Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 | midnight
To alleviate voter confusion, the City Council has removed an advisory question it had previously approved for the November ballot.
Voters would have been asked whether to change the city’s charter to outlaw primary election voting on advisory questions, to bring the City Charter in line with state law, as the Charter Commission recommended.
The city’s charter allows asking voters advisory questions about Capital Fund Expenditures in primary elections, but state law allows such questions only in general state or general municipal elections.
The question as it would appear is confusing, City Attorney Dave Olsen said when he requested its removal at the Aug. 12 council meeting.
The council agreed 4-0. Councilwoman Andrea Anderson was absent.
Olsen also said there is an unresolved debate about whether the questions are advisory in nature.
He said the city must follow state law anyway, and the measure was more about housekeeping.
“It generated confusion, and it’s not a good time to be burdening voters with that,” he said.
The city will revisit the issue in the future, he said.
Cassie Tomlin is a reporter for the Home News. She can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].
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