of you, the three of us are still getting up to speed.

So if you hear a lot of, we'll get back to you.

That's from the heart.

We'll get back to you.

I think we'll keep it high level for the sections.

Um, just some of the things we've heard from the BSC and others, I think would be good to just say.

Anything you want to send us to an email to all three of us, we'll make sure the answers go to all seven of you, of course.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm sorry to interrupt.

Okay, can we um can we go to the slide on that section?

Did you have another overarching question on these things?

I councilman Valeri, go ahead.

Just um, because it kind of does connect.

Um seeing as we all are are looking forward to the BSE input on this.

How does that affect the timeline?

Because I think that um many of my colleagues mentioned it.

Um how are we going to get through this if we are have not yet received the input of the BSE?

Okay, let's wrap up with the next steps.

That's a great question.

Okay, yeah.

I will think we because I I also have some questions about another session and things like that.

So um let's go through article one.

I'm gonna kind of go stagger on our row.

Uh Dr.

Mause, you went first last time.

Councilman Felton, is there anything you want to add here?

No, I don't have anything for this.

Okay, Councilman Valeri.

I um have many, many issues with the definitions and would preserve my right to submit them in writing first and address it at future work session.

Uh thank you.

I I did want to um look overall at the definitions and have them compared because I did see like there was some very new there were some changes, but you'd have to like really go line by line to see is there anything significant.

So I will rely on the experts to help us and what the BSC's input uh to make.

I do appreciate that we have more definitions.

Um, but I I do feel like we need to dig in on that a little bit more closely and compare it to what we currently have.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I really don't have any questions, but I do have a question that was uh submitted um by uh uh Steve Fisher.

Uh because I think it was a good one actually.

Um, and I know you don't have the answer right now, but um 100 so on uh uh online platform it has 100,000 or more unique monthly United States visitors or users.

I mean, where'd that number come from?

Why a hundred thousand?

I mean, uh just when we're looking at at those definitions, and that that question is not just specific to this one, but uh I would just go back and say what are we using as a baseline and why really uh that what page do you have just so we can have staff look at?

Um of the the the code.

Um there's page five of the draft code.

Um yeah, I will just concur.

I was looking at the wrong page and I had that too, so I apologize.

Uh thank you for raising that.

Um that seems more like a uh a state level uh metric that is applied to Rockville.

We don't even have a hundred thousand residents here, so I just thought that number was very interesting as well, and I appreciate my colleague um raising that.

Well, I raised it because uh Steve.

And thank you to our BAC member who raised it as well.

Um perfect.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

Yeah, I have the question.

Councilman Van Grek.

Thank you.

So um uh a couple things with regard to the Article One.

One, I understand, and again, I I know there's a lot of issues here to get through, but the amendments and the no changes, it says that we can't make changes unless there's a vote of six members of the mayor and council.

Yet the change that was made that was created a problem last election was a unanimous vote.

So I don't know that just saying six votes is what's needed.

There has to be more of a restriction than just six votes, because for the most part, if it's if it I mean the BSE recommended that.

It took a while before it got to the the mayor and council before they addressed it, so I don't fault the BSE.

But for the most part, if the BSE gives amendments and gives reasons, there's almost certainly going to be a close to unanimous vote.

So I don't know that that restriction is the type of restriction.

I understand there could be a reason for amendments, but we might want to get that reason more clear, other than just a vote of six of the mayor and council.

I also think, and you know, just as council member Jackson said and some members of the BSE, the definitions really need a lot more work.

And it's not just with regard to the issue of online platform person from a statutory construction is not proper because you essentially have an individual group with legal entity because it's not a proper way you address that.

You've got issues with regard to qualifying paid digital communication, which seems to be limiting what could be used.

The quarterly submission dates, just as was talked about before, is only noted here.

And I also query whether there needs to be an adjustment to the quarterly submission dates when you're in the middle of an election that comes really close and uh divided by.

Um we've got significant definitions throughout here that have significant impact to later sections.

And the meaning of a lot of those later sections with regard to what the transfer is.

That's a limiting definition.

Um I really think we need to expand.

And I'm sure the Board of Supervisors Elections is gonna address some of those.

I've got some of my notes.

I'm happy to provide them in more detail.

But we really need to get in.

It's one thing I've learned in addressing codes.

Some of some of the most important distinctions that are made is within the definition.

So let's make sure we get it right.

And I actually think, and I I've got a list of them, there are other definitions that I think are important when you especially the second half of the code.

When we get into the issues of campaigning, when we uh in this code and expansive, expansive issues of violations.

What is a violation when there can be a violation, and the different nature of being late, the different definitions that there are not definitions of, but would help clarify things later on.

If you go to and I've if you listen to the BSA meetings or go to their transcripts, a lot of their confusion actually comes in the fact that there are terms used both in the restrictions in the campaigning, in who is eligible to do through certain things, and what is the essentially body or entity that's doing something.

And a lot of their disputes are well, there's no definition explanation of that, or the definition is too limiting, and we're not sure how it can be.

So I actually think that there's probably about, and I can I can provide a list later, about probably about a dozen more terms that need to be defined.

And I I know I listed six here, but there's about 10 other definitions that I think we need to expand or be more clear about.

Um to quote you, Mr.

City Manager, clarity is kindness.

So I don't think you can get um in trouble for being as clear and less ambiguous as possible.

Thank you.

I did want to raise on this section before we leave that uh members of the BSC also noted, in addition to the 100,000 number, which seems like a state level number, not a municipal number.

Um, how is the 500 disseminated digital communications determined?

And um, you know, is that the appropriate number for a municipal government?

Um the other thing that was noted by the BSC, uh, members of the BSE uh include the second quarterly submission date should be April 5th, not March 5th.

Um and they also note that in an election year there would need to be a fifth report filed beyond what is included in here.

Um so I wanted to just make sure that staff takes a look at the detailed feedback that we got from members of the BSC who are very familiar with the um requirement dates so that we can make sure that we get that right.

Okay.

Now we are moving at a mayor may I comment on the Dr.

Mouse, go ahead.

Yes.

Okay.

Sorry about that, Dr.

Mouse.

Are you good?

So a lot of us up here, a lot of opinions.

Uh uh, I don't have much to add.

I think the definition section, there have been a number of things mentioned in terms of concerns raised, a couple of other definitions just to add to the list that would need some clarity.

And again, I think having our board of supervisors of elections, our city clerk in on this on the front end can be helpful.

But things um uh things having to do with independent expenditures, political action committees, things like that also need to comport more with the idiosyncrasies of a municipal election.

Um I'm unsure some of the language used in this free write seems to perhaps apply to larger jurisdictions and without the idiosyncrasies of Rockville.

add to the list that would need some clarity and again I think having our board of supervisors of elections our city clerk in on this on the front end can be helpful but things um uh things having to do with independent spend expenditures political action committees things like that also need to comport more with the idiosyncrasies of a municipal election um I'm unsure some of the language used in this rewrite seems to perhaps apply to larger jurisdictions and without the idiosyncrasies of Rockville so I think that um as was mentioned previously addressing the definitional sp specificities is important uh in terms of provisions I think among others um that have been mentioned already you know a a recount provision needs to be um discussed and outlined again with the same people in the room who will be administering the election um section eight three I have no big concerns but again as council member Valerie said I just want I need more input I'm um although I'll I've been in election I'm I'm not a professional in elections I want to hear from from the professionals now in there thank you thank you okay so now we have section two which is focus on the board of supervisive elections council member you are first this time I I feel like I'm gonna turn into a uh um uh repetitive person here I'm very uncomfortable giving feedback without having heard the feedback of the BSE first given that um maybe it's just because my heart goes out to volunteers in this city in one I'm really proud of all the volunteers here and I think that just acting respectfully in that way to all our volunteers is that along with clarity is a kindness that I think that we can extend to everybody.

So I would really want to hear their input also too um I don't know if and um Madam Mayor has a much better memory than me on some of these things but I don't recall if we did a straw vote or not on the possibility of expanding the number of the board of supervisors of elections.

Of course I want their feedback but that was also within the Charter Review Commission report recommendations and so that would be interesting and is not really um it it goes under the assumption that the proposed draft um goes under the assumption that we would stay the course on the number of BSE members but if we didn't give that feedback then I would not feel comfortable um yeah that's all they really especially with the expansion of duties um I just I I am increasingly uncomfortable giving more feedback than that without hearing from the BSC first.

Thank you I have a couple of comments one is we don't clarify I know we note that each member of the board shall be registered uh at Rockville eligible voter in Montgomery County uh and should not hold or be a candidate for Rockville elected office are there any um rules about being a family member of a candidate or any spouse of a candidate I just I was curious about that because we get into that with judges but I don't see that necessarily with the overarching board of supervised elections.

Mr.

City Manager you have a comment on that we'll circle back on that okay yeah that was something that it seemed like in other areas we were considering that um but not specifically here um I also uh wanted to note that the duties I want to acknowledge the feedback of the BSC members uh that we've heard from individual as individuals um that there are a number of uh duties that are assigned here and I'd like to understand is this too much for them uh make sure that we're giving them the proper support and staff to make this happen so that was an overarching concern that I have um in terms of section eight eighteen um and that will eat that my comments are on that to 817 and 819 um in terms of eight eighteen I wanted to ask whether staff currently reimburses the BSc for their travel they do a lot of voter outreach uh and go to events and I just want to make sure that is a that should be an eligible expense because they do so much of it and they have this you know I just I wanted to raise the idea they have travel too yeah so do we know if we currently reimburse the drought we do not so that was something I I would support um so I I think that would go a long way in helping support them um I know that there were some state changes that were happening I know in terms of live streaming and others I just want to get a sense to make sure that we have really looked at and compared against this particular legislative session to see if there's anything else we need to incorporate into this section.

The other piece that I had um page well no that's my next section here I am good on everything else.

I defer to the BSE, at least now, to uh you know, take a look at the duties and tell us what you think uh about the duties.

Um I do find it interesting um uh what my colleague council member Villary uh was talking about and would urge the uh the board of supervisors of election to um look at the five member board and whether or not that's sufficient.

Um I leave it up to you, but it does seem like a good point, especially since uh the duties have been expanded somewhat.

Um but that's my only comments uh here.

Uh I think that the uh voter supervisors of elections uh probably will have a lot to say and we'll uh take it into account.

Councilman Shaw.

I also uh want to echo my colleagues and uh get more information from the BSE.

And um I am interested in exploring um increasing the number of members, but I again I just want to get more feedback.

Thank you, Councilman Van Brock.

Thank you.

So section 817 duties is actually one of the areas that I think integrates a lot with later, going on something that we've talked about before.

We and I guess it goes to what we've also talked about needing the Board of Supervisors of Elections input here, but more importantly, the Board of Supervisor Elections together with the clerk's office.

Why is that so important?

We've talked significantly about accountability and responsibility.

There's a lot of duties, not just in 817, but throughout it.

There's in Article 3, Article 4, Article 5, and Article 6 and 7, 8, and 9 that actually talk about duties within there, but they talk generally.

Well, the duties here are talked about more specifically, but it's just shall.

So we have actually conflicting duties sometimes, and I'm sure you'll hear it from the Board of Supervised Elections and the Clerk's Office that are both assigned to both of them.

There needs to be much more clear accountability with regard to some of these tasks because in duties, it's great to have some of the general responsibilities, but there needs to be a delineation and more clear, and again, all the more reason you're hearing from all of us, communication with the Board of Supervised Elections and the Clerk's Office, so that they can understand what they have the capability of doing, but that there is a necessary accountability.

And while there is some shall language within the duties, we go and heck, just in eight uh section eight fifty-eight on page eighteen, we're talking about mailing of ballots, we're talking about addressing the ballots, we're talking about making sure they get, but there isn't a general duty as to other than promulgated by the board, city clerk, and shall be mailed.

Well, that's a lot of different people there with regard to who is essentially um uh the buck stops here.

And sometimes when you have confusion, you create confusion later.

So I uh again, all the more reason for the board of supervisor election and the clerk's office to really get some detailed feedback to make sure that there isn't confusion and there's a different uh clear responsibility.

I echo the mayor 100% with regard to section 818 to the extent there's any expense whatsoever by the Board of Supervisors of Election, there is no way that any volunteer in the city should have to expend any money for what they're doing, and I think that's important.

And of course, interestingly enough, when we get to the staff support, we're again talking about responsibilities that come from essentially a number of different areas, and I want to make sure that with regard to tasks that happen with an election, overseeing and responsibilities, there's a clear delineation.

I suspect once we get feedback from the Board of Supervisors of Elections and the clerk's office, we're gonna see a lot of that, but I want to make sure that there's clarity.

Dr.

Mouse.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I largely associate myself with comments of my colleagues specifically, Councilmember Villary, and then with the addition of the provision about compensation for travel as you outlined.

Oh, in there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton.

I agree.

I'd like to hear from the BSC, but I also think it's worth looking at expanding the number and compensation.

Uh I have a follow-up question on this section for my colleagues.

Uh while from listening to my colleagues and thinking about the duties, um, there are a lot of sections that relate to um administration administrative policies.

Uh does the BSC currently have these policies?

Uh, and how much extra work will be putting on them between now and the election.

So I think that is another important indicator as you're looking at the overarching timeline.

Um, what is not yet available to us?

So we just have a really honest discussion about what do we need to do to get to 2027, fair, free, effective, and efficient election versus what is a longer term idea.

So I just I want I really want that specific feedback.

Um and then my other question related to the one I mentioned earlier.

Can a BSC member be a treasurer uh on someone's campaign?

I doesn't specifically say no.

I know I asked about the family member, but it doesn't say no.

The judges says no, but I just wanted to note I would assume no one would do that, but it doesn't specifically speak to that, and I wanted to ask the question for staff to look at and the BSE.

We'll look at that.

Thank you.

Next section.

So that would be 8-26.

Um through 8-30.

I have a couple of comments here.

Um there's more language here added that appears to be from the state, and I was just curious as to the intent.

Um, is that appropriate for the city?

That was just an overarching question that I had.

We already talked about um the 16 to and 17-year-old voting.

Um interestingly, it the draft says 16-18 versus 16-17.

So I just wanted to flag that.

Um I was curious about uh on page 11 where we haven't really disenfranchised people who have been in prison before.

So I just I I was curious about how that crept in here and want to get more background on why that is.

Um again, uh 8-28 says 16 versus I'm guessing you said 16 or 18 because you're saying at least so um, but I know that we gave feedback on that particular item there.

In terms of voter registries, um I doesn't Montgomery County I know in the current code you chart you get a one free voter roll, but then after that you you charge.

Can you just give some background as to what happens here because it got changed in this draft?

Um Ms.

Sarah Taylor Frail, do you recall the voter list the voter list um that candidates can ask for?

If um the the request that the city clerk gets and we provide a uh copy to those candidates, that is not that's free of charge.

But if you request a customize um voter database from the county, like a walking or specific area or something like that, then you have to pay for it.

Okay, I just want to make sure you guys look at that to make sure it's in align with what you're doing.

Um there was a comment that I saw in terms of challenges and appeals.

Um there's a difference in the code from what we currently have to what is drafted in here that it seemed to be important, uh, versus whereas the city would automatically do something versus whether someone has to do an appeal.

So I just wanted to make sure we're specifically looking at that because I wouldn't want to, if the city is concerned, we should recount.

But um, so I I just that that was something that seemed like a difference, and I'd like to just make sure that we're looking at that.

And I know the members of the BSC have uh written about the eligibility in 8-36.

So I will wait on that.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh no questions.

Councilmember Sha.

No questions.

Councilman Van Grack.

So I would just note, I know this was brought up before.

I think that if we're going to allow 16-year-olds to vote, we have to allow them to run as well.

I guess it's one of the reasons why I have a concern because we're now changing the eligibility, but I have a hard time telling someone that they can vote, but they can't run.

So I think if we're gonna do one, we kind of have to do the other.

Again, it's not something that I support because I don't think it's a good idea, but it's just one thing for us to think about if this is a change we're gonna make.

And again, as usual, with every section, I'd like to hear from the board of supervisors of election and the clerk's office.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, madam mayor.

I think on this one, uh I associate myself largely with the comments that you all brought up brought up in terms of some of the oversights.

I think what would be helpful in this and much of what we're doing with regard to this election rewrite would just to be this to see what was what we had before and have like a red line of what we're um what's being changed because it's it's hard to kind of figure out where we've been and where we're going, but associate myself with y'all's comments.

That's all.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

So on this one, um, one of my colleagues made the point that there seems to be a lot of sort of state stuff in here.

I think it's a drafting concern.

Like it actually, by my read, this doesn't actually disenfranchise anyone.

It just says you either have to be registered with the state and you can't be registered if you've with the state of your film, but then it says you can also register with the board and you don't those restrictions don't apply.

I think it's just a really confusing drafting that we would want to clear up a little bit.

Um and the only other thing I just wanted, and I don't know if it's covered here, but it is worth noting.

I know that we had uh I believe some some hiccups with the registry we got from the county, and I would just want to make sure that every way we can whether we need a code change to make sure that doesn't happen again or a procedure change.

I don't want to miss that opportunity as well.

I Sarah Miss Sarah Tailfeld, do you want to comment on that?

Yes, that that would be a procedural change that we're have in process for 2027.

I think it was Montgomery County, except it's yeah, they they were totaling people based on who wanted to get uh electronic ballots that was that issue.

So the leave was not anyway.

No, that was city.

Uh councilmember Larry Okay.

Um on voter registration.

Um I understand to the point um that my colleague made it it's not quite clear, however, for um future um elected bodies, there may be a need for a secondary list.

So I would not want to exclude that language, um, a secondary list that would fall under our jurisdiction, but outside of the purview of the state.

Um I do um just want to flag for my colleague that there is actually a precedent of having 16, 17 year olds voting for mayor and council, but not being able to serve in those seats until 18.

The city of Hyatt's bill does that explicitly.

So basically, I think that's something that we need to, which is why I I think in the previous section I said let's put a pin in that um because I think that that's um that's an important aspect that I think we need to address whatever direction that we're gonna go on with regards to that, but there is a precedent.

Um let's see, agreed with all my my colleagues, just co-sign a lot of what other folks said in particular that um there's a lot of state language in that, and that while that is what Montgomery County looks to.

We have a lot of different um uh autonomy that perhaps the county does not um so to that extent, maybe it just needs to remove all the the very state specific um language that would only apply to the county and not to the city.

Um, and I feel just eternally would like to hear from the BSC on this and especially on the administrative uh burden that it it may create.

Thank you, Mr.

City Manager and uh City Attorney's Office and Clerk.

Anything that you need us to clarify in this section?

Go ahead.

I don't think we need clarifications, Mary.

I just I want to point out something the um deputy city attorney and I were clarifying and conferring on this, and I don't want to um disappoint everybody.

It will be really hard for us to do an actual red line.

Want to make sure you guys know that because this is this is repeal and replace.

So we might have whole sections of the former code, all red lines, and then have a new code.

So I would strongly encourage whether it's council, BSC, residents watching to read the code on its face.

Now, a couple of you have said, wait a minute, what about this section of the previous code?

Where is it now?

If you send us those questions, we're happy to say it was in this section and now it says in this section, we can do that.

But doing an actual red line, I don't think all would be it would create confusion.

But if there's any comparison contrast you want us to make, let us know, and we're happy to do that work.

I want to clarify that I heard from several of my colleagues and the members of the BSC that we need a summary of changes.

Okay.

That is critical.

I think we can do that.

Okay, a summary of changes that I highlights what what so that because otherwise I know I've I've read it over five times, and each time I find something new.

Happy to happy provide that.

Um and I'll read it another five to seven times uh you know, between now and the next work session, and I'll I'm sure I'll find more.

But I think that that love just a uh summary of those kinds of key changes.

I do like that you have a summary of the new sections, but like what has changed in those sections, I think is important for the for the us and the public to know.

Thank you.

Councilman Valeri.

Uh, on this point, um, I think at a a minimum, if we could get um even a table of what the changes to the existing definitions, obviously, if there's new definitions, then those could be segmented out.

But for the existing definitions, there absolutely is a way to not maybe necessarily redline it, but say here's what is previous, who's what's not in there.

Um I I I agree that it is because it is a replace um a repeal and replace or however is a nice renovation.

Um, but there are some uh apples to apples within that that it would be hard to peel back.

So maybe if we just even started with the definitions, that would get us um rolling to a better place on this.

Colleagues we've got in this section in terms of feedback.

Great.

All right, now we're moving on to Article 4.

Candidates.

Councilmember Jackson, you have the floor.

Thank you, uh, Mayor.

And and just uh to reiterate, um, I know what you're saying about the red line, but just with my colleagues, you know, it would be nice to have a summary of what's changing and what isn't and what's what's in and what's not uh because uh I think many uh many of us have uh expressed that desire, uh, especially you know, we're repealing and replacing, and I won't believe the point, but we just need some clarity as to you know the the language.

So on article uh four, um again, uh I think of several of my well, one of my cloud colleagues is uh broken record, but I'm gonna say it as well.

I mean uh I look at 836 uh uh two.

I mean, we have to decide that.

Um, you know, whether they're 16 or 18, uh which age are the uh eligible to be uh mayor.

Uh and uh likewise um, you know, we asked the the candidates for can city council are they 16 or 18?

And so um we have to decide that.

Um there's no getting around uh that um the nominating petition.

Uh I want to say thank you to uh the BASE.

Um I know we talked about uh the electronic signature, and I believe um uh that was something that uh these guys um uh took up and I believe uh passed.

And I think that's a a great thing.

I know the devil's in the details, and uh it's it's gonna be uh interesting to implement, but I do think that uh getting in the modern times is uh is a great step forward, and so I just want to shout that out as something that uh we're trying to modernize uh our uh technology.

Um the only other thing that I would would uh say um, and I know that we're gonna get the uh BSC's um uh take, but um I really do like the um the language of the withdrawal of uh Rockville nominated petition.

Uh I know that there was a problem uh with some of that uh in the past, and so having a procedure to withdraw uh a candidacy um is uh a step in the right direction.

And with that uh yield back.

Councilmember Shaw.

Um I also wanted to thank the BSC for the electronic signatures.

I know that makes the process more accessible for the candidate for the community, and I imagine it may make it easier when you're counting as well.

Um, and so uh I think that's a wonderful addition for the next election.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Van Greg.

So, yeah, this section again, there's a lot of things, and I again I I know we keep talking about the BSE.

I also want to hear from the clerk's office too, because there's a lot of responsibilities here.

Like, for example, the withdrawal.

I agree with councilmember Jackson.

Having the withdrawal here is great.

We've heard about it from the BSE.

We've heard about it from the clerk's office, but we also have 55 calendar days.

I'm not sure where that number came from.

And I'd like to hear from the board of supervisive elections in the clerk's office.

Is that a reasonable time level?

Um same thing with the nominating petitions.

I mean, it seems like this was drafted, and it's great that it was drafted.

The BSE and the city clerk's office need to come together and understanding what can make it most easy.

I would love to see the uh the BSE's talked about the electronic signatures, but I want to make sure that we're doing what we can to support the clerk's office and the BSE with everything that's being done here because they're lifting a heavy burden when this all comes about.

So I think this is a great start, and I'd really like to hear more from those who are going to be implementing.

Thank you.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'll keep it simple.

I'll uh associate myself with the comments of Councilmember Van Greg specifically around the ideas of getting both BSC's and city clerks' involvement in knowing these uh very um important critical um detail oriented functions.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton.

I have nothing to add on this one.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Valerie.

I thought we were just moving on.

No, I I appreciate and thank uh everybody for their previous comments.

I'm gonna do the ditto on the BSC and the city clerk.

Um would really like to get more explicit, would these work?

Um sort of answers uh, especially from uh Madam City Clerk's office on the deadlines that are here, if that actually um works for the printing of the ballots.

I'm not quite sure on that.

Um and then additionally, um the the section on write-ins, um how that may or may not play into the administrative burden if we have the capacity to do that, and then how that would be managed again falls very squarely on the city clerk and the BSC.

So I I think those are the the big points for me on this section.

Thank you.

I have a question about the withdrawal of a nomination petition.

Um my question is if someone submits their nomination petition and then responds to nothing else, they don't submit any of their required reporting documents.

Uh what would what would happen?

They still go on the ballot.

I think that's something that came up that the BSC specifically wanted to see addressed, and I don't know if we hit the mark on that one or if we need to dig in a bit more.

I just I'm not sure.

I'd wanted to check in with the team to see if you can look at that.

We'll look into it.

Okay.

And then similarly, uh under eligib eligibility, I know members of the BSC have added under eight eight dirty-six, um, has submitted all required forms of paperwork to city cleric director of council operations to confirm candidate eligibility.

I think that's a good add.

Uh, and what would recommend adding it.

I'm gonna ask the team uh do you have any questions or clarification needs from us before we move on to the next section?

All right, let's do it.

Article five, Rockville Municipal Elections.

Councilmember Shore, you have the floor.

Floor.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I I just wanted to bring up one one point here about the notices.

So the BSC, the clerk's office, the city of Rockville, you you do an amazing job with advertising the election.

Um, I think at one point I saw a car, like a vote by mail vehicle or something, but y'all do a really great job.

Um in the mailers, canvassing everywhere you go in all of our events.

I think overall it's a great job.

And then our code has a very um, it's very different in our code.

It's not as as much as you do on a regular basis.

And I think it's really, really important to maintain that.

Uh, the work of outreach, you you do it in different languages.

Um, if we can somehow include some of that work in the code.

The code is very basic.

I think it's for newspaper articles.

Um not a lot of folks read newspapers.

Um, I'm sure a lot of folks, well, I'm I'm sure some folks read newspapers, but not a lot of folks read, not a lot of folks read newspapers.

And there's a lot of ways uh people are getting their information nowadays.

Um, and so if we could look at updating the code based on the amount of work that you do or strike some balance, I think this would help overall in future years.

Councilmember Van Greg.

As with every section, like to hear from the Board of Supervisors of Elections and the clerk's office, but um a few uh quick comments with regard to section 846.

You see emergencies.

This is kind of a section that I think can be mirrored with regard to amendments to it outside of the 180 days.

Because this essentially says in the event of X, then you can do B, right?

So X, Y, B, A, C.

So this is kind of, I think, how we should mirror whether there's going to be um amendments to this, because again, there could be circumstances, just as we were talking about during the presentation that could merit it, just like we have here.

Um, I'd also like to note um I understand that it's been a very long time.

I'm trying to remember the last time there was a special election.

However, just having two clauses, and I'm sure the Board of Supervisors of Elections have comments on this.

Um, just having two paragraphs with regard to special elections, a lot of our later codes, and again, going to how this section goes to the latter sections, presume that we're on the normal track.

If you have a special election, that actually adjusts a lot of what you're gonna be doing in the second part, and just having two sections that hey, you can do a special election.

I don't think addresses, and there would be a lot of questions that I think would come from the Board of Supervisors of Elections with regard to the later provisions that presumes were in the normal general election uh category.

Um other than that, have no other comments.

Thank you, Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I think we've discussed uh portions of this previously and gave some straw pose and direction.

Uh I have nothing further outside of what my colleagues already articulated.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

So I have two thoughts on this section, and unfortunately I'm not gonna be that concrete on it.

Um, in terms of when I read uh the part eight-47 on terms, we did just decide for four-year terms.

It's not clear to me in this language or in what we decided whether there's a difference between council terms or and mayor terms.

If it's if there is a difference, it's for council for mayor, that's somebody serving for 34 years.

So I I do think we maybe need is it just terms in general as part of the body, or is there a difference between the position?

I would vote terms in general.

But so I just don't know if you need clarity on that point.

Um the other point I will make it is probably uh I think we're already good on ranked choice voting, but I will say when it comes to special elections.

Um my colleague, Councilmember Van Grack talked about how it um could create competition.

There is current competition.

There are reasons why, like just getting the highest votes makes a difference now.

Uh and it comes into play with special elections and departures of, for example, the mayor.

Um right now, the highest vote getter could end up being uh a replacement mayor, and I don't know that the highest vote getter is necessarily the city's actual favorite person for that role.

I would like to think so, but probably not.

Um so I just do make that point uh when it comes to ranked choice voting as well.

Thank you, Councilmember Valeri.

Yes.

Um, I as with all things, city clerk, BSC, dido ditto ditto.

Um I do know that I'm gonna this is like a a deep cut here during the charter review commission, and uh the uh madam acting city attorney um was also the the resource attorney um for us.

We brought up the idea of whether or not it was legal under Maryland law the resign to run provision.

I'm just curious, and I'm not gonna put you on the spot with this uh uh Madam uh city attorney, but um I would love to know if we got an answer on that one, or um got any other sort of guidance, because that would actually for folks at home there like what is council member Valeria on about.

Um I think that that would be interesting to to compare or to have in our um in our heads if we're looking at things like special elections, if it is possible to do so, um, if seeking higher office, then that would kind of change something.

Um I also agree with councilmember Fulton.

We're looking at consecutive versus cumulative term limits.

I heard consecutive up here, but I didn't hear cumulative.

On consecutive, then the the code has to be very explicit to consecutive.

Um but that doesn't mean you know that people can't take off four years and come back and you know, um that's what they want to do.

Um let's see, we are we're on five.

I think that's all that I have on on this part, but I just brought up the resigned to run because I realized that that was still a question mark by the end of our end of our commission.

So I'm curious about that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'd like to get more information on that as well.

I will echo the comments of my colleagues.

I will say I heard consecutive and I would I think we were talking about per position, but I just wanted to flag that was my understanding.

People may want to clarify on their own.

Um, in terms of other um pieces, we have already commented on uh the referenda.

Um I do want to um look again at the section 46.

Um so we will speak to the notices, and I just want to check is that a reduction in notices?

Um if you could clarify the number between current code and what is here.

I do recall that the body did not what opt last time in our work session to reduce anything.

Uh so I would want to check on that.

We'll circle back.

Okay, thank you.

The other piece is uh I I found this, and I believe some members of the BSC also commented on this is we don't speak to the mailers themselves uh that need to go out prior to the ballot, and the importance of that in ensuring that we are one of the things that it does is it helps us to know which ballots come which mail is come back so that when we actually mail the ballot, if something came back because that person doesn't live there, that helps us not send the ballot to that home.

So that process is also helps us to make sure that our voter roles are are correct.

Uh and I wanted to just make sure that we look back at that language and our processes on that.

Um this section also doesn't uh speak to language access.

So I remember in 2019 I was very eager, and uh I saw we were doing work in Spanish, we weren't doing them in Asian languages, and they were like, well, we're not required to, it's not in the code.

And I remember I got that answer.

So I just want to raise this again because we are trying to be a more inclusive city.

Um to say what you know if there's a baseline of languages to include.

I think we should be reflective of our population and provide that information.

So I wanted to flag that language access as well.

I also agree with my colleagues on the comment on uh it's not just a newspaper anymore, there's other ways, and just kind of being updated with the times.

Okay.

Um I thought that um the Rockville municipal elections and recall, all of that to me needed a lot more specificity.

Um also I will agree with the comments of my colleagues on uh comments related to what happens if there's a replacement or someone leaves.

That has happened in the past few years, and there was a lot of kerfuffle around it.

So having been a part of that directly, I know Dr.

Miles as well.

We were watching very closely and being a part of it.

Um I think that could be clear more clarity and more procedure added to that is is needed.

Just trying to see if there's anything else.

I think that's it for me for now.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

No questions.

Thank you, Councilmember.

I think we councilman Shaw.

You went already.

Perfect.

Councilman Van Grak.

I just want to make one uh um clarification with regard to special elections.

I wasn't saying there's a problem with competition.

My issue is with those two provisions only, there are assumptions that we're on a November and perspective as opposed to the shortened time period of special elections later on that I think we need to clarify, maybe either in the later provisions or otherwise, so that the board of supervisors of election isn't guessing what they have to do in a special election.

Because if we have a special election, there's you know, just as noted, the date of the Rockville Municipal Special Election must be within a period of not less than 40 days nor more than 60 days after the adoption of the resolution.

What does that do with the five the financial disclosures?

What does that do with everything else that is presuming we're on this larger section?

Now it might mean and that we have something in there that says the Board of Supervisors of Elections, given the special elections can adjust what they need to given the time period and the emerging nature.

I don't know what that is, but I know that it's not clear within here, and there needs to be more clarifying.

Thank you.

And also the current uh code says a special election will occur no less than 105 days and no more than 150 days after mayor and council vacancy occurs.

Individuals seeking election to city office must be provided no less than 30 days from the date of the special election is announced to file their nominating petition, and within 15 days of mayor and council vacancy occurring, the board of supervisor elections will determine a public and publicly announced the date of the special election.

So just there is there is some more language in the current code that I didn't quite see here, and just want to understand the why if that if you know staff feel very strongly about the new language versus what we currently have, but in any case, I do think that a vacancy needs to be more there needs to be more clarity on a vacancy as well.

Okay.

Any questions from the team on this section on the feedback you've heard from us?

Okay.

All right.

Article six.

Councilmember Shaw.

I think it's uh Council Member.

Councilman Bank, could you go first?

No, I wouldn't.

Okay, perfect.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um again, I'll want to get feedback as my colleagues have articulated from the board supervisors of elections as well as from the city clerk on these.

Uh have no it's hard for me to open much further beyond that uh at this point.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

So I'll I'll just say broadly on this one.

And again, this is my not quite understanding of the procedures and what should be in here, but I don't want to lose any of the good work we've done towards like how many voter centers we will have, how much outreach we will do, how the ability we want to expand the ability of people to cast a ballot.

And so well, well, I totally get that we can't get a red line.

Just making sure that we're not like restricting access in any way by any changes here would be incredibly important.

Um I thought I had one other thing, but I can't remember what it was.

So I'm yeah, I'm good for now.

If you remember, we'll come back.

Councilmember Valeri.

All right.

Um again, BSC, City Clerk's Office, go team.

Um, so in I would like, I'm just gonna pull out a couple of things.

One, I do want um a little more clarity.

I understand the various components of a voting system, but the way as drafted, it something hit me kind of off as beyond the ADA have a paper audit trail requirements.

Are we um getting into an area where the BSC would want to advise mayor council on a voting system?

Is that something that we I mean I I don't know, so I'm just gonna throw that out there.

That that 8-56 to 8-60 kind of confused me there.

Um I do want to make sure to as well.

Um, again, this could probably be extrapolated for all these different sections.

If any of the ideas that that we as a body, anything comes out of my mouth is gonna be very administratively onerous.

Please let us know, ASAP and that, yeah, and to that extent.

Um, as much as I really like the randomized order, if that is of last names as um uh fellow v last name person, um, if that's gonna be too prohibitively onerous, then I'm willing to uh change my perspective on that.

Um my only comment on both um, I think there's a difference in the distinction between the vote centers specifically because it is more of a kind of administratively heavy lift versus drop boxes.

I'm with council member Fulton, let a million flowers bloom.

I don't know if it's a million vote centers, so I defer to the BSC to um to give that feedback subject to mayor and council approval.

Yes, we really need another vote center, and you know, we can we can determine where that is.

I am I'm a little challenged by um um the number of drop boxes on locations being set by the BSE, and I only say this because I think that um without significant in the community outreach, it's very hard to kind of get that sense like what uh a lot of us and what a lot of the community uh associations and even HOAs here as in terms of of access.

I think that the um those entities as uh constituents are hearing it a little bit more closely.

So I I would be um a little less comfortable with that.

Um I think we've hit on both most of these.

Um I I do I do question as well eight-sixty three.

Um yeah, we're in the right one, right?

Yeah.

Um sorry, it's late.

8-63.

I just want to make sure that we're consistent generally with Montgomery County law, but some of that's not gonna apply here.

And is that just something that we could do a cross-reference with existing Montgomery County?

I don't know, but I just want to, it seems that that was that was modified and pulled out explicitly.

So but in general, I'm I agree with Councilmember Fulton.

I don't want to miss a lot of the good stuff that was in this draft, but um I think that there's definitely some massaging left to do.

Thank you.

I um will always say yes, we want to hear staff and BSC's feedback.

There was one really important edit that I need to be fixed here, like must must.

Um on page 19 on timeliness, section 8 59.

A ballot is considered timely, may be counted if the ballot is returned to the in person to the city clerk director of council operations at City Hall no later than 5 p.m.

That is not the right time.

Uh it is 8 p.m.

I believe.

Yeah.

Uh so I just want to be very, very careful that we don't shorten the window for voting because a lot of people need to be able to work and then vote.

Um, so that that was I and I I would love to see.

Can we scan for any other major issues like that where we are making a major change?

I don't think that was intended, uh, but I want to make sure we we get to that and and figure that out.

Um have a number of other comments here.

Um there's some questions about board versus city clerk, DCO responsibility.

I would love to see the three of you plus the BSC talk about that together because there's a lot more onus put on the BSE.

Um, and I want to be mindful uh of their needs, and they've clearly articulated to us some of the concerns of the major shifts that are happening.

Um that's in many of the sections here.

Uh on page 17 um comply with the Americans with the American with Disabilities Act.

Um, I just wanted to ask, are we currently in compliance?

Uh does that involve like having braille or I just I want to make sure that um if there's anything we need to do to better comply, uh that would be very helpful to know.

Um page 18.

We got feedback from the BSC, and I I understand the comments about um the randomized order and whether that would be a challenge for them.

There was they give specific comments that there are currently 10 different ballot styles used, consistent with there being 10 different election districts in Rockville to help track voter participation throughout the city, requiring would have additional variances regarding the order of candidates and order would add considerable expense to the process and make vote counting by machine much more complicated and expensive.

So I just wanted to flag that feedback from the BSC, and if that is a real concern, I agree with that.

Um so and I appreciate my uh colleague council member Valeri raising that as well.

Um I think the question, there's a pretty big change on the postmark here.

Um so I just wanted to flag that.

I I do understand the the boards need to do things timely.

I I'm fine with it having to be um, you know, in by election day, but I just think that the communication education needs to be clearer because I do hear confusion the community is is it received by election day?

Is it postmark election day?

And I know that you all really do like to receive all the ballots and count them election night, and I I'm fine with that, but I just think that education needs to be uh and that needs to be better articulated.

Okay.

Um the vote centers, that's a big one.

I I we are we clearly articulate, and I wouldn't want to take away the number of vote centers to my colleague, Councilmember Fulton and Valerie's point.

I definitely want to support keeping that language in and the number that we have because we want to make sure that as staff changes, council changes, that there's very clear articulation of what we want to see.

We want to see people being able to vote close to home and have those drop those drop uh off boxes as well.

So I did I did want to make sure that we are not losing anything in that.

Um there is a section on 860 allowing campaign signs on premises at minimum from 5 p.m.

the day preceding election.

Um we've not started that early before.

Uh it's usually you don't want I know that you kind of do in the morning, so I just wanted to clarify that if you could provide additional information and what staff and the BSC would recommend there.

The BSC did provide some feedback about just clarifying the role and the election judges and appointments of that.

So I wanted to flag that as well.

But it all one of the things that I I did see that was interesting is that they would like to have additional election judges on standby as necessary.

Certified watchers are permitted to attend the canvassing and vote count at the Montgomery County BSC.

And I don't know if that language is very clear in the current draft.

So I wanted to flag that as well.

The electioneering we have simply just covered our electioneering stuff inside, so that there's not like this, I don't know what you what do you call that, madam.

Um it wouldn't be like a coordinated effort where a lot of people come in with uh all wearing the same t-shirt.

I could see people there's a loophole for that.

A flash mob.

That's what I wanted to say.

I was thinking of mob, but I don't want to say mob flash mob.

I I do like our current practice, and so I was just concerned about the change, and I did see that the BSC has not discussed that and would like to, but I do want to be mindful of unintended consequences.

Um I don't think it has been overly onerous to just put something over a cover-up, take off the buttons, keep the voting area free and clear of electioneering and campaigning.

I think that is very good to do.

Um and then I saw a question about does the board have the authority to determine who can watch initial vote counting?

Um that came up.

Uh and I I think that's worth exploring.

So um let me just see if there's anything else here.

Those are my core comments.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

So this is a really uh crucial um uh section, and I know that the BSC is gonna have a lot of uh comments, and so I uh I will reserve them.

But I noticed that um the question of the the postmark, and you've heard me hard hoff on this a number of times, because I'm really concerned about the post office and uh their new rules around uh postmarking and um just the uh the the mail actually being uh delivered on time.

And I think uh, you know it's a real question.

And so, you know, I I I really do like this section about uh the the postmarking um and the fact that you know if it's not in your hands on election night that people have a little bit of time because things happen with the with the mail.

And I I just I I would like to err on the side of uh giving people a little bit of a grace period because I'm not even talking about people.

I'm talking about the fact that once a ballot is out on somebody's hands and mailed, it could be a week before it gets delivered, and so the election might have passed.

And so there should be some time between uh election day and when you could actually um uh count the ballots uh because we're taking to into account that the post office for whatever reason um is a little bit on um unreliable right now, uh and will be for uh the for suitable uh future, maybe.

Now I do have a question though, um and uh obviously we won't answer right now, but um Mississippi Manager um uh city attorney and BSE.

Um if the return envelope does not contain a postmark or the postmark is eligible by the voters' affidavit that the uh ballot was mailed on or before election day.

First of all, I mean, how would they know?

Um but secondly by the affidavit.

So um if it is inaccurate, and they didn't uh I guess um send it before the election day.

What's the penalty?

Um so the other one was um challenges to the election results.

And um here we say that um if the candidate has lost by uh a margin of one half one uh yeah, one half of one percent or less, they can challenge.

But is there an automatic uh recount triggered, or is it just that the candidate has to um to ask for it?

I just you know that's something that I think that uh we should just consider and make a recommendation.

I don't know the answer, but it seems like you know, automatic recounts for uh margins of that uh sort or less um would be uh uh a good idea rather than just relying on uh candidate to uh challenge it.

Um but no, I I think this section really gets in a lot of stuff, and I look forward to the uh BSU's recommendations and uh recommendations of uh the general public.

Thank you, Councilmember Shaw.

Thank you.

Uh just one point to add.

Um I think we could explore looking at the placement of names on the ballot uh that is covered in this section.

There are some jurisdictions that pick names out of a hat or do some random um so so the names are randomly selected, um, not necessarily in alphabetical order, and I think that is something that we can pursue.

Councilman Van Gratt.

Thanks.

Um, as usual, want to see board of ad uh the the board of supervisor of elections and the clerk's office um consulted.

I know some of my colleagues have talked about this before, but this section once again has a lot of areas that has some dual responsibility, but not clear accountability.

And I think we have to make sure both with what the the clerk's office and the board have believed they can handle, but also at least so each task has you know a buck stops here with regard to what has to happen.

Um with regard to the randomized order.

I mean, I understand what the BSE is saying because but there's two different ways that you can have random.

And I think it's important to note that jurisdictions are more and more going to random because that is the fair way to do it.

But there's two ways to do it.

There can either be one randomize and a single draw, meaning that all the candidates before you go in the ballot are randomly picked out of a hat.

Fair, and that's the one ballot that goes across the city.

Alternatively, there could be what's called rotated ballots, meaning that there's multiple versions of a ballot that's randomly assigned.

Now rotated ballots is clearly the most fair.

It's absolutely the most fair.

But if we for whatever reason can't do rotated ballots because it's too complicated or too cost prohibitive, then at the very least we should be doing randomized single draw, because that is the most fair for all candidates, because anybody could be placed first, not just whatever name you happen to have.

So randomized single draw is a good step.

Rotated ballots, which I think is what the Board of Supervisor of Elections was commenting on, is the most fair.

And if it is what a bit able for us to implement, great, because that would be the most way to do.

But at the very least, having randomized single draw is more fair than what we have now.

Um with regard to going through, um, I do agree with Councilmember Jackson what you're saying with regard to the mail.

That being said, we have to make sure that we're also uh having some type of limitation.

Because you know, the reason when we have it clear that it must be received by that time on election, I know a lot of people won't put it in the mail because they know that that is something that they have to make sure it gets done.

If we expand it and say just postmarked, no worries, then a lot of more people are gonna be putting it in in in the mail, and a lot more people are going to do it, and that's gonna expand, and it's gonna get due later and later and later with regard to what we do.

So I think at least having it f be received by election day, which is a clear standard, makes people know hey, you've got to take owners for what you do and not potentially put more responsibility or tasks on the boot board of supervisive elections, having to count not just on election day, but the day after and the day after.

But more importantly than anything, as we continually discussed, we need to hear from the Board of Supervisor of Elections and the clerk's office as well, because they're heavily involved with regard to what they think is reasonable and fair with regard to how we conduct the election.

Um I I agree with what a lot of my colleagues were talking about with regard to electioneering and making sure that um everything from provisional voting and the results are addressed fairly.

I know we've had rules, and I think the other code had a little bit more clarity with regard to poll watchers and those who are tasked for reviewing.

I want to make sure that the board of supervised elections, who's in the room more than we are on a regular basis, has that input and understands what we're gonna do.

Thanks.

Thank you.

I have two colleagues who have additional comments and questions.

Councilman Fulton, then Councilman Valerie.

No, I just remembered my other thing.

Um, I wanted to get back to the mayor made this point, a lot of people made this point.

And maybe this is the right place to say it.

Election districts.

I think we made the decision that we're not going to have voting districts, like we're not um, but we do need because we need another way to address representation problems.

We need to know who's coming out to vote.

So I don't we we if this is the right place to put that back in or to rethink about that.

I don't want to lose that.

That was crystal clear.

Okay, good.

I see.

So it would just thumbs up.

So yes, not representative districts, voting districts.

So I wish we had the former.

Um, so I do have a question very randomly.

Don't have to answer it now, but in terms of electioneering and um uh individual behavior, um, you know, electionering looks different, right?

When we're a vote by mail only city, so I would uh one test or use case.

Would it be electiering if people during the time period that the drop box is active at City Hall are wearing campaign specific gear in the mayor and council chambers?

I don't know.

I don't know what the answer is, but it's something to consider because I think we're looking at electioneering very differently.

Um I think that's a good point.

So thank you.

Um thank you, Madam Mayor.

Then the other um point is um in other jurisdictions, a voter appadamic can also be a receipt from the post office.

So that um if somebody does drop it off at the post office, post offices provide them free of charge.

So that is also a potential solution.

Um, but I think ultimately it does come down to consistent messaging over and over and over to let people know that your safest bet will be to drop it off at a uh ballot drop box.

Thank you.

And with that in mind, I just was curious if staff could just share with us some data on is it has it been a big problem that there are a ton of ballots that come in after.

And uh, would you recommend including more drop boxes at different places so that people have the option to do the drop box closer to home?

That may also be a solve to address the issue.

All right, so these are the core sections you've asked us to address.

Um I know that there's some overarching comments that people were making, and we shared some earlier.

Um I will say that um I'm concerned that we do have uh some important sections that deal with campaign finance and um dealing with infractions that were critical to the last section that we're not covering tonight and is not covered until June.

I think that's too late.

My that's my humble opinion uh because we're getting very, very close to the election, and that is where there's the most complexity and forms needs to be updated.

And so um I will just say I think it's imperative that we find another time to talk about this in May and perhaps after the BSC has a chance to provide feedback.

I just I wanted to share that as an option with my colleagues and see what everyone thinks.

Yeah.

I'm seeing thumbs up.

But I do want to also get feedback from staff on what is feasible for you.

I just I want to be able to give to get feedback from the BSC and also to give you these other sections that we haven't gone through that are critical to get feedback on before June.

I'll comment and but I'll look down the aisle as I make these comments.

So I think we should take it one step at a time.

Um we had we have great feedback from Compson tonight.

Really appreciate it, especially the pointed questions we need to answer.

Also, um, I expect to hear or get other written comments from all from some of you that will incorporate.

We're gonna do our best to come up with a brand new draft, incorporating all those things before we have the meeting with um BSC on May 7th.

If we can't get to everything, um, we'll stop, but we'll put a draft together for the BSE.

We'll say updated draft with a date on it.

Go to BSC, get their comments.

And again, we're gonna meet with them the 7th and the 14th.

At the meeting on the 14th with BSC, we'll take diligent notes on what their recommended changes are.

Then we'll do another updated draft and get that to the council.

It's gonna be it's it should sound very, very familiar.

This is exactly how we did the ZOR process.

Work session with council, went to plan commission back to council, etc.

Recommending the same thing.

After the meeting with the BSC on the 14th, we'll just see where we are.

Three of us will confer and we'll circle back with council and just see what that draft looks like.

And if we think there's an opportunity for another work session, we'll make some recommendations.

Just keep in mind too, we're right in the middle of the ZOR.

We're gonna have very long work sessions in May for the ZOR.

And I just want to make sure the council has an appetite for that.

So let us get through the May 7th, May 14th meetings with the BSC, come up with a new draft, and then we'll circle back if that's okay.

Thank you.

I will just note I have concerns with not providing feedback on the latter sections.

I'm looking at five pages of comments from the BSC members already, and you haven't even seen ours.

Uh and I think that should be done publicly.

Uh so I just I do want to implore a consideration, even if it's just focused on those remaining sections for you to hear from the body on that so that you can get to a more revised draft in June.

Councilmember Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thanks for bringing those comments up.

I don't have much on those specific points.

Um question for I guess the clerk and or city attorney.

Moving forward with this, and again, you might not have an answer now given the scope of what's being discussed.

If if we move forward, you know, if we even get to the point of doing the election code as outlined in the deadline of June 29th, 2026.

Um again, are there charter changes that are gonna need to be part of this?

And if so, how long will those take?

Thank you.

Can we also hear from the uh city attorney's office as well on on these two items?

Yes.

Um, as I mentioned earlier, our goal would be immediately after adoption of an election code.

You know, we will bring forward to also uh a recommended effective date.

Let's just say that's 60, 90 days out between the adoption of the election code.

I'm just gonna pick a day, right?

Let's just say it's June 29th and the effective date, which may be three months later.

First thing we would do is put together the the charter change and get that to you as soon as possible.

We would also start working on the updated rules and procedures that are effective after the adoption of election codes, so that way we can do those things overlapping and create some efficiencies there.

Do my colleagues want to add anything to that.

I just want to uh reiterate that the code would be adopted with an effective date that would be in the future, and we would work on the charter changes, and they would be effective first.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton.

So I just wanted to clarify my view on this process.

Like my understanding is all three offices came together with this proposal on the timeline that we got a while ago.

Uh and 10 days ago.

Um, and so what what my view is I'm willing to give it a go, right?

I what you just laid out, city manager about like you'll work with the BSC, you'll do what you can to do a draft.

I'm willing to just I don't know that I need to presuppose that we need another work session.

I think what I heard you say is you'll come back after it and we'll be able to uh make a decision.

That's where I'm at now, just to be clear on where I am.

Thank you.

Anyone have any other comments?

Councilmember Jackson, Dr.

Miles.

Go ahead.

No, go ahead.

No, I was just gonna say I I do agree with the the mayor's uh point.

I mean uh I know that we've had a lot of discussion tonight, and so uh I think that uh additional uh work session, public hearing.

I mean, uh I think it was only enhance uh what we come up with.

Councilmember Miles and then Councilman Van Crack.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Tagging on that point uh again to other appointments.

I mean, what which else?

I mean, we we hear a perspective.

Do you think we need more work sessions or public hearings?

I mean, I mean you're running election, so I'm uh this is this uh this is owned.

I think we just need to start plugging in what we heard tonight and see where we go.

Um, you know, we'll have to bring this back for input from the board, input from the public, and we still have two more sections to go.

So it's hard to really say what we need right now.

So or how what the timeline looks like.

Tag on that.

I guess I would ask um, and perhaps I'm getting out.

I don't know if this is out order.

I'll I'll defer to the city attorney on this one.

If you could if y'all, all three of you can communicate with us if you think more is needed, more time or certain work sessions, public hearings, just let us know.

I mean, we again we we've been in elections, but we aren't election professionals, right?

And um we certainly aren't legal election professionals, although a couple of us are lawyers as well.

Um, so I do want to hear from you all again.

This is what you all do.

That's all.

I think we want to clarify.

Can I make one clarifying point?

Can you just put to the timeline that so that we can see?

I just want to flag the next steps that you have here.

Just to note that that the current timeline has said last slide, um has us providing feedback on the last two sections in June and then adopting the entire code on June 29th, and also we would be at that same meeting having a public hearing where the public doesn't hear what our opinions are on those two most some of the most important sections that cause the biggest issues last election.

So I just wanted to flag that short window between June 1st and June 29th for our colleagues, and that public hearing is scheduled the same day of June 1st.

The public hearing will occur before the public has to have a chance to hear what we are thinking.

So I just that is the the spirit of my concern for the public and wanting to make sure that we are giving you all enough time to hear our feedback on those last two sections and for the public to know where the BSC and the mayor and council are headed.

Councilman Van Greg.

So I think everybody's right here.

We definitely need work.

We need to hear from the BSE.

We need to hear from the public.

That being said, um uh Madam City Clerk, you've told us numerous time and time again that you wanted this done by May of this year, because you need a full year to understand what the rules are before we get there.

And I know circumstances have caused us to not get this draft until recently, as Councilmember Fulton said.

But council member Fulton's right in the fact that we can't just you know lay this out time and time again.

And council member Fulton's right that we do have a structure.

We heard from the during community forum from the head of the uh BSE who said there's a good structure here, it just needs work.

And so we've got a good structure here, and I don't think we need to jettison and say it's all we it needs work, but I think we need to really try as best we can to meet the uh this the next steps here.

Now we can if we want to add another work session uh into our other meetings to try to cram some stuff in, okay.

If we want to add another hearing after we get there, maybe we try to fit that in, but I don't want us to you know think that this is something that we can just keep putting off and off and off because I want to respect what you've said, you know, and I'm sure the board of supervisor elections probably is a similar view, because they were in a crunch last time when certain things were changing and they had to play catch up.

And so I think we need to not only make sure we get it done right, and to council member Miles' point that he made earlier, we don't want to just rush through this and get it wrong.

At the same at this in the same vein, we're in a reticking clock here, and I don't want to put this off any further than what we have here.

So just as uh the the chair said, we've got a structure here, we've got some good feedback, we're going to hear from the BSE.

I assume we're gonna hear from Madam City Clerk on details as well.

Um let's really work hard to try to meet this schedule and get it done so that we're not left with you know pushing this off to the summer because when we get to August and we don't have it, then we're getting into September, then into October, and that could be a serious problem with the implementation with the board and the city clerk.

Councilmember Valerie.

Oh whoever keeps playing with the slides, can you go back to the timeline slide?

I'm sorry.

Um, I appreciate what um to now you're just messing with me.

Um I see it's kind of like the doors open and it's not okay.

Um so no, and and thank you to to Councilmember Fulton Um and Councilmember Van Grack, I agree.

Um, you know, we could, and I think, and especially to Councilmember Van Grack, we have been trying to adhere to the best timeline to make sure that the city clerk and the BSC are set up in an optimal way.

We are here now, so it's really like you know, hearing hearing from the appointed.

What can we do to support you so that we can hit whatever deadline?

A plus plus.

Let us know to Dr.

Mouth's point.

Just let us know what we don't know, right?

Um, that if we do this, this or this, it'll make it um better.

At um at a minimum, what I'm thinking is, you know, at any point after the BSC work session with staff, um, even if we just got, you know, roughly maybe not a polished report, but even like the roughest notes from that, that would give us maybe enough time before the next work session.

Because what you heard, I mean, I know I said it like 500 times, but um, at a minimum, we just want to know the BSC's viewpoint on kind of what we said tonight, what we said previously.

Um, I'm just trying to think of like other ways that we can um get that feedback and stick to the timeline that is gonna ultimately set us up the the best um and set up uh Madam City Clerk to to run the next election the best.

So um I just wanted to throw that out there because I noticed the the I'm assuming that these two meetings are because reviewing the existing draft code will take a certain amount of time, and then having an actual work session on other things would be a second meeting.

So I'm guessing at the end of that one, if we just got like reflections or something, maybe that's something we can run with.

Just throwing it out there as an idea.

Thank you.

As you explore the next question, as you explore the next sections, there are a couple things I just wanted to ask you all just as a question as you're looking at it.

Um you have chairperson versus treasure.

There's a new chairperson required.

I just wanted to share that.

Seems to be new, and I'd like to understand the rationale.

Uh, the comments that my colleagues made earlier in terms of out-of-state campaign committees, we don't necessarily deal with in-state campaign committees and independent expenditures.

So I just want to flag that.

Um, and uh also just sharing the research on the contribution limits to all campaign finance entities.

There are some things about disposal of funds and some, and just from a candidate's perspective, I just want to make sure we have that because I don't know.

There's some people who ran for office on the BSC, some not, but uh there sometimes you keep certain things like hosting and URLs that you have to pay for, and you don't want to lose that.

Uh so I just wanted to get share that perspective.

And then for campaign receipts, just clarifying with an automatic email that comes from your uh payment service would work.

There are there are a couple of, and then the the other issue about there's a whole section on transfer from PACs.

That's loaded and uh I think warrants a lot more discussion.

So those are some big big things.

And again, I mentioned there are five pages from the BSC on the last two sections alone.

Um, I do just would love to see staffs and the BSC's feedback.

I am very concerned about having the public hearing first, then us going, and then we go to adoption without additional input from the from the bot from the public on the final draft.

I I will just be on record in saying that.

Thank you.

Any final comments or questions?

Okay.

Thank you, everyone who provided robust feedback.

Uh so are we going?

I just want to open up to the if we could give to the city clerk, she'll get it to all of us.

I can do it.

If you'd like to try to do that, okay.

Thank you.

Next is the just going back to the agenda item related to the introduction.

I just want to um I know the city attorney's office had some input on this uh in terms of introduction.

Do we is it because you have so much follow-up to go with the BSC?

What is your recommendation here?

I mean, I understand we're trying to stay on schedule.

I mean, typically when you introduce it's um a completed document.

Um it does seem like there's a lot that has to be changed.

Um candidly, my recommendation would be not to introduce tonight.

I don't think it I do think uh sadly it may bump our schedule a bit.

But typically when you introduce it's complete.

And we have, I mean, you all have identified for two hours concerns.

Yeah, I think that was part of legal opinion.

Okay, well, I think that was part of why I was thinking do we need something in May, or even just to have something where we get something back and introduce that in May.

I just will put that out there.

I fully respect your guidance.

Um, but I I would open the floor for my colleagues to weigh in on how we'd like to handle this next.

Councilman Voleri, and then I'll go down the line.

Yeah, I just wanted to flag, we don't need to introduce the ordinance to request the public hearing, do we?

We could request a public hearing because we want to have a public hearing, right?

Candidly, you can request a public hearing whenever.

Um that has been the previous interpretation.

I do understand that the code says um, if required, that um we would handle it that way.

And I will say that it's also best practice that once you uh introduce, and uh there's typically three weeks before you would have the public hearing so that the public could really see what they're having the public hearing about.

Yeah, so I mean, I do think it bumps our schedule.

No, that that that makes sense.

So today being you know, April 27th, we don't have to introduce the ordinance, but we could um kind of start the clock picking um on the time period before the public hearing that folks could have.

I'm just throwing that out there as a possible solution because I'm I'm I'm with uh the uh madam city attorney.

I I don't feel comfortable introducing an ordinance that needs this amount of work.

Councilman Van Greg.

I uh uh I kind of want to turn uh to the city clerk.

I mean, I I know that we've been really pushing, and I really don't want to put you in a position where we are potentially passing this and not giving you the time that you need to prepare for the election.

Um, how can we marry pushing this back with what you need with regard to getting this taken care of?

Without the changes that need to be made and and seeing what those changes look like and exploring what that implementation will look like.

I can't give a timeline.

We're already behind a timeline, if you ask me.

The code is already we're we're less we're starting the 18-month process for running an election.

We're already thinking and I know you said you were gonna look at this to say what could be done in a timely fashion, and if there are things that we have to weigh, that's a now versus later thing, you'll give us that guidance as you all sit down together.

Yes, okay, and I'll just note that if you all get together tomorrow and have a chance to talk, and you do want to at least just put an introduction in with after you meet with the BSE, I'm that's an option as well for some time in May.

That's I'm just saying that's an option.

But I I will say I would like to request that we have the public hearing so that we at least get that scheduled.

So wait, hold on.

Just want to make sure I was still.

Oh, I thought you were done because you stopped.

I asked a question.

Okay, go ahead.

So um I I appreciate that.

And so I guess that brings us to the city attorney's office.

You've definitely heard from the city clerk's office that they need to get this finalized as soon as possible.

How can we, with regard to how we would do this?

If we're if on your advice we're not gonna introduce this, what is the pattern for us to keep as close to schedule as possible to get us there if we're not gonna introduce tonight?

And if we can introduce tonight, is is it and you believe that it's not the advice to do so?

What steps can we do to assist the city clerk's office with getting this as close as possible?

You know, candidly, I feel like I'm kind of put on the spot.

I hadn't really thought um about that.

I mean uh Mr.

City Manager is suggesting that we would have a revised draft.

I'm sorry, we would have a revised draft um for the BSC to look at by May 7th.

So that's I guess effectively a little more than a week.

Um, you know, perhaps we could at that point introduce at the next meeting.

That would bump us maybe a week.

Okay.

I mean, candidly to introduce an ordinance, you all literally just say we're introducing the ordinance, it's an action item on the agenda, and that's it.

Yeah, which could have been but it is best practice for the ordinance to be pretty close to complete.

So I mean, I I just would say you would have to introduce it at the earliest date possible, the next earliest date possible.

So if that would be the next meeting, the meeting after that, after we've had you know address some of these issues, I think we would do that.

Councilman Crack, Councilman Fulton has a hand up.

Are you okay?

Okay.

Okay.

I was just gonna say, I feel for you, I'm watching the body language.

I think you guys need a chance to connect together.

Give us some advice.

Uh, if you could do that, please send us an email, and then we could do an introduction.

If you guys are gonna have a revised draft in May, I'm just offering that look at all the creative solutions.

Um, but I think this body does want to make sure we uh can have a public hearing.

Um do you need us to take a vote on?

I mean, if we don't have you guys have put public hearings on our agenda before without us having to vote on that.

Well, and and let me say at the end of the day, it's really the mayor and council's decision.

If you want to introduce tonight, you certainly could introduce tonight.

So if you take a straw poll and people want to introduce tonight.

Yes, I'm seeing thumbs up on giving you guys the professional courtesy to come back to us.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Next, old new business.

Just one thing, City uh, Mr.

City Manager, I know you gave an update.

Um, I think the last meeting, but if you could just give another update with regard to where we are with the Wooten Parkway repairs and the fact that we didn't quite get it done this weekend.

Yeah, I'm happy to.

So, in order to do the uh curb to curb asphalt repairs, we need two things.

Try weather and a warming weather.

We had neither one of those this weekend.

It was getting colder and rainier.

So those improvements are now rescheduled for next weekend.

We certainly don't want to do it then in the week.

Cause a lot of traffic disruptions.

So unless the weather gets really poor again, those improvements would have made this weekend.

Thank you for the question, Councilmember.

Any other comments or questions?

Okay.

I will just request that um staff continue to monitor the variety of budget proposals that come out of the county council and flag if there is an impact for the city of Rockville.

Another one came out today.

I didn't see anything particular, but I just this is an evolving situation.

All right, do we have a motion to adjourn?

I will just also say thank you to everyone who stuck with us.

This is a hard agenda item.

It's big important things for the city.

We appreciate all of your work, and thank you to all the residents who came out.

Councilman Van Crag.

Madam Mayor, I make a motion to adjourn.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilman Valerie, seconds.

All those in favor.

Thank you all.

Appreciate my colleagues and everyone who participated in this process.