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Council approves resolution on de‑annexation referendum with amended ballot explanation
Summary
The council approved Resolution 2026‑19 to respond to referendum petitions on de‑annexation and combining elections with Minnehaha County, agreeing to amend the ballot explanation so voters clearly understand that a 'yes' vote would de‑annex the property.
The council voted to approve Resolution 2026‑19, which orders a special election upon receipt of referendum petitions regarding combining elections with Minnehaha County and addresses de‑annexation of specified property. Several members raised concerns that the statutory ballot wording is counterintuitive: in the proposed language a "yes" vote would approve the resolution and remove the property from the city's municipal boundaries, while a "no" vote would leave the property in the city.
A council member (Committee member, S3) asked for clearer explanatory language so voters know “what a yes means and what a no means.” Staff (Staff member, S4) confirmed the statutory term used in the resolution is "exclude," and said the council could add parenthetical clarifying language—an explanation that staff and legal review would finalize. The motion to approve the resolution as amended (to add a lengthier explanatory paragraph clarifying that a yes approves de‑annexation and a no rejects it) passed by roll call; the amendment was to be finalized with approval by Patrick (name referenced in the transcript; role not specified in the record).
