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Agenda Report
January 12,2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Clerk
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO THE CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE CITY OF PASADENA JUNE 2, 2026
PRIMARY MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL IN DISTRICTS 3, 5, AND 7;AND IF NECESSARY, THE
CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE NOVEMBER 3. 2026
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION; AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF
PASADENA'S PRIMARY AND GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
WITH THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS; AND
OTHER RELATED MATTERS
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
(1) Find that the proposed action in the agenda report is not a "project" subject to the California Public Resources Code ("PRC") Section 21065 and within the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") Guidelines Section 15378(b); (2) Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Pasadena calling and giving notice for the holding of a Primary Municipal Election to be held on June 2, 2026 for members of the City Council in Districts 3, 5, and 7; and if necessary, the calling and giving notice for the holding of a General Municipal Election on November 3, 2026;
(3) Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Pasadena requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles approve the consolidation of the June 2, 2026 Pasadena Primary Municipal Election, and if necessary, the November 3, 2026 Pasadena General Municipal Election with the Statewide Primary and General Elections, and direct the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to administer said elections on behalf of the City of Pasadena; and (4) Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Pasadena setting forth regulations relating to candidate statements for the June 2, 2026 Primary Municipal Election, and if necessary, the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election. '
MEETING OF _01/12/2026AGENDA ITEM NO.9
Resolutions Calling Election
January 12, 2026
BACKGROUND:
The City of Pasadena Primary Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 for the purpose of electing representatives to City Council Districts 3, 5, and 7 for full four year terms for each office. A General Municipal (runoff) Election will be held on November 3, 2026 for any of those Council District races where one candidate does not receive a majority of the votes cast (50%+1) in the primary election. The terms of newly elected Councilmembers shall commence at the time of the City's organizational meeting held on Monday, December 7, 2026 (the fifth Monday following the City's general election).
Candidate Nomination Period Opens on Monday,February 9, 2026 Candidates for City Council shall be registered to vote in, and a resident living in, the same district from which the individual is seeking office. The nomination period for June 2, 2026 Primary Municipal Election will open on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:30 a.m., and will close on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. In the event the incumbent Councilmember does not file nomination papers, or files but then withdraws their nomination before the close of the March 6th deadline, the period to nominate any qualified voter in the same Council District other than the incumbent is extended to Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Resolution Calling and Consolidating Election (First Resolution) Section 1208 of the City Charter ("Charter") and the California Elections Code, Section 12001, provides that elections be called by ordinance or resolution. Accordingly, the first resolution stipulates general information regarding the date of the City's primary municipal election, offices to be elected, and the method by which candidates shall be elected. The dates of City primary municipal and general municipal elections are established by Charter Sections 1202 and 1205.
Resolution Requesting Election Services (Second Resolution) California Elections Code Section 10403 permits municipal elections to be consolidated with statewide elections, to be conducted as one election. This second resolution is necessary to request the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' approval for full consolidated election services for the Pasadena Primary Municipal Election, and if necessary, the Pasadena General Municipal Election, to be administered by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The City Clerk's Office will continue to administer all work related to the candidate nomination process, campaign filings and disclosures, and ballot measure processing duties.
Resolutions Calling Election
January 12,2026
Candidate Statements/Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Act (Third Resolution) The third resolution sets forth regulations pertaining to candidate statements for the City's 2026 Primary and General Municipal Elections. Candidates will be required to pay actual costs for printing candidate statements in English in the sample ballot pamphlet. The City will absorb translation costs in complying with the Federal Voting Rights Act (as detailed in the next paragraph), including costs associated with printing candidate statements in required translated sample ballot pamphlets.
Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, candidate statements will be translated into all languages required by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. It is the County's policy to print single-language ballot books, with voters receiving election information in the requested language. For voters in Pasadena that have self- designated as English proficient, they will receive an English only booklet.
Under the regulations set forth in the resolution, candidates will be required to pay a deposit for the actual costs of printing candidate statements in English. The City will cover the costs of translating and printing candidate statements in the other required languages. Based on current voter registration figures and a cost estimate provided by the County for candidates to submit and print a candidate statement in English, the proposed deposit amounts are as follows:
JUNE 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION
Council 3Council 5Council 7
English$750$750$750
English/Spanish Printed Statements in the English Pamphlet: As permitted by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office, candidates may choose to include a Spanish translation of their candidate statement to accompany their English statement in the English booklet. However, this optional printing in the English Booklet will be the responsibility of the candidate to pay for printing costs, since the Spanish translated statement will be printed in the Spanish booklet at no additional cost. Candidates will pay the estimated costs at the time nomination papers and candidate's statements are filed, with the estimated costs being equal to the amount required for the printing of the English statement.
For the general (run-ofQ election, where in each race a majority winner is not elected, the top two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary will continue on to the general election for a run-off. For those candidates, they may request in writing the same statement or they may file a new statement with the City Clerk's Office. A new deposit in the appropriate amount consistent with the information detailed above will be required to be filed by the deadline of Friday, August 7, 2026. This deposit will be accompanied with either a new candidate statement or a written request directing the City Clerk to use the same candidate statement used in the primary election.
Resolutions Calling Election
January 12, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated cost for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to administer the June 2, 2026 Primary Municipal Election on behalf of the City is $191,937. Additional costs that will be incurred by the City Clerk's Office to conduct the City Council nomination process include translation, printing, staffing, and other miscellaneous costs. Actual election costs will vary based on several factors such as the number of candidates on the ballot, an increase in voter registration, increased postage and printing costs for mailing to all registered voters a vote-by-mail ballot, including for return postage, and other unknown factors. With that said, it is anticipated that sufficient funding exists in the City Clerk's adopted 2025-26 Election budget to cover expenses for the upcoming June 2026 Primary Municipal Election.
Respectfully submitted,
^
l^tafk Doritis/y
City Clerl<
Resolutions:
Calling Elections for Council Districts 3,5,and 7
• Requesting Full Consolidated Election Services from County of Los Angeles Related to Candidate Statements/Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Act