The proposed ballot measure provides voters the opportunity to express whether the City should enact an ordinance establishing the office of a directly elected Mayor beginning with the November 2028 general municipal election. The measure itself does not create the office of Mayor.
Under Elections Code § 9222, a charter city may submit any prop osed ordinance to the voters at an election. This measure is placed on the ballot pursuant to that authority.
DISCUSSION
If enacted, the City must meet the below statutory timeline for compliance:
Step Action Deadline Authority
1 Council adopts resolutions placing
measure text on ballot and
consolidating with the statewide
election
August 7, 20261 Elections Code § 9222
2 Submit resolutions to County
Registrar
Immediately after
adoption Elections Code § 10403
3 Arguments for/against due August 14, 20262 Elections Code § 9280 4 City Attorney impartial analysis August 14, 2026 Elections Code § 9282 5 Rebuttal arguments due August 24, 2026 Elections Code § 9285 6 Election Day November 3, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT
$450,000; The estimated cost for the ballot measure is $435,470.66, plus any additional costs that may be incurred through the ballot measure requirement process.
STRATEGIC GOAL
Goal III: Ensure long-term fiscal health of the City and maintain funding for services.
C. Involve and expand engagement to enhance public oversight and transparency.
1 88 days before election.
2 Timelines approximate and established by Los Angeles County Registrar-Record/County Clerk.
Report to Honorable Mayor and City Council
Re: Reso. No. CC 2026-047
July 7, 2026
Prepared by:
Approved Availability of Funds:
City Attorney Approval:
Alexandra Severino, City Attorney
Janelle Samson, Deputy City Manager
Alexandra Severino, City Attorney
Approved by: Salvador Mendez, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Reso. No. CC 2026-047 Placing Measure on the November 2028 Ballot Proposed Ordinance
CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA
RESOLUTION NO. CC 2026-047
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALMDALE ,
CALIFORNIA, CALLING FOR THE HOLDING OF A GENERAL
MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026, FOR THE
SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS A PROPOSED ORDINANCE
ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF A DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR AND
REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF
LOS ANGELES TO CONSOLIDATE THIS GENERAL MUNICIPAL
ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026, WITH THE
STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE SAME DATE
PURSUANT TO SECTION 10403 OF THE ELECTIONS CODE
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palmdale, California desires to submit to the voters at a General Municipal Election a proposed ordinance relating to the establishment of the office of the directly elected mayor to be elected at large beginning with the November 2028 general municipal election;
WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized and directed by statute to submit the proposed ordinance to the voters;
WHEREAS, a Statewide General Election to be held in the County of Los Angeles has been called to be held on November 3, 2026;
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palmdale will call a General Municipal Election to be held in the City of Palmdale on November 3, 2026, for the submission to the voters of a ballot measure proposing an ordinance that establishes the office of the directly elected Mayor pursuant to Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter; and
WHEREAS, it is desirable that the General Municipal Election be consolidated with the Statewide General Election to be held on the same date and within the City the Vote Centers and Election Officers of the two elections be the same, and that the county election department of the County of Los Angeles canvass the returns of the General Municipal Election and that the election be held in all respects as if there were only one election.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALMDALE DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, RESOLVE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
Resolution No. CC 2026-047
SECTION 1. That pursuant to the requirements of the City of Palmdale Charter, there is called and ordered to be held in the City of Palmdale, California, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, a General Municipal Election for the purpose of submitting the following proposed ordinance to the qualified voters:
Shall the ordinance establishing the office of Mayor as an at ‑large, elected position beginning with the November 2028 general municipal election be adopted?
Yes
No
SECTION 2. The full text of the proposed ordinance is attached as Exhibit A.
SECTION 3. That the ballots to be used at the election shall be in form and content as required by law.
SECTION 4. That the City Clerk is authorized and directed to coordinate with the County of Los Angeles Registrar -Recorder/County Clerk to procure and furnish any and all official ballots, notices, printed matter, and all supplies, equipment, and paraphernalia that may be necessary in order to properly and lawfully conduct the election.
SECTION 5. The vote centers and vote -by-mail drop boxes for the election shall be open as required during the identified voting period pursuant to California Elections Code Sections 4005, 10242, 14212 and 14401.
SECTION 6. That in all particulars not recited in this resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as provided by law for holding municipal elections.
SECTION 7. That notice of the time and place of holding the election is given, and the City Clerk is authorized, instructed, and directed to give further or additional notice of the election in time, form, and manner as required by law.
SECTION 8. That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the book of original Resolutions.
SECTION 9. The City Council authorizes the City Clerk to administer said election and all reasonable and actual election expenses shall be paid by the City upon presentation of a properly submitted bill by the County.
Resolution No. CC 2026-047
SECTION 10 . Pursuant to the requirement s of Section 10403 of the Elections Code, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles is hereby requested to consent and agree to the consolidation of a General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for the submission to the voters of a ballot measure proposing an ordinance that establishes the office of the directly elected Mayor pursuant to Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter.
SECTION 11. The Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles is hereby further respectfully requested to place upon the same ballot as that provided for and submitted to the electors of the City of Palmdale at said Statewide General Election to be held in the County of Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, a ballot measure proposing an ordinance that establishes the office of the directly elected Mayor pursuant to Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter.
SECTION 12. The City of Palmdale acknowledges that the consolidated election will be held and conducted according to Section 10418 of the California Elections Code.
SECTION 13. The Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles is hereby authorized and respectfully requested to canvass the returns of said General Municipal Election.
SECTION 14. he Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles is hereby authorized and respectfully requested to authorize and permit the Registrar - Recorder/County Clerk of the County of Los Angeles to:
a) Print and supply ballots for said City of Palmdale General Municipal Election;
b) Mail the City ’s sample ballots and candidate statements of qualifications to the electors of the City of Palmdale as part of the same material that will be mailed to the voters of the Statewide General Election to be held in the County of Los Angeles;
(c) Perform such other services as may be required for the consolidation and conduct of said City of Palmdale General Municipal Election with said Statewide General Election to be held in the County of Los Angeles.
Resolution No. CC 2026-047
SECTION 15. The vote centers for the election shall be open as required during the designated voting period pursuant to California Elections Code sections 4005, 10242, 14212, and 14401.
SECTION 16. The City agrees to reimburse the County of Los Angeles in full for the services performed on behalf of the City upon the presentation of a bill by the County.
SECTION 17. The City Clerk is hereby directed to deliver a certified copy of this resolution to the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles and to transmit an electronic copy to the Board of Supervisors and the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk of the County of Los Angeles.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 7th day of July, 2026.
________________________________
Eric Ohlsen, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
___________________________ _________________________________ Alexandra Severino Rochelle Scott, City Clerk
City Attorney
I, Rochelle Scott, City Clerk of the City of Palmdale, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Palmdale at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 7th day of July 2026 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:___________________________________________________________
ABSTAIN:______________________ABSENT:___________________________
Date:
Rochelle Scott, City Clerk
CITY OF PALMDALE, A CHARTER CITY
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
ORDINANCE NO. XXXX
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALMDALE, AMENDING PALMDALE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.08.010 TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF MAYOR AS AN AT ‑LARGE ELECTED POSITION PURSUANT TO
SECTION 600 OF THE PALMDALE CITY CHARTER
A. RECITALS
WHEREAS, Under Elections Code § 9222, a charter city may submit any proposed ordinance to the voters at an election.
WHEREAS, Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter authorizes the City Council to establish by ordinance the manner of election for the office of Mayor;
WHEREAS, the City Council has proposed an ordinance establishing the office of Mayor as an at‑large elected position beginning with the November 2028 general municipal election, with the Mayor serving a four ‑year term as a voting member of the City Council and presiding officer at Council meetings, without altering existing council districts or the council‑manager form of government; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palmdale will call a General Municipal Election to be held in the City of Palmdale on November 3, 2026, for the submission to the voters of a ballot measure proposing an ordinance that establishes the office of the directly elected Mayor pursuant to Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter.
B. ORDINANCE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALMDALE DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Incorporation of Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference as material findings in support of this Ordinance.
SECTION 2. Section 2.08.010 of Title 2 of the City of Palmdale Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Office of Mayor; Direct Election.
A. The office of Mayor is hereby established as an at‑large, elected position pursuant to Section 600 of the Palmdale City Charter.
B. Beginning with the November 2028 General Municipal Election, and every four years thereafter, the Mayor shall be elected at ‑large by the voters of the City of Palmdale for a four‑year term.
Ordinance No. XXXX
C. The Mayor shall serve as a voting member of the City Council and shall act as the presiding officer at City Council meetings.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the council ‑manager form of government established by the Palmdale City Charter.
E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or modify the number, boundaries, or election of City Council districts.
SECTION 3. This ordinance shall take effect only upon approval by a majority of voters voting on the measure at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election and shall become operative upon certification of the election results.
SECTION 4. The City Council finds the approval of this Ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") because adoption of the ordinance is not a project pursuant to Guidelines §15378(b)(2) as it is a governmental organizational action with no potential for a physical environmental impact. Alternatively, the ordinance is exempt under Guidelines §15061(b)(3) because there is no possibility it will result in a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase in this Ordinance or any part thereof is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisd iction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, cl ause or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared unconstitutional, or invalid, or ineffective, provided the basic purposes of this Ordinance and the benefi ts to the City and the public are not substantially impaired.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and shall cause this ordinance to be published or posted as required by law.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 3rd day of November, 2026.
_________________________________
Approved as to form: Eric Ohlsen, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________ ________________________________ Alexandra M. Severino Rochelle Scott, City Clerk
City Attorney
Ordinance No. XXXX
I, Rochelle Scott, City Clerk of Palmdale, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was duly introduced, passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Palmdale at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 3rd day of November, 2026 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN: ABSENT:
Date:
Rochelle Scott, City Clerk