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River Heights council approves interlocal agreement for county-run election services
Summary
At its April 30 meeting the River Heights City Council voted to approve a 2025 interlocal cooperation agreement with the county for administration of municipal elections, with staff noting a per-voter charge of $2.17 and a budgeted election line of $6,000.
The River Heights City Council voted April 30 to accept a 2025 interlocal cooperation agreement with the county to provide election administration services for municipal elections.
City Attorney John Jenkins reviewed the agreement and “didn’t have any issues with the agreement,” council members said during the meeting; Jenkins declined to comment on cost details. Finance Director Dave Sanderson told the council the county’s per‑voter charge on the schedule in the agreement is $2.17. “The price per voter ... is $2.17,” Sanderson said during the discussion.
Council members and staff framed the agreement as a response to long‑running changes in how elections are run at the state level. Staff said the state currently requires vote‑by‑mail elections and that county administration consolidates printing, postage and other election tasks. Because the city contracts with the county that per‑voter rate will be applied to River Heights’ registered voters in election years; staff noted the city’s budget includes a $6,000 line for election costs in the coming fiscal year.
A council member moved to accept the agreement and a second was recorded; the motion passed on a voice vote. Earlier in the meeting the council also approved the previous meeting’s minutes and the evening’s agenda by voice vote.
The agreement and the per‑voter charge both feed into the city’s 2025–26 budget discussions. Staff said the city will pay the county in the next fiscal year for election costs that occur this year and that the bill will be smaller if no primary is required. Council members also noted a possible future change: state guidance discussed at a training suggested municipalities might reacquire a choice about mail ballots in 2029, a change staff said could complicate voter communications in the near term.
The council did not change the agreement text at the meeting. Staff will record the final cost and payment timing in the budget documents and proceed under the agreement for the upcoming municipal election.
