Report to Mayor and City Council
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF CONSOLIDATION OF THE CARSON GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016
Body
I. SUMMARY
In order to increase voter turnout, on June 8, 2016, the City Council adopted an ordinance to move the date of the Carson General Municipal Election to the date of the statewide General Election held in November of even-numbered years. On June 9, 2016, the City Clerk forwarded the ordinance and a request for approval to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
On June 14, 2016, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the consolidation of Carson's General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election to be conducted by the County on November 8, 2016.
On July 5, 2016 the City Council adopted Resolution 16-085, which called the General Municipal Election to be concurrent, but not consolidated, with the statewide General Election to be conducted by the County of Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The City Council expressed concerns about a consolidated election, including voter confusion and a potential drop in voter turnout for the election because this is the first year Carson is changing its election date and the Statewide General Election has an unusually long ballot.
Subsequently, the County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk expressed concerns about voter confusion in conducting a concurrent election on the same date as the Presidential General Election and indicated that the action to do so conflicted with the approved action of the Board of Supervisors on June 14, 2016 for consolidation.
The City Clerk, along with the City Attorney then met with Mr. Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, his staff and County Counsel, in order to discuss the Carson General Municipal Election. The City Clerk and the City Attorney expre...
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