UCPG Initial Election Procedures
(DRAFT)
Written By Michael Donovan
The following procedures fall within the guidelines established in the UCPG
Operating Procedures V1.0 and provide operational details for a hybrid
election.
The initial board election for the Uptown Community Planning Group will
commence upon a vote of the San Diego City Council accepting the Vibrant
Uptown application to be the successor CPG for Uptown. City Policy 600-24
(amended) will require an election be held within 90 days. This requires
some deviation from the regular election schedule as described in the UCPG
Operating Procedures.
All seats will be considered as vacancies. As seats are filled in the initial
election, the regular election cycle starts, so some seats may be for partial
terms based on the cycle schedule for each seat. Open seats are filled in order
based on the highest number of votes to the lowest.
Individual seats are set to be up for election in a specific election cycle, each
cycle covering 1⁄3 of the seats on the board. (It is assumed that seats come up
for election in 3 year cycles, with the following distribution. The numbers 1-3
represent an election cycle, such that 6 seats are up for election in each cycle,
each seat has a 3 year term (after initial cycles), and only one seat from each
neighborhood is up in any one election cycle. Any vacancies may be added to
the next regular election.
Election Cycle Chart
Business seats are managed on a different distribution, although still aligned
to the normal election cycles:
• Five (5) are designated as open seats with a maximum distribution of 2 to
a single neighborhood. All voters can cast votes for these seats.
• One is elected from eligible non-profit organizations based in Uptown. All
voters can cast votes for this seat
• Two are appointed (A) by the board based on nominations from large
employers
Election Scope
This election is for All cycles assuming 18 Vacancies.
The election will allow both in-person and online voting All voting will be
electronic, the process managed using Election Buddy software.
Election Timing
Elections will be held in multiple locations and at times convenient to as
many residents as possible and spread across our neighborhoods, including
online options for those who can attend in person voting.
In person voting will be held on (up to 2) separate occasions:
• TBD
• On election night from 5-8 PM at the (TBD). This will be followed by a
board meeting to seat the new board.
Online voting will open 2 weeks prior to closing of the election with
information sent to registered voters upon opening of the election (or within
24 hours of validated registration after that date) Online registration closes
24 hours prior to closing of the election. In person registration will be offered
up until 30 minutes prior to the close of voting
Election Registration
Per the UCPG operating procedures, prospective voters will provide
identification to qualify them as an owner, renter or business/non-profit
representative. Once validated, each voter will be assigned a unique identifier
by entry into the voter roll.
The only information retained about a voter will be basic contact information
(Name, Address, Phone, email) to prevent multiple ballots being provided to
the same individual or business. No other information is to be retained and it
will not be tied to their voting identifier after the election is complete. This
contact information will be destroyed once the election results are finalized
and any challenges are completed.
Contact information may be retained if authorized by the voter to receive
future mailings, but in no case will this remain associated with a vote cast. A
choice to be added to the mailing list will be included on the registration
form.
Registration will open June 15. The association between voter contact
information and voter ID is managed through the election system. The person
assigned to retain this list (registrar) may not be involved in tabulation of the
votes. This list is destroyed once voting closes.
Ballots
Multiple ballots are to be created, one for each neighborhood. A voter is
assigned to a ballot as their registration is confirmed as they are entitled to
vote for all seats open in their neighborhood and all at-large seats.
Each ballot will contain each of the candidates listed by seat category (owner,
renter, business) in random order.
The ballot will be unique to each voter. Virtual voting IDs are managed by the
software. In person voting will involve registration and then sending the
ballot to a shared device by the poll worker. Once the election is complete
these voter ID numbers will not be able to be tied back to an individual.
Each ballot format will be approved by the election committee prior to
opening of the election. Normally this would be approved by the board
At the Poll (Election Process)
When a voter approaches the poll to cast their vote there are potentially two
tables set up at in-person locations.
Registration
The registration table is set up to register voters or to replace spoiled ballots.
Unregistered voters have their qualifications checked per the UCPG operating
procedures and a voter is registered in the system, which assigns a unique ID.
The ballot may be sent to the user to vote on site using their personal device,
or transferred to a shared kiosk device.
Registered voters who have lost their voter link may have their ballot marked
as “spoiled” and a new ballot issued
Registered voters who have their voting link and ballot type info previously
provided may proceed to Voting
Voting
Online voters will be emailed or texted the link and voter ID necessary to cast
their ballot.
In-Person voters will be given the appropriate kiosk with their ballot loaded
with candidates appropriate for their neighborhood or can elect to have the
ballot delivered to them by email or SMS.
Voters cast votes for up to one candidate for each seat. If a ballot is spoiled
they can notify the poll workers where it will be “spoiled” and a new ballot
issued. Online ballots are open for change until the closing of the election
prior to the March regular board meeting.
The election closes promptly at 8 PM and online voting access is no longer
available. Any in-person voters in line at that time will be given the
opportunity to cast their votes.
Tabulation of Votes
Once the election has closed and all votes are cast, the vote is closed in the
electronic system. The full list of registered voters is retained until the
election is final and any challenges are complete.
Once the election is closed and the results verified by the election committee,
it is published.
The election is by plurality. The candidate with the highest number of votes
for an individual seat is to be declared the winner. In the case of a tie, the
candidates or a representative assigned for them if they are not present will
flip a coin to determine the winner.
The tabulated results consisting of votes cast for each seat are presented to
the newly elected board, who will announce the winners at the board meeting
following the closing of the election. New members will be seated
immediately after the close of the election as this will be the initial board. The
Election Committee chair will notify the Planning department representative,
city councilperson, and Uptown Planners chair that the requirements for
recognition have been met and the newly elected board will be the recognized
CPG for uptown from that point forward. Large Employer seats are appointed
by the new board at a future meeting.
Challenges
Any challenges to the results of the election must be provided, in writing,
within 24 hours following the announcement of the results to the chair of the
UCPG.
Challenges will be read publicly and discussed at the next board meeting. Any
candidates directly involved in the challenge will be granted up to 10 minutes
to make their case. A simple majority of the board may choose to uphold or
deny the challenge. This decision is final
Once all challenges are exhausted, the election committee will transfer the
contact information to the mailing list excluding any voter contact
information where the voter has not granted permission to retain such.
Closing
Once the election and any challenges are closed, the results will be published
on the UCPG web site and social media and details provided to the designated
planning department contacts as required.