Subject:
Title
Fiscal Year 2017 Board Budget Amendment No. 3 to realign appropriation from the General Government cost center to the Supervisor of Elections cost center within the General Fund.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) Board Budget Amendment No. 3 realigning appropriation from the General Government - Reserve for Contingencies cost center to the Supervisor of Elections cost center within the General Fund for costs associated with Bilingual Language Compliance as required by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, as enacted by Congress.
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Strategic Plan:
Deliver first class services to the public and our customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
As requested by the Supervisor of Elections, this amendment realigns appropriation from the General Government - Reserve for Contingencies cost center to the Supervisor of Elections cost center within the General Fund. Appropriation is needed for costs associated with Bilingual Language Compliance as required by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, as enacted by Congress.
Background Information:
When Congress amended the Voting Rights Act in 1975 by adding Section 203, it found that “through the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process….The Congress declares that, in order to enforce the guarantees of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, it is necessary to eliminate such discrimination by prohibiting these practices.”
The law covers localities where more than 10,000 or over five percent of the total voting age citizens in a single political subdivision (e.g. county) who are members of a single minority language group, have depressed literacy rates, and do not speak English very well. Determinations are based on data from the most recent Census.
On December 20, 2016, the Supervisor of Elections was notified by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) of Pinellas County’s requirement to comply with Section 203, with an effective date of December 25, 2016.
Fiscal Impact:
This amendment realigns $245,000.00 from General Government - Reserve for Contingencies to the Supervisor of Elections for costs associated with Bilingual Language Compliance as required by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, as enacted by Congress. This amendment is consistent with the current year estimates provided during the FY18 budget development process. Funds to support compliance are also included in the FY18 Proposed Budget.
Staff Member Responsible:
Linda K. Larkins, Budget and Financial Management Analyst
Office of Management and Budget
Partners:
Supervisor of Elections
Attachments:
Board Budget Amendment No. 3
Supervisor of Elections FY17 Special Appropriation Request memorandum dated May 19, 2017
Letter from DOJ - Bilingual Election Requirements - 12-2016