RESOLUTION NO. ___________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE SUBMISSION OF
A MEASURE TO THE VOTERS AT THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL
ELECTION ON APRIL 14, 2026, TO AMEND SECTION 201 OF
THE LANCASTER CHARTER TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY
COUNCIL TO ENACT AN ORDINANCE TO (I) INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM 4 TO 5, (II) ADD THE
OFFICE OF VICE MAYOR, AND (III) TRANSITION FROM AT-
LARGE TO DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS FOR COUNCIL
MEMBERS CONSISTENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA VOTING
RIGHTS ACT OF 2001
WHEREAS, on October 28, 2025, pursuant to the provisions of applicable law and the Charter (“Charter”) of the City of Lancaster (“City”), the City Council approved the following:
(i) Resolution No. _____ calling a general all-mail municipal election to be held on April 14, 2026 (“2026 General Municipal Election”), for the election of two City Council Members (“Resolution Calling Election”); and (ii) Resolution No. _____ requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles to render specified services to the City relating to the conduct of the general all-mail municipal election to be held on April 14, 2026 (“Resolution Requesting Specified County Services”) (the Resolution Calling Election and Resolution Requesting Specified County Services are collectively the “2026 General Municipal Election Resolutions”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 9222 of the California Elections Code and section 500 of the City’s Charter, the City Council also desires to submit to the voters at the 2026 General Municipal Election a measure to amend section 201 of the City’s Charter to authorize the City Council to enact an ordinance to (i) increase the number of council members from 4 to 5, (ii) add the office of vice mayor, and (iii) transition from at-large to district-based elections for council members consistent with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (collectively, the “Measure”); and
WHEREAS, on _________, 2025, the City Council approved Resolution No. _____ declaring its intent to submit the Measure to voters at the 2026 General Municipal Election and directing the City Clerk to schedule the two public hearings required by section 34458(b) of the California Government Code; and
WHEREAS, as required by section 34458(b) of the California Government Code, the City Council held two public hearings regarding the Measure: (i) the first public hearing was held on October 28, 2025; and (ii) the second public hearing was held on December 9, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to (i) order the Measure be submitted to voters at the 2026 General Municipal Election, (ii) establish deadlines and rules for the submission of written arguments and rebuttals for and against the Measure in accordance with 2 applicable law, the City’s Charter, and the City’s Municipal Code, and (iii) establish other rules and procedures for the submission of the Measure to voters.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER,
CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Incorporation of Recitals. The City Council hereby finds and determines that the foregoing recitals are true, correct, and constitute a substantive part of this Resolution.
SECTION 2. Submission of Ballot Measure. Pursuant to section 9222 of the California Elections Code and section 500 of the City’s Charter, the City Council hereby orders that the Measure be submitted to voters at the 2026 General Municipal Election to be held on April 14, 2026. The full text of the Measure is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Measure shall be available for inspection by the public in the City Clerk’s Office, located at 44933 North Fern Avenue, Lancaster, California 93534. In addition, a copy of the Measure shall be available, upon request, to any voter at the expense of the City.
SECTION 3. Ballot Question. The City Council hereby order that the ballot question for the Measure shall be presented and printed upon the ballot submitted to the qualified voters in the manner and form set forth in this section 3. On the ballot to be submitted to the qualified voters at the 2026 General Municipal Election to be held on April 14, 2026, in addition to any other matters required by law, there shall be printed substantially the following ballot question:
City of Lancaster
YES
City of Lancaster Charter Amendment
Shall section 201 of the Lancaster City Charter be amended to authorize the City Council to enact an ordinance to (i) increase the number of council members from 4 to 5, (ii) add the office of vice mayor, and (iii) transition from at-large to district-based elections for council members consistent with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001?
NO
SECTION 4. Vote Requirement. The vote requirement for the Measure to pass is a majority (50%+1) of the votes cast.
SECTION 5. Conduct of Election. The Measure shall be submitted to the voters for approval in compliance with the 2026 General Municipal Election Resolutions, with the addition of the following:
A. The City Attorney is hereby directed to prepare an impartial analysis of the Measure pursuant to Elections Code Section 9280.
B. The City Council hereby authorizes the following members of the 3 legislative body to prepare and submit a ballot argument in favor of the Measure pursuant to section 9282 of the California Elections Code: ________________.
C. The City Council hereby authorizes rebuttal arguments, for this Measure only, to be submitted pursuant to, and consistent with the requirements of, section 9285 of the California Elections Code.
D. In all particulars not recited in this Resolution and/or the 2026 General Municipal Election Resolutions, the election for the Measure shall be held and conducted as provided by general law for holding municipal elections.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this ______ day of January, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
______________________________ ______________________________ ANDREA ALEXANDER R. REX PARRIS
City Clerk Mayor
City of Lancaster City of Lancaster
3 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF LANCASTER )
CERTIFICATION OF RESOLUTION
CITY COUNCIL
I, _____________________________, _________________________ City of Lancaster, California, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original Resolution No.___, for which the original is on file in my office.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER, on this ____________ day of _____________________, _________.
(seal)
__________________________________
Exhibit “A” | Page 1
EXHIBIT “A”
[Text of Charter Amendment begins on next page.]
Exhibit “A” | Page 1
Exhibit “A” | Page 2
MEASURE “___”
[NOTE: Deletions are identified in strikethrough and additions are identified in bold underline]
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER DO HEREBY AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Text of Charter Amendment. Subject to the approval of a majority of the voters of the City of Lancaster at the scheduled election so designated by City Council resolution placing the proposal on the ballot for such election, Section 201 of the Charter of the City of Lancaster is hereby amended, and Section 201.5 of the Charter of the City of Lancaster is hereby added, to read as follows:
Section 201. Mayor and City Council. The City shall be governed by, and all powers of the City shall be vested in, the Mayor and City Council. The City Council consists of four Council Members each elected to office from the City at large in the manner provided by the laws of the State or procedures adopted by ordinance. The Mayor shall be elected to office from the City at large. The Mayor and each City Council Member shall have equal votes on all matters coming before the City Council. The Mayor and each City Council Member in office at the time this Charter takes effect shall continue in office until the end of the term for which he or she was elected or appointed subject to the right of the people to recall the Mayor or a City Council Member from office as provided in the laws of the State. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 201, the City Council may by ordinance enact the provisions of Section 201.5, below, which shall supplant this section in its entirety.
Section 201.5. Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council. The City shall be governed by, and all powers of the City shall be vested in, the Mayor, Vice Mayor and City Council. The City Council consists of five Council Members each elected to office from the City in the manner provided by the laws of the State or procedures adopted by ordinance.
Exhibit “A” | Page 3
The Mayor and Vice Mayor shall each be elected to office from the City at large. The Mayor, Vice Mayor, and each City Council Member shall have equal votes on all matters coming before the City Council. The Mayor and each City Council Member in office at the time this section takes effect shall continue in office until the end of the term for which he or she was elected or appointed subject to the right of the people to recall the Mayor or a City Council Member from office as provided in the laws of the State. This Section 201.5 shall not be operative or take effect unless the City Council enacts an ordinance that so provides on or before December 31, 2026. Upon enactment of such an ordinance, this Section 201.5 shall supplant and replace Section 201 in its entirety unless and until the City Council enacts an ordinance repealing the operation of this Section 201.5, in which event Section 201 shall once again become operative and shall supplant and replace this Section 201.5.
SECTION 2. Approval, Filing and Recordation of Charter Amendment. Pursuant to section 34460 of the California Government Code, if approved by a majority of voters, the Mayor and City Clerk shall certify, authenticate and attest to the passage of this Charter Amendment. The City Clerk shall also (i) record one copy of this Charter Amendment with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, (ii) file one copy in the City’s archives, and (iii) file one copy with the California Secretary of State. Each copy recorded with the County Recorder and filed in the City’s archives shall also be filed with the following documents:
A. Certified copies of all publications and notices required of the City by State law in connection with the calling of an election to propose the Charter Amendment.
B. Certified copies of any arguments for or against the Charter Amendment that were mailed to voters pursuant to the California Elections Code.
C. A certified abstract of the vote at the election at which the Charter Amendment was approved by the voters.
SECTION 3. Ratification and Effective Date. Pursuant to section 34459 of the California Government Code, this Charter Amendment shall be deemed ratified if approved by Exhibit “A” | Page 4
a majority of the eligible voters of the City of Lancaster voting at the General Municipal Election of April 14, 2026. However, this Charter Amendment shall not take effect until it has been accepted and filed by the California Secretary of State pursuant to section 34460 of the California Government Code.
SECTION 4. Severability. If any provision of this Charter Amendment or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the Charter Amendment and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED by the People of the City of Lancaster at a General Municipal Election held on April 14, 2026.
_____________________________
R. REX PARRIS
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
ANDREA ALEXANDER
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________
ALLISON E. BURNS
City Attorney