Burbank to Vote Twice : Elections: Officials expect confusion over today’s ballot. Next week residents choose trustees of L.A. Community College District.

This year voters in Burbank may experience a keen sense of deja vu--and confusion.

Today city residents will cast ballots to fill seats on the Burbank City Council and the Burbank Board of Education, but they will also vote next week in Los Angeles’ municipal election--which has some Burbank city officials concerned about voter confusion and a low voter turn-out today.

“We have had a lot of phone calls asking for clarification,” said Assistant City Clerk Michael McIninch.

The confusion stems from a change in the date of the Los Angeles municipal election.

Historically, the Burbank general election and the primary election in Los Angeles are held on the same day--the second Tuesday in April, said Joseph Giles of the elections division in the Los Angeles city clerk’s office.

Because Burbank is a part of the Los Angeles Community College District, Burbank voters also cast ballots for members of the college district’s board of trustees, listed on the Los Angeles ballot. By consolidating the elections, the cities save money by sharing costs.

“The concept behind it is to staff polling places only once instead of twice,” Giles said. “There’s some additional savings in the preparation of one booklet instead of two.”

But last year the Los Angeles City Council voted to change the election date after officials realized the second Tuesday in April would fall on the last day of Passover, Giles said.

“The city in 1987 amended its city charter to provide that if a significant event was scheduled to occur on Election Day, the City Council by ordinance could move the election by one week, either before or after the normally scheduled day,” Giles said.

Burbank city officials did not become aware of the change until February of this year and were unable to change the date for the Burbank election, McIninch said.

“Our dates are set by the charter and it takes a charter amendment” to change them, McIninch said. “It would have been kind of a difficult process under the best of circumstances.”

Because the Burbank election is not being held with the Los Angeles election, the city will pay more than it normally does for an election, but the Burbank city clerk’s office has not determined how much more.

Because Burbank voters have received sample ballots and polling information for Tuesday’s election and for the election next week, many have called the city clerk’s office, confused about the different balloting information and dates, McIninch said.

At least some are concerned because today’s election “doesn’t coincide with any other national, state or county election,” said Assistant City Manager Scott Mitnick.

“Traditionally when city elections coincide with county, national or state elections, the turnout is significantly higher,” Mitnick said, and city officials worry that the stand-alone election will not draw many voters.

“We’re concerned about it,” he said.

Today’s election is particularly important because voters will fill three seats--the majority--on the five-member City Council, Mitnick said.

“Some say we’re at a pivotal place in history . . . The city manager wants to make sure the citizens know about the elections and do participate,” he said.

Polls in Burbank will be open today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.