A municipal election shall be held in the city on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of 2005 and shall be known as the "general municipal election." Following the March 2005 general municipal election, municipal elections shall be held in the city on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year and shall be known as the "general municipal election." All other municipal elections, which may be held by authority of the Charter of the city or by the Constitution and laws of this state, shall be known as special municipal elections.
(Rev. Code 1954 2201; O1439; O1699; O3036-1; O4070; O95-007; O2004-7)
In all respects not otherwise provided by this chapter, or as determined by resolution of the City Council, all municipal elections shall be held and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the state election laws applicable to general law cities.
(Rev. Code 1654 2202; O1699; O1999-39)
The City Clerk shall mail to each registered voter entitled to vote at a municipal election a sample of the ballot to be voted at such election, the mailing of said sample ballot to be in conformity with state election laws applicable to general law cities. No unofficial matter shall be mailed with said sample ballot unless authorized by resolution of the Council.
(Rev. Code 1954 2203; O1699)
A. 
Ballot arguments for any city measure, as those terms are used in California Elections Code Sections 9280 through 9287, shall be submitted to the City Clerk (as the City's Elections Official) in accordance with the requirements of state law; provided, however, to the extent that any such requirement of state law conflicts with a requirement of an ordinance or resolution adopted by the City Council, the requirements of such an ordinance or resolution shall prevail. The City Council has adopted a resolution, Policy Resolution No. 32, which establishes certain procedures and methods for submitting ballot arguments.
B. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of California Elections Code Section 9287, if more than one ballot argument is submitted in favor, or more than one ballot argument is submitted against any city measure: (1) any person or entity authorized by the City Council to author a ballot argument shall receive first preference and priority; and (2) any "bona fide associations of citizens" shall receive equal preference and priority to any "individual voters who are eligible to vote on the measure."
C. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of California Elections Code Section 9285, if the City Council authorizes one or more authors to prepare a ballot argument in favor of, or against, any city measure, those authorized authors shall be precluded from authorizing any other person to prepare, submit, or sign the rebuttal argument.
(O2014-8, 7/11/14)
A. 
A filing fee in the amount of $25.00 shall be paid by the candidate at the time of filing the nomination papers. (Elections Code § 22843.)
B. 
In lieu of submitting a filing fee, a candidate may submit a petition containing four signatures of registered voters for each dollar of the filing fee (100 signatures). (Elections Code § 6555.)
(O94-003)
At the time of calling a municipal election, Council may determine and order that said election is to be conducted by mail ballot.
(O94-037)
A. 
Unless a more particular definition is provided in this section, all terms used in this section shall be interpreted in accordance with the Political Reform Act of 1974 (California Government Code Title 9, Sections 81000, et seq.). For the purpose of this section:
Candidate
shall be defined as set forth in the Political Reform Act provided that the term shall be limited to Candidates for City office.
Committee.
Any Person or combination of Persons who, directly or indirectly, does any of the following: (1) Receives Contributions; or (2) Makes Independent Expenditures. A Person or combination of Persons that becomes a Committee shall retain its status as a Committee until such time as that status is terminated pursuant to California Government Code Section 84214. A Committee includes but is not limited to "Controlled Committee," "Independent Committee," and "General Purpose Committee."
Contribution
shall mean the same as that defined at Government Code Section 82015.
Controlled Committee
means a Committee which is controlled directly or indirectly by a Candidate or which acts jointly with a Candidate or Controlled Committee in connection with the making of expenditures. A Candidate controls a Committee if he or she, his or her agent, or any other Committee such Candidate controls has a significant influence on the actions or decisions of the Committee.
Electronic Filing System
means an online or electronic filing system for the filing of statements, reports, or other documents related to public disclosures for election campaigns as required by the State Campaign Disclosure Laws, that is established and used by the City Clerk in compliance with the State Online Disclosure Act.
General Purpose Committee
shall mean a committee to support or oppose candidates or measures voted on in only one City, or in more than one jurisdiction within one City.
Independent Committee
means all Committees other than Controlled Committees.
Mandatory Electronic Filer
means any elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person required to file statements, reports, or other documents required by the State Campaign Disclosure Laws that, in any calendar year: (a) receives contributions totaling $2,000 or more, and (b) makes expenditures totaling $2,000 or more.
Permissive Electronic Filer
means any elected officer, candidate, committee, or other person required to file statements, reports, or other documents required by the State Campaign Disclosure Laws that is not a Mandatory Electronic Filer.
Person
means an individual, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, syndicate, business trust, company, corporation, limited liability company, association, committee, and any other organization or group of persons acting in concert. A Person shall include, but is not limited to, a Committee or Candidate.
Political Reform Act
means the California Political Reform Act of 1974 (Government Code Sections 81000 et seq., as amended).
State Campaign Disclosure Laws
means California Government Code Title 9, Chapter 4 (Sections 84100, et seq.).
State Online Disclosure Act
means California Government Code Title 9, Chapter 4.6, Sections 84600, et seq., and particularly Section 84615.
B. 
The City Clerk is authorized to establish and use an Electronic Filing System in accordance with the State Online Disclosure Act.
C. 
Every Mandatory Electronic Filer shall file with the City Clerk, in an electronic format on the Electronic Filing System, all statements, reports, and other documents required by the State Campaign Disclosure Laws.
D. 
Any Permissive Electronic Filer may file with the City Clerk, in an electronic format on the Electronic Filing System, all statements, reports, and other documents required by the State Campaign Disclosure Laws.
E. 
Any filing made to the City Clerk on the Electronic Filing System in accordance with this section is not required to be filed with the City Clerk in a paper format.
F. 
Once a Candidate or Committee is subject to the electronic filing requirements imposed by this section, the Candidate or Committee will remain subject to the electronic filing requirements until the Candidate or Committee files a termination statement pursuant to the Political Reform Act.
(O2019-005, 5/21/19)