TO: ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM: SHELLEY DESAUTELS, CITY CLERK
DATE: JUNE 11, 2024
Reviewed by:
City Manager: AP
SUBJECT:
Title
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS INITIATING THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING TWO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL - DISTRICT 1 AND 5 REPRESENTATIVES; ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES; AND REQUESTING CONSOLIDATION WITH THE STATEWIDE ELECTION (FUNDING SOURCE: GENERAL FUND)
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SUMMARY
Claremont is a general law city governed by a five-member City Council. The City’s general municipal elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even years and are consolidated with the statewide general election conducted by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. City Councilmembers are non-partisan representatives elected to serve four-year terms. Terms are staggered, meaning two City Council seats are on the ballot to be voted on during one election cycle and three seats two years later during the next cycle.
Terms for City Councilmember Corey Calaycay, representing District 1, and Councilmember Sal Medina, representing District 5, are set to expire in November 2024. These seats will be open to eligible candidates for the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election.
Pursuant to the requirements of law for general law cities, the City Council must adopt certain resolutions to call the November 5 General Municipal Election. The City Clerk will serve as filing officer for candidates and will also work with the County of Los Angeles to coordinate and consolidate the City election with the statewide general election conducted by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk on the same date.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council:
A. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, CALLING FOR THE HOLDING OF A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024, FOR THE ELECTION OF CERTAIN OFFICERS AS REQUIRED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RELATING TO GENERAL LAW CITIES;
B. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE PERTAINING TO CANDIDATE STATEMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS AT AN ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024; and
C. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO ORDER THE CONSOLIDATION OF A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024 WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ON THE SAME DAY; AUTHORIZE THE REGISTRAR-RECORDER COUNTY CLERK OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO CANVASS THE RETURNS OF SAID GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION; AND PERMIT THE REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK OF SAID COUNTY TO RENDER FULL SERVICES TO THE CITY OF CLAREMONT RELATING TO THE CONDUCT OF SAID GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 10403.
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ALTERNATIVE TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there is the following alternative:
• Request additional information.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The Administrative Services Department has budgeted $100,000 to conduct a consolidated November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election for two City Council district seats. The budget includes the cost for election supplies, publication of legal notices, County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk services to facilitate the election, including mailing and tabulation of ballots, establishment and staffing of vote centers, collection of vote-by-mail ballots from drop boxes Countywide, and the provision of voter and candidate assistance.
In addition to the Statewide ballot that all City of Claremont eligible voters will receive, all eligible registered voters in District 1 (approximately 5,462) and District 5 (approximately 4,386) will receive a vote-by-mail ballot with their district City Council contest, return postage prepaid. This cost will be passed through from the County to the City.
ANALYSIS
City Council Electoral Districts
The current City Council Electoral Districts are depicted on the map below. These boundaries shall continue in effect until they are amended or repealed in accordance with law:
The City website contains a link to the interactive map where a voter may look up their City Council District: ndcresearch.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=7b865740e10d4d57b95ae3fc79524441 <https://ndcresearch.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=7b865740e10d4d57b95ae3fc79524441>
Calling the November 5, 2024 Election, Adopting Regulations for Candidates and Requesting County Election Services
Certain actions must be taken with respect to calling the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election in time to receive Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approval prior to the nomination period for candidacy which will begin on July 15, 2024.
The resolutions presented to the City Council for consideration are as follows:
• Resolution calling for the holding of the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election for District 1 and District 5 City Councilmembers (Attachment A);
• Resolution adopting regulations for candidates (Attachment B); and
• Resolution requesting the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors order consolidation of the General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election and instruct the Registrar-Recorder County Clerk to render full election services (Attachment C).
Candidate Eligibility and Nomination Period
In order to hold an elective office within the City of Claremont, you must be a United States citizen, 18 years or older, be a registered voter of the City, reside within the candidate specific City Council electoral district at the time the nomination paper is issued and for the duration of your term if elected.
The nomination period for candidates for the November 5, 2024 election will run from Monday, July 15, 2024 through Monday, August 12, 2024. Nomination papers will be issued by the City Clerk’s office, by appointment, during regular business hours. If an incumbent does not file papers by the closing date of August 12, the nomination period for that district will be extended (pursuant to Section 10225 of the Elections Code) to close of business on August 14, 2024. The incumbent City Councilmember for that district is ineligible to seek candidacy during the extended nomination period.
|
July 15, 2024 - August 12, 2024 |
Nomination Period Between these dates, and during regular business hours, candidates may obtain nomination materials and file to declare candidacy. |
|
August 13, 2024 - August 14, 2024 |
Extended Nomination Period Between these dates, candidates other than the incumbent for the office may obtain nomination materials and file to declare candidacy. |
Information related to running for office can be found on the City website home page, under the Government tab (which will then show the link to the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election page).
Candidate Statements
A commonly accepted practice is to pass through the actual cost of printing, translating and mailing candidate statements, which are optional. Each candidate filing a candidate statement shall be required to pay his or her estimated pro rata share to have a statement included in the County-produced voter pamphlet. The estimate approximates the actual cost, which varies from one election to another depending on the number of candidates filing statements, and the number of voter pamphlets mailed to registered voters in each district.
It is proposed that the City of Claremont continue the practice of charging candidates the actual cost of preparing a candidate statement, should the candidate elect to provide one. As of this writing, the number of registered voters in each voting district for this election are as follows: District 1 - 5,462, and District 5 - 4,386. Based on a candidate statement with a 200-word count limit, the estimated candidate statement cost is as follows:
|
District |
Approximate Registration |
Estimate for English Only |
Estimate for English/Spanish |
Word Limit |
|
District 1 |
5,462 |
$300.00 |
$600.00 |
200 |
|
District 5 |
4,386 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
200 |
This estimate will be collected by the City at the time of filing as a deposit towards the cost of printing a candidate statement in the voter guide, the online version, and in any monolingual voter guide booklet that a voter has requested in one of the 19 languages the County produces materials in. Each candidate filing a statement will then receive a bill or a refund after the election, and upon the City’s receipt of the final invoice from the County. This action is included in the attached resolution adopting regulations for candidates (Attachment B).
Alternatively, pursuant to Elections Code Sections 13307(c)(1)(2) and 13307.7, the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk has recently established a program to allow electronic distribution of a candidate statement on a dedicated County webpage. This program evolved as a lower cost method of publishing a candidate statement. Candidates may elect to prepare a statement to be posted on the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk website (www.lavote.gov <http://www.lavote.gov>) for a fixed fee of $279.60, and NOT have his or her candidate statement printed in the voter guide. This fixed fee includes Spanish translation costs for the dedicated posting, if desired.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds it relates to the proposed 2022-24 Budget, and the City Council Mission Statement.
CEQA REVIEW
This item is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by:
Shelley Desautels
City Clerk
Attachments:
A - Resolution Calling for Election
B - Resolution Adopting Regulations for Candidates
C - Resolution Requesting Consolidation and Election Services