HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 14223
City of Palo Alto (ID # 14223)
Office of the City Clerk
City Council CAO Report
Meeting Date: 6/6/2022 Report Type: Consent Calendar
Title: Adoption of a Resolution Calling for a General Municipal Election to be
held November 8, 2022
From: Lesley Milton, City Clerk
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council:
1) Adopt the attached Resolution calling for a General Municipal Election for three
Council seats for November 8, 2022, authorizing consolidation of the Election, and
contracting for election services with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, and
2) By motion, direct the City Clerk to use the random name order set by the Secretary
of State to determine the order of candidates’ names on the ballot.
Background
Attached is a Resolution calling a General Municipal Election for three Council Member
seats on November 8, 2022, requesting the services of the Santa Clara County Registrar
of Voters (ROV), and requesting consolidation of the General Municipal Election with
any other election called for this jurisdiction for this date.
Terms of the following Council Members expire on December 31, 2022: Alison Cormack,
Tom DuBois, and Eric Filseth. Council Members DuBois and Filseth will have served two
full consecutive terms and are not eligible to seek re-election on the November 8, 2022
ballot. Council Member Cormack will have served one full term and has issued a public
statement that she will not be seeking re-election.
The Charter requires that the order of candidates’ names on the ballot be determined
by lot (Charter Art. VII, Sec. 3). The City Clerk recommends that Council continue prior
practice and direct that the Charter requirement be implemented by using the random
name order set by the California Secretary of State.
The attached resolution provides that a tie vote (upon the canvas or after a recount) be
resolved by lot, which is the default procedure under state law. If the Council prefers, it
may direct staff to revise the attached resolution to provide that a tie be resolved
through a special run-off election to be held not less than 40 or more than 125 days
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after the certification of the tie vote.
The attached Resolution and proposed motion are not projects subject to review under
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Resource Impact
The estimated cost of the November 2022 election including the 3 vacant Council seats,
2 ballot measures, and translation into several languages is approximately $307,000.
The proposed FY 2023 Budget currently includes funding of $320,000. The FY 2023
Budget is subject to City Council approval of the adopted budget, scheduled June 20,
2022.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Resolution 2022 General Municipal Election (PDF)
*Yet to be Passed*
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Resolution No.___
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Calling a General
Municipal Election of Three Council Member Seats, Requesting
the Services of the Registrar of Voters, and Ordering the
Consolidation of the Election
R E C I T A L S
A. Article III, Section 3, of the Palo Alto City Charter requires that a general municipal
election for election of council members be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November of each even-numbered year, that is, November 8, 2022; and
B. A statewide election is scheduled to be held on November 8, 2022; elections in
other cities, certain school districts and special districts in Santa Clara County are also scheduled to
be held on that date; and
C. Under Part 3 of Division 10 of the Elections Code, beginning at Section 10400, and
Education Code Section 5342, elections called by various governing bodies may be partially or
completely consolidated;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows:
SECTION 1. Call of Election. A general municipal election is called for the City of
Palo Alto to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, for the purpose of electing three (3) council
members for full terms (four years).
SECTION 2. Request to Consolidate. The Council of the City of Palo Alto requests
the governing body of the state and any other political subdivision, or any officers otherwise
authorized by law, to partially or completely consolidate such elections and the City Council
consents to such consolidation. The Council acknowledges that the election will be held and
conducted according to procedures in the Elections Code, including Section 10418.
SECTION 3. Request for County Services. Under Section 10002 of the California
Elections Code, the Council of the City of Palo Alto requests the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara
County to permit the Registrar of Voters to render services to the City of Palo Alto relating to the
conduct of Palo Alto’s General Municipal and Special Elections which are called to be held on
Tuesday, November 8, 2022. The services shall be of the type normally performed by the Registrar
of Voters in assisting the clerks of municipalities in the conduct of elections, including but not
limited to checking registrations, mailing ballots, hiring election officers and arranging for polling
places, receiving absentee voter ballot applications, mailing and receiving absent voter ballots and
opening and counting same, providing and distributing election supplies, and furnishing voting
machines.
*Yet to be Passed*
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SECTION 4. Consolidation of Measures. The Council of the City of Palo Alto
requests the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County to include on the ballots and sample
ballots, all qualified measures submitted by the City Council to be ratified by the qualified electors
of the City of Palo Alto.
SECTION 5. Candidate Statement of Qualifications. That the candidates'
statements of qualifications shall be limited to 200 words and that the cost of printing, translating
and distributing said statements shall be borne by the city.
SECTION 6. Tie Votes. In the event two or more persons receive an equal and the
highest number of votes for any office, the City Council shall summon the candidates who received
the tie votes, whether upon the canvas of returns or upon recount, to appear before it and shall
determine the tie by lot.
SECTION 7. Duties of City Clerk. The Palo Alto City Clerk shall do all things
required by law to effectuate the November 8, 2022, general municipal election, including but not
limited to causing the posting, publication and printing of all notices or other election materials
under the requirements of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto and the California Elections and
Government Codes.
SECTION 8. Contract Authority. Subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors of
Santa Clara County, the City Clerk may engage the services of the Registrar of Voters of the County
of Santa Clara to aid in the conduct of the November 8, 2022, election including canvassing the
returns of that election. The Palo Alto Director of Administrative Services shall pay the cost of
contracted services provided that no payment shall be made for services which the Registrar of
Voters is otherwise required by law to perform.
SECTION 9. Transmittal of Resolution. The City Clerk shall submit a certified copy
of this resolution to the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara.
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*Yet to be Passed*
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SECTION 10. CEQA. The Council finds that this resolution does not constitute a
project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code section
21065 or CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
_____________________________ ____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________ ____________________________
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
____________________________
Director of Administrative Services