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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1718-5 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTION 7.5-23 OF CHAPTER 7.5 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN BY CHANGING THE DEADLINE FOR THE NORMAN ELECTION COMMISSION’S REPORTS TO CITY COUNCIL TO BE AFTER THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION AND MUNICIPAL RUNOFF ELECTION UPON THE RECEIPT OF ALL CONTRIBUTION AND EXPENDITURE REPORTS FOR THAT YEAR’S CAMPAIGN CYCLE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND BY RENAMING THE “FINAL ELECTION” AS THE “MUNICIPAL RUNOFF ELECTION” TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 7.5 OF THE CITY OF NORMAN CODE AND ARTICLE II OF CITY CHARTER; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
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BACKGROUND: At its May 30, 2017, meeting the City Council Oversight Committee discussed amendments to Section 7.5-23(4) of Chapter 7.5 of the Code of the City of Norman proposed by the Norman Election Commission (“NEC”) that modify the NEC’s deadline to report to City Council to be after the Municipal Election and the Municipal Runoff Election upon the receipt of all contribution and expenditure reports for that year’s campaign cycle required by state law. City Council also discussed these proposed ordinance amendments at its July 11, 2017, Conference and its July 18, 2017, Study Session.
DISCUSSION: The current language of Section 7.5-23(4) of Chapter 7.5 imposes deadlines on the NEC to report to City Council within forty (40) days after the Municipal Election and within ninety (90) days after the “final election.” These specific deadlines set by municipal ordinance occur before the deadlines for candidates to submit their final contribution and expenditure reports under state ethics laws pertaining to municipal elections. This results in the NEC submitting reports to City Council before it has received all relevant information to be contained in the report.
The NEC recommended this ordinance amendment so that its reports to Council would not be due until after it had received all of the relevant contribution and expenditure reports required by the state ethics rules from the candidates at the completion of the election cycle so that the final report it submitted to Council would be complete.
The proposed amendments also re-name the “final election” as the “Municipal Runoff Election” to be consistent with other language in Chapter 7.5 of the City Code and Article II of the City Charter.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Ordinance O-1718-5 upon Second and Final Reading.