Title
Staff Report for the November 4, 2014 General Municipal Election for the City of San Leandro
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to conduct the City's General Municipal Election on November 4, 2014, the City Council must take these actions:
1. Adopt a resolution calling for the holding of the General Municipal Election, requesting consolidation with the Statewide General Election, and adopting regulations for candidate statements
2. Adopt an ordinance establishing candidate nomination procedures
BACKGROUND
To provide the necessary authorization and direction to staff to conduct the November 4, 2014 General Municipal Election, the City Council must approve two legislative documents. These documents and their purposes are listed below.
1. Resolution Calling for the Holding of the General Municipal Election
This resolution provides for the holding of the General Municipal Election for the election of a Mayor and the City Councilmembers for Districts 1, 3, and 5. It directs the City Clerk to perform the publications, postings and noticing for the election required by the California Elections Code.
Secondly, this resolution requests the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to permit the consolidation of the City of San Leandro General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election; to direct the Alameda County Registrar of Voters to provide election services to the City; and to bill the City for the cost of conducting the election.
Lastly, this resolution sets the following regulations for candidate statements:
· Establishes a maximum of 200 words for each candidate statement of qualifications;
· Disallows any additional candidate materials to be mailed with the Sample Ballot and Voter Pamphlet;
· Sets a deposit amount of $900.00, to be paid by candidates at the time of filing nominating papers and candidate statements, for their pro-rata share of the costs of printing, handling, translating and mailing the candidate statements. Following the election, candidates will be refunded any overage or billed for any additional costs.
2. Ordinance Establishing Election and Nomination Procedures
Section 610 of the Charter of the City of San Leandro states that the Council, by ordinance, may provide for the method of conducting municipal elections. This ordinance provides for the publication of the Notice of Election by the City Clerk, the method of nomination of candidates, filing dates for nomination papers, and time extension if an incumbent fails to file. It also sets provisions for the procedure to be used if no candidate files for an office and provides for the use of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Pursuant to California Government Code Section 36937(a), as this ordinance relates to an election, it is effective immediately upon adoption.
Summary of Public Outreach Efforts
The City's elections web pages have been updated for the upcoming election. Election information will also be provided to the press, published on the City's elections web page, and shown on the City's Government Access Channel 15. Voter information and education has already commenced, beginning with a voter education booth at the Cherry Festival, and will continue through Election Day.
Fiscal Impacts
The 2014 election is estimated to cost $60,000.
Budget Authority
There is $110,000 in the FY 2014-15 General Fund budget (Account 010-11-031-5890) for elections.
ATTACHMENTS
None
PREPARED BY: Marian Handa, City Clerk, City Manager's Office