Voting System Task Force
VOTING SYSTEMS TASK FORCE
MINUTES
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. City Hall 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room San Francisco, California
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Task Force Administrator Jill Lerner at 4:20 p.m.
Present: Roger Donaldson Jody Sanford Tim Mayer James Soper Gregory Miller Ka-Ping Yee Absent: Beth Mazur
2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES The minutes of the May 21, 2009 meeting were approved as written.
3. CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF TASK FORCE BY-LAWS By motion of Mr. Yee and second by Mr. Mayer, the by-laws were unanimously approved.
4. ELECTION OF TASK FORCE OFFICERS By nomination by Mr. Soper and second by Mr. Mayer, Ms. Sanford was unanimously elected chair. By nomination of Mr. Mayer and second by Mr. Miller, Mr. Yee was elected vice chair.
5. DEVELOPMENT OF TASK FORCE ACTION PLAN Members agreed to use the powers and duties assigned to Task Force as a beginning outline for development of the action plan. There was also agreement to develop a Task Force mission statement. From discussion, Chair Sanford stated that the TF should come up with draft language around three points: guiding principle(s), objectives, deliverables.
Mr. Miller: proposed straw mission: advise the City and County of SF on how to achieve voter intent through the determination and acquisition of voting systems that ensure fair and accurate elections.
Mr. Soper: scope: focus on voting systems and ancillary issues insofar as they affect or are affected by those systems.
Agreed that plan should begin with a definition of voting systems. Objectives can be found in language of ordinance. Court of public opinion will determine whether FT successful in achieving goals.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT a. Brent Turner: asked if Public Comment item on agenda be moved to front of agenda in future meetings; concerned that terminology used be more precise; that certain terms should be avoided so that there is not the inference that usage constitutes advertising for fundraising businesses of TF members; would like to see word transparent added to stated TF goals.
7. ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING AGENDA Mr. Miller suggested that Item 5, Development of Task Force Action Plan be carried over to the next agenda; approval of mission, goals and objectives.
Mr. Soper: research of what City is doing with respect to election systems.
Mr. Donaldson will report on SF Dept. of Elections procedures for managing voting equipment.
8. ADJOURNMENT
