City of Long Beach - File #: 18-1146

• File #: 18-1146
• Version: 2
• Name: CA-ORD / Election Dates
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 12/14/2018
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 12/18/2018
• Final action: 1/8/2019
• Title: Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 1.15, and by repealing Sections 2.01.210(b) and 2.01.1010; all relating to changing the regular election dates of the Primary Nominating and General Municipal Elections to March and November, respectively, to coincide with statewide elections as required by SB 415, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
• Sponsors: City Attorney
• Related files: 17-0921

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
1/8/2019	2	City Council	approve recommendation and adopt	Pass
12/18/2018	1	City Council	declare ordinance read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading	Pass

TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 1.15, and by repealing Sections 2.01.210(b) and 2.01.1010; all relating to changing the regular election dates of the Primary Nominating and General Municipal Elections to March and November, respectively, to coincide with statewide elections as required by SB 415, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)

DISCUSSION
On October 10, 2017, the City Council adopted a Resolution setting forth a plan to comply with SB 415, the California Voter Participation Rights Act (California Elections Code section 14050 et seq.), which prohibits political subdivisions from holding an election on other than a statewide election date if turnout for regularly scheduled elections is 25% less than the average turnout in the previous four statewide general elections.

Resolution No. RES-17-0117 approved a plan to change the primary and general municipal election dates to the statewide general election dates, now in March and November of even-numbered years, beginning in 2020, to increase voter turnout and to ensure compliance with SB 415, and to achieve consolidation with statewide election dates no later than November 8, 2022. The Resolution called for the preparation of an ordinance amending the Long Beach Charter and Long Beach Municipal Code to comply with SB 415, consistent with City Council direction. The attached ordinance governs elections dates for all City elected officials, as well as Long Beach Unified School District elected officials. Long Beach City College has already made changes to their election dates to comply with SB 415.

State elections law allows a City to extend or decrease the terms of City elected officials by up to 12 months, in order to match their terms with a changed municipal election date. (Elections Code §10403.5(b)) For school boards moving their election date, the term of office of incumbent Board members "shall be extended accordingly." (Elections Code...