The Minneapolis City Council on Wednesday strongly signaled that it intends to change the language that will appear on the ballot this fall, when voters decide the fate of the city's Police Department and how to divide powers in City Hall.
Looming over the debate — and being litigated in court — is a question of how much detail officials should include on the ballot. (You can read the versions here.)
Meeting as the Policy & Government Oversight Committee, the council voted to remove an explanation attached to the ballot question that asks voters if they want to replace the Police Department with a new public safety agency.
"It is essentially exactly what we're asking for," said Terrance W. Moore, an attorney for Yes 4 Minneapolis, the political committee that wrote the proposal.
The council members also voted to change the language — and remove an explanatory note — for a proposal that has the potential to change the power dynamics in City Hall. Barry Clegg, chairman of the court-appointed Charter Commission that wrote that proposal, said they were "still absorbing" the council's changes and "are consulting with our counsel."
The council is slated to take a final vote Friday morning, setting up the potential for a fast-paced showdown with Mayor Jacob Frey, who has veto powers and raised concerns about the changes. Friday is also the deadline for submitting ballot language to county and state elections officials.
As the clock ticks, they're also awaiting guidance from a Hennepin County judge, whose order last week required the city to strike an explanation from one question, triggering the revision process.
Policing language
Yes 4 Minneapolis gathered signatures this year to ask voters whether they want to replace the Police Department with a new agency. City officials are tasked with writing the question that will appear on the ballot.