HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2405-3052CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, June 10, 2024
Council Chambers & Hybrid
4:00 PM
Agenda Item
2.Adoption of a Resolution Calling for a General Municipal Election to be held November 5,
2024
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: June 10, 2024
Report #:2405-3052
TITLE
Adoption of a Resolution Calling for a General Municipal Election to be held November 5, 2024
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council:
1. Adopt the attached Resolution calling for a General Municipal Election for four Council
seats for November 5, 2024, 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 for a General Municipal Election for four Council Member seats
on November 5, 2024, requesting the services of 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 of December 21, 2024: Pat Burt, Lydia Kou,
Greer Stone, and Greg Tanaka. Council Members Lydia Kou and Greg Tanaka will have served
two full consecutive terms and are not eligible to seek re-election on the November 5, 2024
ballot. Council Members Pat Burt and Greer Stone each will have served one full term and are
eligible to seek re-election on the November 5, 2024 ballot.
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 canvass 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 after the certification of the
tie vote.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The estimated cost of the November 2024 election including the 4 vacant Council seats, 1 ballot
measure, and translation into several languages is approximately $282,000. The proposed FY
2025 Budget currently includes funding of $200,000 for Council seats. Should a ballot measure
be added to the ballot, additional funding would be necessary; $125,000 for the Council
Contingency Account may be used at Council discretion.
Per the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, the initial estimated cost for City Council seats is
$164,507, each Candidate Statement is $3,190, and a one six-page ballot measure is $85,341.
On May 21, 2024, the County Board of Supervisors approved on consent raising election-related
fees, effective July 1, 2024. Final approval will be on June 4, 2024. The Registrar will update the
estimated ballot measure cost to reflect the increased fees.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The attached Resolution and proposed motion are not projects subject to review under the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Resolution Calling for General Election November 5, 2024
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
NOT YET APPROVED
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Resolution No.
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Calling a General
Municipal Election of Four Council Member Seats to be Held on
November 5, 2024, 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 5, 2024; and
B.Pursuant to Section 1001 of the Elections Code of the State of California, a
statewide election is scheduled to be held on November 5, 2024; 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 and held on the same day as a statewide election, upon order of the City
Council.
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 5, 2024, for the purpose of electing four (4) council
members for full terms (four years) who will be elected at-large.
SECTION 2. Request to Consolidate. Pursuant Elections Code Section 10403, 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 5, 2024, and shall reimburse the county for the costs incurred by the County of
Santa Clara Registrar of Voters in conducting the general municipal election for the City of Palo
Alto. The City requests the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors permit the County of Santa
Clara Registrar of Voters to prepare the City’s election materials. The election services to be
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NOT YET APPROVED
performed shall include the preparation, printing and mailing of official ballots and county voter
information guides; the establishment of precincts, election ballots, return mail envelopes, ballot
drop boxes, vote centers, election officers, and producing such publications as are required by law
in connection therewith; the furnishing of ballots, envelopes, and other necessary supplies and
materials for voting places; the canvassing of the returns of the election; the furnishing of
the results of such canvassing to the City Clerk; and, the performance of other election services
as may be requested by the City Clerk.
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, if any, to be ratified by the qualified
electors of the City of Palo Alto.
SECTION 5. Canvass of Election. That the City Council of the City of Palo Alto
requests the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara to hold and conduct the municipal
election in the manner prescribed in Section 10418 of the Elections Code of the State of
California, and to further provide that the Registrar of Voters canvass the returns of the
municipal election. The County of Santa Clara is hereby authorized to certify the returns of the
municipal election.
SECTION 6. Candidate Statement of Qualifications. That pursuant to
Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California, each candidate for elective office to
be voted upon in the City of Palo Alto, may prepare a candidate’s statement on an
appropriate form provided by the City Clerk. The statement may include the name, age
and occupation of the candidate and a brief description of no more than 200 words of the
candidate’s qualifications for office. The cost of printing, translating and distributing said
statements shall be borne by the city.
SECTION 7. Tie Votes. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 15651, 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 8. Duties of City Clerk. The Palo Alto City Clerk shall serve as the
City’s elections official and shall do all things required by law to effectuate the November
5, 2024, 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 9. 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 5, 2024, 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.
NOT YET APPROVED
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SECTION 10. 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.
SECTION 11. 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