Dear Neighbors:
I hope that -- despite the pandemic related challenges we continue to face -- residents were able to enjoy some family time over the summer, and those with school-age children are adjusting reasonably well to the start of the academic year.
The City Council returns from the August break with our first meeting on Wednesday, September 16. On Tuesday the 15th the City will hold its Nominating Caucus, the public event (this year, held virtually) at which Mayoral and City Council candidates are formally placed on the ballot for this fall’s municipal election.
COUNCIL AGENDA
The tentative agenda for the September 16 Council meeting includes introduction of the new Youth Council members; proclamations on Emergency Preparedness Month and National Voter Registration Day; a presentation on the New Ave Bikeway; and work session discussions on the creation of a Task Force on Reimagining Public Safety, a residents committee code of conduct, and an update on planning for the fall elections. I’ll be circulating additional details on these topics along with the usual background documents in a separate email.
The creation of the Task Force will be an important step toward broader consideration of ideas for modifying our approach to policing and providing more support for under-served and marginalized communities here in the City. We may vote on establishment of the Task Force as soon as the September 23 Council meeting.
Election planning is on the agenda for all Council meetings this fall, given the complications around the ballot mail-in/drop-off process we’ll be using. Some other key agenda items in the coming weeks include an update on the Library renovation project; the Collective Bargaining Agreements for City staff; and Council compensation and benefits.
ELECTION INFORMATION
Nominating Caucus, September 15, 7:30 PM. You can sign up to observe or participate in this event through Zoom via this link: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news/city-election-information/nominating-caucus/.
Takoma Park Local Election. Additional information about the Takoma Park local election for Mayor and City Council -- including how to register to vote -- can be found here: www.takomaparkmd.gov/elections. Because of the pandemic, this election will be conducted primarily by mail or ballot drop-off. All registered City voters will receive a ballot by mail in October. You can either mail it back or drop it off at a drop box. There will be a drop box at the Community Center and there may be another location. That’s still being considered, taking into account the need to have a secure site which can be monitored. There will also be limited in-person voting at the Community Center on Election Day (November 3), primarily for those who may not have a ballot. All mailed in ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted, provided they are received no later than 5 days after Election Day. Dropped off ballots must be submitted by 8:00 PM on Election Day. Again, you don’t have to request a local Takoma Park ballot -- if you’re registered to vote in the City you should get one automatically by mail.
State Election. Unless you plan to vote in person, you will need to request a State ballot (which includes the Presidential and Congressional elections). You can submit your request through this link: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineMailinRequest/InstructionsStep1.
That site will give you a couple of options: having the ballot mailed to you or having it sent to you electronically. While there are concerns this year about the US Postal Service, based on everything I’ve read and heard I believe it’s preferable to have the ballot mailed to you. With that option you can then either drop it off or mail it back. With the electronic option, once it’s submitted election staff would have to copy the ballot by hand before it’s tallied. That will significantly slow the counting process, especially if large numbers of voters select this option.
I’ve requested that my State ballot be mailed to me, and I plan to submit it at a drop box. I’m hopeful we’ll have a State drop box along with our Takoma Park drop box at the same place in the City. That’s still being worked on. It will also be possible to vote in-person on Election Day for the State ballot at various voting centers, including the Silver Spring Civic Center. There will also be a drop box for State ballots at the Civic Center and other voting centers, as well as early voting options (early voting details will be announced later). Regular Takoma Park precinct voting locations will not be open for voting on Election Day, and you won’t be able to cast a ballot for the Takoma Park elections in Silver Spring or at the State voting centers.
Whichever method you choose for voting, please be aware that there are two separate ballots: a local Takoma Park ballot for the Mayoral and City Council elections, and a State ballot for everything else. The ballots are separate because in Takoma Park we allow 16 ad 17 year-olds and non-US citizens who reside in the City to vote.
COVID INFORMATION
On Friday City staff released the latest local Coronavirus information on the Takoma Park COVID-19 Dashboard, which now displays data as of September 4. There has been an increase of 10 new cases since the last update. In addition, Montgomery County has announced its latest testing schedule, which you can see via this link: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html
As always, feel free to contact me with questions or comments about these or any other topics.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
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