ELECTION DATE: MEASURE I.D. or letter (if any):
JURISDICTION/MEASURE NAME:
Statements will be printed in uniform type, style and spacing according to the County’s system requirements. When preparing your statement, please use block paragraphs and single space format. Entire statements in all capital letters, bold and italics (or any combination of enhancements) are not acceptable. Indentations cannot be accommodated. Words to be printed in boldface type, underscored and/or CAPITALIZED are to be clearly indicated.
All statements should be checked by the authors for spelling and punctuation as the elections official is not permitted to edit any material contained therein. NOTE: Rebuttal arguments are NOT direct arguments. For example, a rebuttal to a direct argument in favor of a measure is NOT a direct argument against a measure. Please also note that rebuttal arguments are allowed only when both a direct argument for AND against a measure are filed. Rebuttal argument authors will not be allowed to be listed as supporters/opponents on the ballot label.
Elections Code section 9170 requires the inclusion of a list of supporters and opponents to follow the text of the condensed ballot measure title and summary (i.e., ballot measure question), provided the listed supporters and opponents meet code requirements. Please provide a list of names to appear on the ballot label as Supporters or Opponents (not to exceed 125 Characters). Pursuant to Elections Code section 9170 (a)(7) if NO list of supporters or opponents is provided or there are none that meet the requirements of this section, then “Supporters:” and “Opponents:” shall be followed by “None submitted. ” Write “None submitted” if you are not submitting a list of supporters or opponents.
Supporter(s)/Opponent(s) MUST be a signer/author listed below of a direct argument For or Against a measure.
Please use this space to type your statement. If you need additional space, please attach a typed statement to this form.
Statement will be typeset in the Official Sample Ballot Booklet using a standard font and size determined by the County.
Please mark (X) in the appropriate box
OFFICIAL BALLOT MEASURE LABEL (DO NOT LEAVE THIS AREA BLANK)
ALL AUTHORS MUST SIGN ON THE REVERSE SIDE
Election’s Official Use Only:
Number of Words Number of Characters Project Code Number Election Deputy Time Stamp
Comments:
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK
BALLOT LABEL/ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALS FORM
Direct Argument in Favor (Supporters)
(Word Limit Max: 300)
Direct Argument Against (Opponents)
(Word Limit Max: 300)
Rebuttal to Argument in Favor (Word Limit Max: 250) Rebuttal to Argument Against (Word Limit Max: 250)
DECLARATION BY AUTHOR(S) OF ARGUMENTS OR REBUTTALS
All arguments concerning measures filed pursuant to Division 9, Section 9600 of the Elections Code shall be accompanied by the following declaration to be signed by each author of the argument/rebuttal. Names and titles listed for arguments will be printed in the Official Sample Ballot Booklet. The Author(s) of arguments may also be listed as Supporter(s) or Opponent(s) on the Official Ballot Measure Label, if they are listed on this form under the “Official Ballot Measure Label” box on page 1. Supporter(s)/Opponent(s) MUST be a signer/author listed below of a direct argument for or against a measure.
of ballot measure (Name and/or letter):
Jurisdiction Name & Title of Election:
to be held on (Date of the Election):
hereby state that such argument is true and correct to the best of his/her/their knowledge and belief.
The undersigned signer(s)/author(s) of the:
Direct Argument in Favor (Supporters)
Rebuttal to Argument in Favor
Direct Argument Against (Opponents)
Rebuttal to Argument Against
List by
Priority NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION
SIGNATURE DATE
BALLOT LABEL ABBREVIATED NAME/TITLE:
NAME (PRINT):
TITLE (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
ATTESTATION ATTACHED?
1 CONTACT INFORMATION
IMPORTANT FILING INFORMATION: I, am the designated filer of the above titled argument/rebuttal. Please contact me using the information below, if there are any questions pertaining to this filing.
Mailing Address: E-Mail Address:
Contact Numbers:
(Daytime Phone) (Evening Phone) (Fax)
List by
Priority
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION
SIGNATURE DATE
BALLOT LABEL ABBREVIATED NAME/TITLE:
NAME (PRINT):
TITLE (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
ATTESTATION ATTACHED?
2 List by
Priority
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION
SIGNATURE DATE
BALLOT LABEL ABBREVIATED NAME/TITLE:
NAME (PRINT):
TITLE (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
ATTESTATION ATTACHED?
3 List by
Priority
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION
SIGNATURE DATE
BALLOT LABEL ABBREVIATED NAME/TITLE:
NAME (PRINT):
TITLE (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
ATTESTATION ATTACHED?
4 List by
Priority
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION
SIGNATURE DATE
BALLOT LABEL ABBREVIATED NAME/TITLE:
NAME (PRINT):
TITLE (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
ATTESTATION ATTACHED?
5 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
INDIVIDUAL
(elected or former elected)
INDIVIDUAL NO TITLE
(not elected or formerly elected)
INDIVIDUAL
(elected or former elected)
INDIVIDUAL NO TITLE
(not elected or formerly elected)
INDIVIDUAL
(elected or former elected)
INDIVIDUAL NO TITLE
(not elected or formerly elected)
INDIVIDUAL
(elected or former elected)
INDIVIDUAL NO TITLE
(not elected or formerly elected)
INDIVIDUAL
(elected or former elected)
INDIVIDUAL NO TITLE
(not elected or formerly elected)
OFFICIAL BALLOT MEASURE LABEL
Supporters/Opponents Guidelines
Assembly Bill No. 1416, enacted on September 29, 2022, amended Elections Code sections 303, 9050, 9051, 9053, 13282 and added 9170. Specifically, Elections Code section 9170 requires the inclusion of a list of supporters and opponents (i.e., nonprofit organizations, associations, businesses, or individuals) to follow the text of the condensed ballot measure title and summary, provided these entities and/or individuals meet the code requirements to be included. The criteria for the ballot label are as follows:
• Listing is limited to 125 characters (Spaces, Commas, Semicolons, and other characters are included in the count).
• Listing is limited to five (5) Supporters and or Opponents. • To be within the limit of 125 characters, names may be shortened, and acronyms may be used (Please note if the list provided is over the character limit, the names may require shortening with acronyms, abbreviations, or removal of certain words from the names submitted.). • The list provided must be in ranking order from 1 to 5 (This will ensure names with high ranking are not removed if adjustments are required to meet the 125-character limit). • Measures that share Counties shall not include a list of supporters or Opponents if the other County with the same measure does not include a list of supporters or opponents. • If a listing is not provided or none meet the requirements, “None Submitted” will be listed in place of names.
The sample below shows how the ballot text (label), supporters, and opponents will appear on both the official and sample ballots. The word count displayed by the software Word is also included.
Supporters: None submitted.
Opponents: LA County Firefighters
& Sheriffs; Community Coalition; LA
County Supervisors Kathryn Barger
& Holly J. Mitchell
ARGUMENTS, REBUTTALS, AND BALLOT LABEL FORM STEPS:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM
Election Date:
This is the date the election will be held for the measure. 1 Measure I.D. (if any)
The measure I.D. is the measure letter assigned to the measure. This letter may not yet be available at the time of the filing of your Arguments/Rebuttals form submission. The letter can be added after the filing or the County may provide you with a temporary I.D. to identify the measure. 2 3 Jurisdiction:
The name of the school district, special district, county office, or authority that has placed the measure on the ballot.
4 Please mark (X) in the appropriate box; there are four (4) purposes for using this form:
Direct Argument in Favor (Supporters): Select this option if you are an “Author” filing an argument to support the measure.
Direct Argument Against (Opponents): Select this option if you are an “Author” filing an argument against the measure.
Rebuttal to Argument in Favor: Select this option, if your Direct Argument Against a measure was selected to appear on the ballot. If your direct argument against was selected, then you may file a rebuttal to the Direct Argument in Favor.
Rebuttal to Argument Against: Select this option, if your Direct Argument in Favor was selected to appear on the ballot. If your argument in favor was selected, then you may file a rebuttal to the “Direct Argument Against.” 5 OFFICIAL BALLOT MEASURE LABEL:
This area of the form is MANDATORY to complete if you want to ADD the names of associations, non-profit organizations, or businesses, including names and titles of individuals who are representing such entities to be listed within the 125-character listing of supporters or opponents appearing on the FACE of the ballot directly after the 75-word measure question. Individuals who are elected officials or former elected officials may be listed with their official’s title and “former” as applicable. Individuals who are not current or former elected officials and who do not represent any association, nonprofit organization, or business listed as a supporter or opponent may only have their first name, last name, and if applicable, an honorific (e.g., “Dr.,” “M.D.,” “Ph.D.) listed, but without other title or designation. Please see additional requirements on the following page for Election Code section 9170. If you do not want to add a list of supporters or opponents to the “Official Ballot Measure Label” then “None submitted” will have to be added pursuant to Election Code section 9170. If Author(s) of the Direct Argument in Favor and the Direct Argument Against the ballot measure do not want to have a LIST OF SUPPORTERS or a LIST OF OPPONENTS listed, then the Author(s) must write the words “NONE SUBMITTED” in this area of the form. The LIST OF SUPPORTERS can only be the Authors of the Direct Argument in Favor of the ballot measure. The LIST OF OPPONENTS can only be the Authors of the Direct Argument Against the ballot measure. If you are over the 125 character limit, the elections official will allow you to make changes up until the deadline for filing of the direct argument for or against the measure.
If the measure is shared between counties, the counties shall not include the ballot label unless both counties have authorized to this option. NOTE: Only associations, nonprofit organizations, or businesses not originally created as a committee described in Government Code section 82013 and that have been in existence for at least 4 years can be included in the list of supporters or list of opponents.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
REGISTRAR-RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK
HOW TO COMPLETE THE ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALS FORM
INCLUDING THE OFFICIAL BALLOT MEASURE LABEL
DECLARATION BY AUTHOR(S) OF ARGUMENTS OR REBUTTALS INCLUDING THE
OFFICIAL BALLOT LABEL SUPPORTERS/OPPONENTS
7 8
The undersigned author(s) of the:
Direct Argument in Favor (Supporters): Select this option if you are filing an argument to support the measure.
Direct Argument Against (Opponents): Select this option if you are filing an argument against the measure.
Rebuttal to Argument in Favor: Select this option, if your direct argument against the measure was selected to appear on the ballot. If your argument against was selected, then you may file a rebuttal to the argument in favor.
Rebuttal to Argument Against: Select this option, if your direct argument in favor was selected to appear on the ballot. If your argument in favor was selected, then you may file a rebuttal to the argument against. 9 Jurisdiction Name and Title of Election:
Include the name of the city, school, special district, or county that has placed the measure on the ballot.
Also, include the title of the election, Primary, General, Special Municipal, etc.
To be held on (Date of Election):
The date of the election when the measure will appear on the ballot. 10 Of ballot measure:
The name of the ballot measure found on the Measures to Appear on the Ballot under the authority that placed the ballot measure on the ballot. If the measure letter is available at the time of filing, that can be included in this area.
Hereby state that such argument or rebuttal written on page one (1) is true and correct to the best of his/her/their knowledge and belief by my (our) signatures below:
This sentence is to state that the authors who sign below acknowledge the arguments for or against, rebuttals, or supporters and opponents are true and correct. The signatures below and next to the authors information certify this statement being true and correct.
11 List by Priority and Association, Business, Non-Profit Organization, & Individual Only:
1) List the names of the argument authors by priority to appear in the sample ballot starting with number one (1).
2) Mark the box which describes who is filing the argument for/against/rebuttal/supporter of the measure/opponent of the measure.
3) Complete the section labeled Individual Name with the author who is representing an association, business, non-profit organization or an individual who is NOT representing an association, business, non-profit organization. 4) If the individual is representing an non-profit organization, business, association, then complete the Individual Title area.
5) Individuals not representing an association, nonprofit organization, or business cannot include a title, so they would leave this blank.
6) Associations, Businesses, organizations, and individuals representing an association, non-profit organization, or business must include the name of the Association/Business/Organization in the Business/Association Name area.
7) For the authors who opted to include a Ballot Label to the face of the ballot, complete the Ballot Label Name/Title area.
8) This area assists the county elections official with identifying the author for the ballot label, which can be abbreviated (please see election code section 9170 for additional requirements and restrictions). 9) Include your address in the address field.
12 Please use this space to type your statement:
This is the space where you can complete your statement of arguments in favor, arguments against, and rebuttal arguments within the required word limit.
6 13
14 CONTACT INFORMATION:
Complete this area with the designated filer’s name, mailing address, email address, contact phone numbers for day and night, and you may include a fax number if it’s available. The designated filer should be able to answer any questions regarding the submission of the filing and its contents.
CHECKLIST FOR ARGUMENTS FOR/AGAINST AND OFFICIAL BALLOT LABEL:
This area provides more details regarding the requirements and restrictions of the official ballot measure label and arguments for and against measures pursuant to Elections Code section 9170. 15 BALLOT LABEL-SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS ATTESTATION FORM:
This form is in lieu of your non-profit organization, business, or association having to create a letter attesting to the support or opposition of a measure and to attest that an individual in your non-profit organization, business, or association can list their name and title as a supporter or opponent on the ballot label because they represent your non-profit organization, business, or association. 1) complete the “Name of Representative” who is authorized to be a direct argument author and therefore be a supporter or opponent listed under the 75-word question. 2) Complete the “Title of the Representative”. This would be their official title as an employee of your non-profit organization, business, association.
3) Complete the “Association/Business/non-profit Organization name 4) Select how you are filing your “Direct Argument”. Only authors of the “Direct Argument” can be listed as a supporter or opponent.
5) Section B: Select all that apply to your filing
6) Complete the “Attestation of Authors” and select all that apply to your filing.
SAMPLE of the SAMPLE BALLOT and the BALLOT LABEL FACE:
This area provides more details regarding the requirements and restrictions of the official ballot measure label and arguments for and against measures pursuant to Elections Code section 9170. 16 The proponents [Signers/Authors/Supporters] of the measure and the opponents [Signers/Authors/ Opponents] of the measure shall provide the list of supporters and the list of opponents described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Elections Code section 9170 to the elections official, as applicable, when submitting arguments for or against the measure (by the prescribed deadline of the elections official).
If NO list of supporters is provided by the proponents or there are none that meet the requirements of this section, then “Supporters:” shall be followed by “None submitted. ” If NO list of opponents is provided by the opponents or there are none that meet the requirements of this section, then “Opponents:” shall be followed by “None submitted. ”
After the text “Supporters:” AND after the text “Opponents:”, a listing of associations, nonprofit organizations, businesses, or individuals taken from the SIGNERS of the Argument in Favor of the measure or Argument Against the measure to be printed in the voter information guide [Sample Ballot Booklet] can be used for the list of Supporters and the list of Opponents provided by the proponents and opponents to the elections official. (Please see the instructions on where to provide your list on the Argument for and Against form).
An association, nonprofit organization, business, or individual shall not be listed [as a supporter on the ballot label] unless they support the measure and an association, nonprofit organization, business, or individual shall not be listed [as an opponent on the ballot label] unless they oppose the measure. (Please see the attestation form provided for additional instructions).
The list of supporters shall not exceed 125 characters in length AND the list of opponents shall not exceed 125 characters in length.
Spaces, commas, semicolons, and other characters count towards the 125-character limit in paragraphs (1) and (2) pursuant to Elec. Code section 9170(a)(4). Each supporter shall be separated by a semicolon and each opponent shall be separated by a semicolon.
The name of an association, nonprofit organization, or business included in the list of supporters and opponents as required by this section may be shortened by the proponents or opponents who submit it using acronyms, abbreviations, or by leaving out words in their name, as long as doing so would not confuse voters with another well-known organization or business that did not take the same position on the ballot measure (e.g., “Hot Air Balloon Flyers of Montana Education Fund” may be shortened to “Hot Air Balloons Montana”). (Elec. Code section 9170(a)(6))
PROHIBITIONS AND ATTESTATIONS
A supporter or opponent shall not be listed pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of Elec. Code section 9170, unless it IS one of the following:
An association, nonprofit organization, or business that was NOT originally created as a committee described in Section 82013 of the Government Code and that has been in existence for at least four years.
A current or former elected official, who may be listed with the official’s title (e.g., “State Senator Mary Smith,” “Assembly Member Carlos Garcia,” or “former Eureka City Council Member Amy Lee”). These titles may be shortened (e.g. “Senator” or “Sen.” for “State Senator” or “Asm.” for “Assembly Member”).
An individual who is NOT a current or former elected official may be listed ONLY with the individual’s first and last name and an honorific (e.g., “Dr.,” “M.D.,” “Ph.D.,” or “Esquire”), with NO other title or designation, unless it is a title representing an association, nonprofit organization, or business that meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B) and that is eligible to be listed under paragraph (1) if the individual supports the measure or under paragraph (2) if the individual opposes the measure. [Please see the attestation form.] A supporter or opponent shall not be listed pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) if the supporter or opponent is a political party or is representing a political party.
CHECKLIST FOR OFFICIAL BALLOT LABEL