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