06.10.2020 City Council Work Session Minutes

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MINUTES Eugene City Council Virtual Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 June 10, 2020 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Claire Syrett and Chris Pryor Mayor Vinis opened the June 10, 2020, work session of the Eugene City Council. 1. WORK SESSION: STAR Voting Brooke Freed gave a presentation outlining the STAR (Score Then Automatic Runoff) voting system for local single -seat elections, including the potential to eliminate the primary election for city elective offices. Council Discussion: • Councilor Taylor - stated people want the right to vote on this topic and Council should give them the opportunity. • Councilor Clark- expressed concerns regarding costs and how the new system would affect voter participation; stated the Independent Party of Oregon used a similar system recently and experienced a large decrease in voter participation; said if the cost is high, a change is not affordable at this time. • Councilor Zelenka - stated any problems with an initiative petition process should be taken up with Lane County or the State, not the City; stated he does not think our current process is broken, and asked what problem this proposal attempts to fix; expressed concern that STAR voting is complicated, could have unintended consequences, and could be expensive; stated Council has higher priorities at this time. • Councilor Yeh - stated if Council decides to send it to the voters, whether intentional or not, Council is supporting it; expressed concern over the cost; supported no action at this time. • Councilor Syrett - agreed with Council Yeh's comments and stated there are challenges in terms of practical application; noted the Democratic Party used the STAR voting system recently and voters experienced confusion using the system; said if Council does refer this to voters, it must include realistic estimates of the cost to implement the system. • Councilor Pryor - stated he has similar concerns as Councilor Zelenka and wondered what is broken in the current system that needs to be fixed, particularly if it will cost a significant amount; stated STAR voting is not impervious to manipulation. • Councilor Clark - said he feels the STAR voting system will result in the most negative campaigning ever heard of, as the only effective means of campaigning will be to get voters to score one's opponents lower. • Councilor Taylor - stated what is broken about the current system is that campaigning takes almost a full year and that is too much; stated the current system is not infallible; said Eugene voters are exceptionally well-educated and able to understand a system like STAR voting, so let the voters decide. • Councilor Zelenka - stated for Council to put this on the ballot, it needs to determine the current process is flawed and he doesn't believe that; said implementing this system is not the City's purview, it is Lane County's; it is not a neutral position for Council to put this on the ballot; reiterated he is in favor of no action at this time. MINUTES - Eugene City Council June 10, 2020 Page 1 Work Session