Submitted By: Robert W. Batsel, Jr.
presenter
Presentation By: Robert W. Batsel, Jr.
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Department: City Attorney
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
title
Adopt Ordinance 2022-84 amending Section 26-7 of the City Code of Ordinances to provide for early voting in accordance with applicable Florida Statutes and an interlocal agreement by and between the City and the Marion County Supervisor of Elections
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Operational Excellence.
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
NA
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BACKGROUND:
City Council discussed this matter at a public work session on January 25, 2022. The minutes from the portion of the work session related to this item are enclosed. In summary, following a presentation from Ricardo Negron representing “All Voting Is Local,” testimony of Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Wilcox, and public comment, certain members of City Council indicated a desire for an amendment to the City Code of Ordinances to provide for early voting. In response, this draft ordinance is presented for City Council consideration.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
NA
FISCAL IMPACT:
NA
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
NA
LEGAL REVIEW:
The ordinance was prepared by the City Clerk, Angel Jacobs, and the City Attorney, Robert W. Batsel, Jr.
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve
• Deny
• Table
ORDINANCE 2022-84
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 26 OF THE CITY CODE, “ELECTIONS”; BY AMENDING SECTION 26-7 PROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING RELATING TO CITY OF OCALA MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Ocala, Florida, in regular session, as follows:
Section 1. That section 26-7 of the Code of the City of Ocala, Florida, is hereby amended to read as follows:
Section 26-7. Early Voting.
Early voting in municipal elections provided for in this Chapter shall be permitted and governed by the provisions of the Florida Statutes concerning early voting, which hereby adopted as a means of providing for early voting in any municipal election. Pursuant to an interlocal agreement with the City of Ocala, the Marion County Supervisor of Elections shall handle all matters relating to early voting, except that all early voting ballots and tabulations for voting in stand alone municipal elections received by the Supervisor of Elections shall be delivered to the City Canvassing Board and canvassed by the City Canvassing Board in the manner prescribed by Florida Statute.
Section 2. Severability Clause. Should any provision or section of this ordinance be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of this ordinance as a whole, or any part thereof, other than the part so declared to be unconstitutional or invalid.
Section 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect upon approval by the mayor, or upon becoming law without such approval.
ATTEST: CITY OF OCALA
By: By:
Angel B. Jacobs Ire Bethea Sr.
City Clerk President, Ocala City Council
Approved/Denied by me as Mayor of the City of Ocala, Florida, on __________________, 2022.
By: __________________________________
Reuben Kent Guinn
Mayor
Approved as to form and legality:
By: _________________________________
Robert W. Batsel, Jr.
City Attorney
Ordinance No: 2022-84
Introduced: 8/16/2022
Adopted: Click or tap to enter a date.
Legal Ad No: Click or tap here to enter text.