City of Santa Monica, CA Elections Code

The City Clerk is charged with the duty of conducting all municipal elections under this Chapter and under the California Elections Code. If the City elects to consolidate a municipal election with the County of Los Angeles, the City Clerk shall be charged with coordinating the consolidated election with the County of Los Angeles.

The City Clerk shall be the filing officer for the purposes of the California Political Reform Act.

(Added by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 3, adopted 4/24/01)

§ 11.04.010 Nomination of candidates.

Not earlier than the one hundred thirteenth day nor later than the close of business on the eighty-eighth day before a municipal election, the voters may nominate candidates for election by signing nomination papers. If the nomination paper for an incumbent officer is not filed by the close of business on the eighty-eighth day before the election, the voters shall have until the close of business on the eighty-third day before the election to nominate candidates other than the incumbent for the elective office. Each candidate shall be proposed by not less than one hundred voters, but only one candidate may be named in any one nomination paper. Any person age eighteen or older may circulate a nomination paper. Only one person may circulate each nomination paper. Where there are full terms and short terms to be filled, the term shall be specified in the nomination paper. All nomination papers must be filed with the City Clerk. The City Clerk shall charge and collect a filing fee, in the amount of twenty-five dollars, from each candidate at time of filing nomination papers.

(Prior code § 11000; amended by Ord. No. 1309CCS, adopted 6/26/84; Ord. No. 2007CCS § 4, adopted 4/24/01; Ord. No. 2432CCS § 1, adopted 7/9/13; Ord. No. 2499CCS § 1, adopted 11/10/15; Ord. No. 2519CCS § 1, adopted 6/14/16)

§ 11.04.020 Title.

This Chapter shall be known as the City of Santa Monica Campaign and Election Reform Act of 1992.

(Prior code § 11200; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.030 Findings and purpose.

Monetary contributions to political campaigns are a legitimate form of participation in the American political process, but the financial strength of certain individuals or organizations should not permit them to exercise a disproportionate or controlling influence on the election of candidates.

The rapidly increasing costs of political campaigns have forced many candidates to raise larger and larger percentages of money from interest groups with a specific financial stake in matters before City governmental bodies. This has caused the public perception that votes are being improperly influenced by monetary contributions. This perception is undermining the credibility and integrity of the governmental process.

Officeholders are responding to high campaign costs by raising ever-increasing amounts of money. This fundraising distracts public officeholders from important public matters and encourages contributions which may have the appearance of a corrupting influence.

Small contributor political action committee.

High campaign costs discourage community members from running for public office because newcomers to the political process may lack access to the financial resources necessary to wage effective campaigns.

(e)

Limiting campaign contributions helps ensure equal opportunities for all candidates, promotes diversity among candidates and strengthens the community’s trust that their government is representative.

(f)

Limiting contributions to candidates and committees, to the full extent allowed by law, helps promote participation in government and trust that the democratic process is not subverted by affluent special interest groups.

(g)

Powerful special interests in Santa Monica have, in past elections, sought to use their wealth to dominate election results.

(h)

Santa Monica can best preserve its sense of community, safeguard its local democracy, and effectuate its commitment to fair public process by limiting all campaign contributions.

(i)

By enacting this Chapter, the City Council seeks: to ensure that individuals and interest groups in our society have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in the elective and governmental processes; to reduce the influence of large contributors with a specific financial stake in matters before City governmental bodies; to curtail overall expenditures in campaigns; to reduce the excessive fundraising advantage of incumbents and thus encourage competition for elective office; to improve the disclosure of contribution sources in reasonable and effective ways; and to help restore public trust in governmental and electoral institutions.

(Prior code § 11201; amended by Ord. No. 2270CCS § 1, adopted 9/16/08; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.040 Definitions.

Unless a word or phrase is specifically defined in this Chapter, the definitions set forth in the Political Reform Act, Government Code Sections 82000 et seq., shall apply to this Chapter. The following words or phrases as used in this Chapter shall have the meanings set forth below.

Candidate.

Any individual who has qualified to be listed on a ballot or who has solicited write-in votes on his or her behalf for election to the Santa Monica City Council, Santa Monica Rent Control Board or any other elected office of the City of Santa Monica, or who receives a contribution or makes an expenditure or gives consent for any other person to receive a contribution or to make an expenditure with a view to bringing about such person’s election to such office, whether or not the specific elective office for which such person will seek election is known at the time the contribution is received or the expenditure is made, and whether or not such person has announced candidacy or filed a declaration of candidacy at such time. “Candidate” also includes any office holder who is subject of a recall petition.

Controlled committee.

As defined in Government Code Section 82016, a committee that is controlled directly or indirectly by a candidate or State measure proponent or that acts jointly with a candidate, controlled committee, or State measure proponent in connection with the making of expenditures. A candidate or State measure proponent controls a committee if he or she, his or her agent, or any other committee he or she controls has a significant influence on the actions or decisions of the committee.

Election.

Any general or special election held to elect or remove a member of the Santa Monica City Council, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board or any other elected office of the City of Santa Monica.

Electronic filing.

The submission of required reports and statements in an electronic format approved by the Secretary of State and the City Clerk.

Organization.

Any corporation, association, partnership, committee, labor organization, political party or other similar legal entity or arrangement, whether organized for profit or not.

Person.

A natural born individual, as well as any organization.

“Small contributor political action committee” means any committee which meets all of the following criteria:

(1)

All of the contributions it receives from any person in a twelve-month period total fifty dollars or less.

(2)

It has been in existence at least six months.

(3)

It contributes to at least five candidates within a three-year period.

(4)

It is not a candidate controlled committee.

(5)

It receives contributions from more than one hundred persons.

(Prior code § 11202; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2135CCS § 1, adopted 8/10/04; Ord. No. 2499CCS § 2, adopted 11/10/15; Ord. No. 2579CCS § 1, adopted 6/26/18)

§ 11.04.050 Limitations on contributions from persons.

No person shall make to any candidate for office or to the controlled committee of such a candidate, a contribution or contributions totaling more than four hundred ten dollars for each election in which the candidate was on, is on, or is likely to be on the ballot or in which the candidate sought or seeks write-in votes.

No candidate for office or the controlled committee of such a candidate shall accept from any person a contribution or contributions totaling more than four hundred ten dollars for each election.

The limitations imposed by this Section shall be adjusted every five years, commencing on July 1, 2026, by an amount equal to the percentage change in the CPI-W Index for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics rounded to the nearest five dollars.

This section shall not be interpreted or applied to violate the right of association or the right to express views through expenditures. Rather, it is intended to be and shall be applied solely as a limit on campaign contributions to individuals and committees.

(Prior code § 11203; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2270CCS § 2, adopted 9/16/08; Ord. No. 2360CCS § 1, adopted 5/24/11; Ord. No. 2382CCS § 1, adopted 11/22/11; Ord. No. 2579CCS § 1, adopted 6/26/18; Ord. No. 2701CCS § 1, adopted 4/26/22)

§ 11.04.060 Return of contributions.

A contribution shall not be considered to be received if it is not negotiated, deposited or utilized in any way, and in addition if it is returned to the donor within ten days of receipt.

(Prior code § 11204; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.070 Aggregation of payments.

All contributions made by a person or small contributor political action committee whose contributions or expenditure activity is financed, directed or controlled by any corporation, partnership, committee, labor organization, association, political party or any other person or committee, including any parent, subsidiary, branch, division, department or local unit of the corporation, labor organization, partnership, committee, association, political party or any other person, or by any group of such persons, shall be considered to be made by the person, organization or entity financing, directing or controlling the contribution as well as the person, small contributor or political action committee making the contribution.

Two or more entities shall be regarded as the same person or small contributor political action committee when any of the following apply:

(1)

The entities share the majority of members of their boards of directors;

(2)

The entities share two or more officers;

(3)

The entities are owned or controlled by the same majority shareholder or shareholders;

(4)

The entities are in a parent-subsidiary relationship.

An individual and any general partnership in which the individual is a partner, or an individual and any corporation in which the individual owns a controlling interest, shall be regarded as the same person.

No committee which supports or opposes a candidate for office shall have as officers individuals who serve as officers on any other committee which supports or opposes the same candidate. No such committee shall act in concert with, or solicit or make contributions on behalf of, any other committee. This subsection shall not apply to treasurers of committees if these treasurers do not participate in or control in any way a decision on whether the candidate or candidates receive contributions.

(Prior code § 11205; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2360CCS § 2, adopted 5/24/11)

§ 11.04.080 Loans.

A loan shall be considered a contribution from the maker as well as the guarantor, if any, of the loan and shall be subject to the contribution limitations of this Chapter.

Every loan to a candidate or committee shall be by written agreement and shall be filed with the candidate’s or committee’s campaign statement on which the loan is first reported.

A loan made to a candidate or committee by a commercial lending institution in the regular course of business on the same terms available to members of the public shall not be subject to the contribution limitations of this Chapter.

Extensions of credit, other than loans pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, for a period of more than thirty days are subject to the contribution limitations of this Chapter.

(Prior code § 11206; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.090 Family contributions.

Contributions by spouses shall be treated as separate contributions and shall not be aggregated under this Chapter.

Contributions by minors shall be treated as contributions by their parents or guardian and attributed equally to each parent or guardian.

(Prior code § 11207; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2499CCS § 3, adopted 11/10/15)

§ 11.04.100 Filing of statements.

Any candidate, committee, elected official or slate mailer organization filing a statement required by Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Government Code (Political Reform Act of 1974) shall also file a copy of that statement with the City Clerk by the filing deadline specified in State law. Controlled committees that plan to raise two thousand dollars or more or spend one thousand dollars or more in a calendar year, must file campaign finance disclosure statements electronically. Campaigns that raise or spend less than two thousand dollars, are exempt from electronic filing and may file paper or electronic versions of disclosure forms. The City Clerk shall post non-electronic statements received on the City’s website within twentyfour hours, excluding weekends, or as soon thereafter as practicable.

(Prior code § 11208; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2135CCS § 2, adopted 8/10/04; Ord. No. 2499CCS § 4, adopted 11/10/15)

§ 11.04.105 Reporting of committee expenditures.

Any committee that makes expenditures of one thousand dollars or more to support or oppose a candidate or candidates or any ballot measure shall report such expenditures to the City Clerk. This requirement shall apply to independent expenditures and member contribution expenditures but not to direct contributions to political committees.

(Added by Ord. No. 2135CCS § 3, adopted 8/10/04)

§ 11.04.110 Printed literature.

All literature that is printed by or on behalf of any person, candidate or committee, including, but not limited to, small cards and billboards, shall be identified with the name and address of the candidate or committee, or chairperson and secretary, or at least two officers of the political group or organization on whose behalf or order the same is printed. If the literature is printed on behalf of any person or group of persons who are not also a candidate or committee, the person or group of persons shall be identified. Such identification of said persons shall be printed legibly and shall be appropriate to the size and type of the literature, but in no event shall such printing be less than in six point type. Compliance with Government Code Section 84305 et seq., shall be deemed compliance with this Section.

(Prior code § 11209; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.120 Candidate’s statement of qualifications.

Each candidate for Santa Monica City Council, Santa Monica Rent Control Board, or other elected office of the City of Santa Monica, may prepare a statement of qualification on an appropriate form provided by the City Clerk. Such statement may include the name, age and occupation of the candidate and a brief description of no more than two hundred words of the candidate’s education and qualifications expressed by the candidate. The statement may make no reference to another candidate. The statement shall not include the party affiliation of the candidate, nor membership or activity in partisan political organizations. Such statement shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk when the candidate’s nomination papers are returned for filing. It may be withdrawn but not changed during the period for filing nomination papers and until five p.m. of the next working day after the close of the nomination period. No candidate will be permitted to include additional materials in the sample ballot.

The City Clerk shall ensure that each voter receives a sample ballot containing the written statements of each candidate’s qualifications that is prepared pursuant to this Section. The statement of each candidate shall be printed in type of uniform size and darkness and with uniform spacing.

The City Clerk shall provide a Spanish translation to those candidates who wish to have one, and shall select a person to provide that translation who is a professionally-certified translator as required by State law.

If a candidate files a statement, then the estimated costs of printing, handling, translating, mailing and electronic distribution of any statement submitted pursuant to this section shall be paid by the candidate at the time of filing nomination papers for elections occurring in or after November 2024. In the event of overpayment and pending the final actual cost, the City shall prorate the excess amount among the candidates and refund the excess amount paid within thirty days of the election. In the event of underpayment, the City shall pay the balance of the cost incurred.

(e)

The City Clerk shall reject any statement which contains any obscene, libelous or defamatory matter, which violates the constitutional or civil rights of any person, or which is prohibited by State or Federal law from being circulated through the mail.

(f)

The City Clerk shall comply with all recommendations and standards set forth by the California Secretary of State regarding occupational designations and other matters relating to elections.

(g)

Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to make any such statement or the authors thereof free or exempt from any civil or criminal action or penalty because of any false or libelous statements offered for printing or contained in the sample ballot.

(Prior code § 11210; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2519CCS § 1, adopted 6/14/16; Ord. No. 2641CCS § 1, adopted 6/23/20; Ord. No. 2774CCS, 2/13/24)

§ 11.04.121 Ballot designations.

In determining whether to accept a proposed ballot designation, the City Clerk shall utilize the Secretary of State Ballot Designation Regulations set forth in Chapter 7 of the California Administrative Code, as modified from time to time. To the extent this Chapter conflicts with the Secretary of State Ballot Designation Regulations, the provisions of this Chapter shall prevail.

To facilitate review of a candidate’s proposed ballot designation by the City Clerk, each candidate must submit, at the time of filing his or her proposed ballot designation on the Declaration of candidacy, a completed ballot designation worksheet on a form provided by the City Clerk. In addition to the information provided in the worksheet, the City Clerk may ask a candidate to provide additional information. The City Clerk must notify the candidate in the most expeditious manner of any rejection of a ballot designation within three working days of the candidate’s submission. If the City Clerk rejects the ballot designation, the candidate shall have three additional working days to submit an alternate designation, together with a completed ballot designation worksheet.

(Added by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 5, adopted 4/24/01)

§ 11.04.125 Rebuttal arguments.

If any person submits an argument against a City measure, and an argument has been filed in favor of the City measure, the City Clerk shall immediately send copies of that argument to the persons filing the argument in favor of the City measure. The persons filing the argument in favor of the City measure may prepare and submit a rebuttal to the argument against the measure not exceeding two hundred fifty words. Such rebuttal shall be signed by any one of the persons filing the original argument, any combination of the persons signing the original argument or by all of the persons filing the original argument. The rebuttal shall not be signed by any person who did not sign the original argument nor shall it contain more than five signatures.

The City Clerk shall send copies of the argument in favor of the measure to the persons filing the argument against the City measure, who may prepare and submit a rebuttal to the argument in favor of the City measure not exceeding two hundred fifty words. Such rebuttal shall be signed by any one of the persons filing the original argument, any combination of the persons signing the original argument or by all of the persons filing the original argument. The rebuttal shall not be signed by any person who did not sign the original argument nor shall it contain more than five signatures.

The rebuttals shall be filed with the City Clerk not more than ten days after the final date for filing original arguments or the date fixed by the City Clerk, whichever date is later. Rebuttals shall be printed in the same manner as the original arguments. Each rebuttal shall immediately follow the original argument it seeks to rebut.

(Added by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 6, adopted 4/24/01)

§ 11.04.130 Distribution of newsletter prohibited during campaign.

No newsletter or similar matter shall be circulated by mass mailing or similar method by the Santa Monica City Council, Santa Monica Rent Control Board or their administrative officers as follows:

Within eighty-eight days prior to any municipal election to approve or disapprove any ballot measure;

Within eighty-eight days prior to an election to select any member of its governing body;

After any member of its governing body has filed a nomination petition pursuant to Section 11.04.010.

This prohibition shall not apply to the circulation of a newsletter or similar matter by mass mailing if the mass mailing is usual and customary and occurs in the normal course of business, neither refers to nor identifies any member of the City Council or Rent Control Board and contains nothing relating to the election, except for voter registration information, the date and hours of the election, poll locations and methods of voting.

(Prior code § 11211; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 1933CCS § 1, adopted 1/19/99; Ord. No. 2065 § 1, adopted 2/11/03; Ord. No. 2402CCS § 1, adopted 6/26/12)

§ 11.04.140 Ballot order.

In any election for any City office, the order in which a candidate’s name or ballot measure shall appear on the ballot shall be randomly determined by the City Clerk.

(Prior code § 11212; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92)

§ 11.04.150 Distribution of information for candidates and committees.

In order to insure that each candidate and proponent or opponent of a measure has full opportunity to understand and fulfill the requirements of the Political Reform Act and Municipal Code, the City Clerk shall make available to each candidate, to each proponent or opponent of a measure and to each committee supporting or opposing a measure the latest revision of the State of California Information Manual on Campaign Disclosure Provisions of the Political Reform Act and a schedule outlining required filing dates for campaign statements. In addition, candidates are to receive a Candidate Information Guide outlining basic municipal candidacy requirements.

(Prior code § 11215; added by Ord. No. 1109CCS, adopted 12/12/78; amended by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 7, adopted 4/24/01; Ord. No. 2774CCS, 2/13/24)

§ 11.04.155 Election filing requirements.

Time Deadline. Unless this Chapter provides otherwise, all documents required to be filed under this Chapter, the California Elections Code or the California Political Reform Act must be received by the City Clerk by the close of business on the date specified for filing. If the City Clerk’s office is closed on that date, all such documents shall be submitted no later than the close of business on the business day immediately following the date specified for filing.

Facsimile Signatures. All documents required to be signed and filed with the City Clerk pursuant to this Chapter, the California Elections Code of the California Political Reform Act, shall contain original signatures, except documents that must be filed electronically as provided in Section 11.04.100. Facsimile signatures shall not be substituted for original signatures, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

§ 11.04.165 Disclosure requirements during signature gathering periods for initiatives, referenda and recalls in the City of Santa Monica.

Vote by Mail Ballot Request. A voter may request a vote by mail ballot by original or facsimile signature.

(Added by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 8, adopted 4/24/01; amended by Ord. No. 2432CCS § 2, adopted 7/9/13; Ord. No. 2499CCS § 6, adopted 11/10/15)

§ 11.04.160 Format for petitions for recall, initiative, referendum or amendment of the City Charter.

Any petition for recall, initiative, referendum or amendment of the City Charter must comply with the applicable format contained in the applicable sections of the California Elections Code governing the same matters. In addition, the proponent(s) of any such petition must comply with all other applicable sections of the California Elections Code including, but not limited to, any requirements relating to the filing of a notice of intent to circulate petition, summary and title prepared by the City Attorney, any publication or posting obligations, any time limitation for securing signatures, and any filing requirements.

(Prior code § 11213; added by Ord. No. 1630CCS § 1, adopted 6/9/92; amended by Ord. No. 2519CCS § 1, adopted 6/14/16)

Any committee that is raising or spending funds to support or oppose an initiative, recall or referendum shall file their financial disclosure documents electronically with the City Clerk through the City Clerk’s website, on dates that are within the time period in which signatures are gathered.

For initiatives and recalls, campaign disclosure statements shall be electronically filed on the fifteenth day of the signature gathering period covering days one through ten, on the thirtieth day covering days eleven through twenty-five, and every thirty days thereafter for the thirty-day period ending five days earlier through the end of the signature-gathering period.

For referenda, which have a thirty-day signature gathering period, campaign disclosure statements shall be electronically filed on the tenth day of the period covering days one through five, on the twenty-third day of the period covering days six through twenty, on the seventh day after the end of the period covering days twenty-one through thirty, and by the nineteenth day after the end of the period covering the fourteen days, or two weeks, after the signature gathering period.

Otherwise, campaign statements shall be completed and filed as specified in State law.

(Added by Ord. No. 2016CCS § 1, adopted 7/24/01; amended by Ord. No. 2499CCS § 5, adopted 11/10/15; Ord. No. 2519CCS § 1, adopted 6/14/16)

§ 11.04.171 Fees for petitions.

There shall be a two hundred dollar fee for filing a Notice of Intent for a petition for recall, initiative, referendum or amendment of the City Charter, which will be refunded if the measure qualifies for the ballot within one year of the date of filing the Notice of Intent.

(Added by Ord. No. 2007CCS § 9, adopted 4/24/01; amended by Ord. No. 2774CCS, 2/13/24)

§ 11.04.175 Initiative Information Sheet.

In order to ensure that any person considering signing an initiative petition has information about the proposed measure and the initiative process sufficient to exercise his or her rights in an informed manner, the City Clerk and City Attorney shall prepare an Initiative Information Sheet to accompany each petition.

Each Initiative Information Sheet for a particular measure shall include at least the following:

(1)

The ballot title prepared by the City Attorney;

(2)

The text of the summary prepared by the City Attorney or a condensed version of the summary;

(3)

Notification of the right to request a copy of the full text of the proposed measure from the City Clerk;

(4)

Notification that the signature gatherer may be compensated for gathering signatures or may be a volunteer and that the potential signer has the right to ask whether the gatherer is a volunteer or is being paid; and

(5)

Notification that it is a crime for signature gatherers to misrepresent the contents of the proposed measure or to refuse to allow the signer to read the petition or proposed measure.

Each person gathering signatures shall provide copies of the Initiative Information Sheet to every signer of the petition. In addition, each person gathering signatures shall make copies of the Initiative Information Sheet readily available to prospective signer either by offering copies orally or by displaying them prominently in the same location where the signatures are being gathered so that signers may readily see and take them.

(Added by Ord. No. 2014CCS § 1, adopted 7/24/01)

§ 11.04.176 Candidate Information Sheet.

In order to ensure that any person considering signing a nomination petition has information about the nomination process sufficient to exercise his or her rights in an informed manner, the City Clerk and City Attorney shall prepare a Candidate Information Sheet to accompany each petition for candidacy for a City office.

Each Candidate Information Sheet shall include at least the following: (1) the nomination process; (2) the requirements for candidacy; and (3) information about how to withdraw a signature.

Each person gathering signatures shall provide a copy of the Candidate Information Sheet to every signer of the petition. In addition, each person gathering signatures shall make copies of the Candidate Information Sheet readily available to prospective signers either by offering copies orally or by displaying them prominently in the same location where the signatures are being gathered so that signers may readily see and take them.

(Added by Ord. No. 2033CCS § 1, adopted 2/12/02)

§ 11.04.180 Setting of special elections by resolution.

The City Council is authorized to set the date of a special election by resolution. The City Council may set the date of a special election on an established election date as provided for by the California Elections Code or on any other date as the City Council may select as permitted by law.

(Added by Ord. No. 1930CCS § 1, adopted 12/22/98)

§ 11.04.185 Mail in ballots for special elections.

At the time of the calling of a special municipal election, the City Council may order that any such election be conducted wholly by mail ballots. If so ordered, such mail ballot elections shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 2 of Division 4 (commencing with Section 4100) of the California Elections Code, except as otherwise provided in this Section.

Elections Code Sections 3001 through 3005, 3013, 3015 through 3018, and 3020 through 3021 shall not be applicable to City elections conducted pursuant to this Section. Chapter 1 of Division 4 of the Elections Code (commencing with Section 4000) and Elections Code Sections 4104 through 4108 shall not be applicable to the City elections conducted pursuant to this Section.

Elections Code Section 4103 shall apply with the added provision that, at the time of calling an all mail ballot election, the City Council may change the deadline for the receipt of ballots by the City Clerk for that election.