Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION NO. 21-076 CALLING FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF CARSON CITY CLERK; RESOLUTION NO. 21-077 ADOPTING REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO CANDIDATES STATEMENTS; RESOLUTION NO. 21- 078 DESIGNATING ELECTIONS OFFICIAL; AND RESOLUTION NO. 21-083 REQUESTING CONSOLIDATION WITH STATEWIDE ELECTIONS (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
At the April 20, 2021, City Council meeting the City Council formally accepted the resignation of former City Clerk Donesia Gause-Aldana effective April 11, 2021 and requested the item be continued to allow further discussion of filling the City Clerk vacancy.
At the May 4, 2021, City Council meeting the City Council approved the formation of the City Clerk Vacancy Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes and Mayor Pro Tempore Jim Dear to develop recommendations for filling the vacancy. A Discussion item regarding filling the vacancy was subsequently presented at the May 18, 2021 City Council meeting and was continued to the June 1, 2021 meeting. At this meeting the City Council voted in favor of a November 2, 2021, election to fill the City Clerk position in lieu of making an appointment. The City Council previously adopted Resolution 21-033 at the March 11, 2021, City Council meeting calling for the District 4 City Councilmember election to occur on November 2, 2021.
This item concerns four (4) additional Resolutions related to the November 2, 2021, elections for City Council consideration:
• Resolution No. 21-076 formally calling the election for the City Clerk;
• Resolution No. 21-077 adopting regulations pertaining to candidates statements;
• Resolution No. 21-078 designating elections official; and
• Resolution No. 21-083 requesting election consolidation with Statewide elections.
The Special Municipal Elections for the City of Carson will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. The residents of City Council District 4 will elect one (1) Member of the City Council for the remainder of the vacated City Council seat term to expire November 2022. Also, there will be a citywide election for one (1) City Clerk for the remainder of the vacated term also to expire November 2022.
In accordance with California Election law, staff is requesting City Council adopt appropriate resolutions calling the election, requesting election consolidation, adopting candidate statement regulations, and designating an elections official.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 21-076 “ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE HOLDING OF A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021, FOR THE ELECTION OF A CITY CLERK AS REQUIRED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND CITY CHARTER”;
2. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution 21-077 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR ELECTIVE OFFICES, PERTAINING TO CANDIDATES FEES AND CANDIDATES STATEMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS AT SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021”
3. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution 21-078 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING AN ELECTIONS OFFICIAL FOR THE SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF CARSON ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021 FOR ELECTIONS OF A COUNCIL MEMBER AND CITY CLERK AS REQUIRED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA”
4. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution 21-083 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO CONSOLIDATE A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 2, 2021, WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE SAME DATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 10403 OF THE ELECTIONS CODE”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action deemed appropriate by the City Council and consistent with applicable laws.
IV. BACKGROUND
The City Clerk vacancy has been created by the resignation of Donesia Gause-Aldana. The unexpired term expires November, 2022, and on June 1, 2021, the City Council voted in favor of a November 2, 2021, election to fill the City Clerk position in lieu of making an appointment. The City Council previously adopted Resolution 21-033 at the March 11, 2021, City Council meeting calling for the District 4 City Councilmember election to occur on November 2, 2021.
The City Council is required under applicable laws to adopt several resolutions in connection with the November 2, 2021, Councilmember and City Clerk elections; specifically, the City Council is being asked to adopt appropriate resolutions calling the election, requesting election consolidation, adopting candidate statement regulations, and designating an elections official.
Consistent with City Council approval during its June 1, 2021, meeting to hold a special election for City Clerk, Resolution No. 21-076 formally calls the election for the City Clerk.
The City Council will also need to adopt a resolution consolidating with the Statewide elections with the County of Los Angeles (County) to administer the elections, effectuated by adoption of Resolution No. 21-083. The County administers the elections, with the exception of candidate nomination onboarding and publications. The election services provided by the County of Los Angeles include: services associated with election supplies, voting systems, voter information pamphlets, ballots, etc.
Consolidation with the County still requires responsibilities and legal tasks that are carried out by the City’s Election Official/City Clerk. These obligations include public noticing, issuing nomination papers, candidate statement verification, qualification of candidates, handling Fair Political Practice Commission filings, etc.
Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California provides that the governing body of any local agency adopt regulations pertaining to materials to be submitted to the electorate prepared by any candidate for a municipal election, including costs of the candidates statement. Resolution No. 21-077 is proposed for this purpose.
During the candidate nomination period the City’s Election Official/City Clerk provides potential candidates an election overview and a candidate handbook. During the issuance and filing of nomination papers clear instructions are provided to the potential candidates related to the process of: 1) the issuance of nomination papers; 2) signature verification; and 3) candidate statement printing. The Candidate Filing Fee is $275.00 upon the issuance of pulling nomination papers.
In addition to the candidate filing fee, candidates may also request to have a candidate statement printed in the election voter pamphlet mailed to every registered voter. The Candidate Statement fee estimated to cost $1,500 for English and $3,000 for English and Spanish (if requested, Tagalog will be done by the County at no additional cost). The Candidate Statement is optional and the fee must be paid in advance (at the time of filing nomination documents).
The March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election was the County’s implementation of a new voting system that changed how Carson residents voted. Voting centers were opened for multiple days Countywide allowing Carson voters to vote anywhere in the County. Staff will monitor how COVID-19 may impact the logistics of voting in November and keep residents abreast of any specific challenges or instructions, as may be needed.
Finally, Resolution 21-078 designates the Chief Deputy City Clerk as the City’s Elections Official in light of the absence of a City Clerk.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for conducting the citywide City Clerk special election on November 2, 2021 will be $443,000 according to the estimate obtained from Los Angeles County by the City Attorney’s Office.
The City Council has previously committed to a District 4 City Councilmember election on November 2, 2021, which is estimated to cost the City $128,000 according to Los Angeles County.
The total combined estimated cost to the City of $571,000 is included in the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget that is separately before the City Council today.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution 21-076 (pgs. 5 - 7)
2. Resolution 21-077 (pgs. 8 - 12)
3. Resolution 21-078 (pgs. 13 - 16)
4. Resolution 21-083 (pgs. 17 - 20)
Prepared by: John W. Carroll Sr., Chief Deputy City Clerk and City Attorney's Office