RESOLUTION NO. 2026-21
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LOMITA,
CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR
ELECTIVE OFFICE PERTAINING TO CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS AT AN ELECTION TO BE HELD ON
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026
WHEREAS, Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California provides that the governing body of any local agency adopt regulations pertaining to materials prepared by any candidate for a municipal election, including costs of the candidates’ statements;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LOMITA,
CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS. Pursuant to Sections 13307 and 13308 of the Elections Code of the State of California, each candidate for elective office to be voted for at an election to be held in the City of Lomita on November 3, 2026, 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 two hundred (200) words of the candidate’s education and qualifications expressed by the candidate himself or herself. The statement shall not include party affiliation of the candidate nor membership or activity in partisan political organizations.
In addition, the statement shall be limited to a recitation of the candidate’s own personal background and qualifications and shall not in any way make reference to other candidates for that office or to another candidate’s qualifications, character, or activities.
Pursuant to Section 13307(c), the City of Lomita authorizes the preparation of candidate statements for elective office for the purpose of electronic distribution. Candidates will prepare statements for electronic distribution pursuant to Section 13307(a) of the Elections Code. A statement prepared pursuant to this subdivision shall be posted on the internet website of the County Elections Official. Pursuant to Section 13307.7(a) of the Elections Code, candidates shall provide payment of the requisite fee to cover the duties and procedures set forth in Sections 13307(b) and (d) of the Elections Code. Except as stated above, the statement shall be filed in typewritten form in the office of the City Clerk at the time the candidate’s nomination papers are filed. The statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing nomination papers and until 5:00 p.m. of the next working day after the close of the nomination period.
SECTION 2: FOREIGN LANGUAGE POLICY.
a. Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, the County is required to translate candidates’ statements into the following languages: Cambodian/Khmer, Chinese, Resolution No. 2026-XX
Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, Vietnamese, and any other languages as required by law.
b. Pursuant to State law, the City Clerk shall, at the timely request of the candidate, provide a Spanish translation and printing of the candidate’s statement in the English version of the Voter Information Guide, at the expense of the candidate. c. The County will print and mail a separate translated Voter Information Guide, including the candidates’ statements, for Los Angeles County-conducted elections in the area where the City is located to those voters who are in the county voter file as having requested a Voter Information Guide in Cambodian/Khmer, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, and Vietnamese, or other languages as required by law.
The County will make the Voter Information Guide, including the candidates’ statements, in the City’s required languages available on the County’s website, at all polling locations, and in the Election Official’s office.
SECTION 3: CANDIDATES’ STATEMENTS AVAILABILITY. Pursuant to California Elections Code Section 13313, the City Clerk shall have all candidates’ statements made available for public examination in the City Clerk’s Office for a period of ten (10) calendar days immediately following the filing deadline for submission of those documents.
SECTION 4: PAYMENT.
a. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of translating and printing the candidates’ statement into English and Spanish, if requested by the candidate, in the English version of the Voter Information Guide.
b. The candidate shall not be required to pay for the cost of translating and printing a separate translated Voter Information Guide, including the candidates’ statements, in Cambodian/Khmer, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, Vietnamese or other languages as required by law.
c. The Registrar of Voters shall estimate the total cost of printing, handling, translating, and mailing the candidates statements filed pursuant to Section 13307 of the Elections Code, including costs incurred as a result of complying with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended. The City requires each candidate filing a statement to pay in advance to the City his or her pro rata share as a condition of having his or her statement included in the Voter Information Guide. In the event the estimated payment is required, the estimate is just an approximation of the actual cost that varies from one election to another election and may be significantly more or less than the estimate, depending on the actual number of candidates filing statements.
Accordingly, the City Clerk is not bounded by the estimate and may, on a pro rata basis, bill the candidate for additional actual expense or refund any excess paid depending on the final actual cost. In the event of underpayment, the City Clerk may require the candidate to pay the balance of the cost incurred. In the event of Resolution No. 2026-XX
overpayment, the City Clerk shall prorate the excess amount among the candidates and refund the excess amount paid within thirty (30) days of the election.
SECTION 5: MISCELLANEOUS.
a. All translations shall be provided by professionally certified translators as set forth in Elections Code section 13307(b).
b. The statement of each candidate shall be printed in uniform type, style, and spacing. c. 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.
SECTION 6: ADDITIONAL MATERIALS. No candidate will be permitted to include additional materials in the Voter Information Guide.
SECTION 7. That the City Clerk shall provide each candidate or the candidate’s representative a copy of this resolution at the time nominating petitions are issued.
SECTION 8. All previous resolutions establishing Council policy on payment for candidates’ statements are repealed.
SECTION 9. That this Resolution shall apply only to the General Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026.
SECTION 10. That the City Clerk shall certify the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 3rd of June 2026.
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Cindy Segawa, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Kathleen Horn Gregory, MMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Trevor Rusin, City Attorney