RESOLUTION NO. __-26
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLEASANT
HILL, CALIFORNIA, CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE
HOLDING OF A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE
CONSOLIDATED WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO
BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026, FOR THE ELECTION OF
CERTAIN OFFICERS OF SAID CITY AS REQUIRED BY THE
PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
RELATING TO GENERAL LAW CITIES; REQUESTING THE COUNTY
OF CONTRA COSTA TO AGREE AND APPROVE SAID
CONSOLIDATION; AND SETTING FORTH REGULATIONS FOR
CANDIDATE’S STATEMENTS.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Pleasant Hill Municipal Code Sections 2.55.010 and 2.55.160, and under the provisions of the laws relating to general law cities in the State of California, a General Municipal Election shall be held in the City on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for the election of Two (2) Members of the City Council to represent Electoral Districts 3 and 4 for the full term of four (4) years; 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 that within the City the precincts, polling places, voting centers and election officers of the two elections be the same, and that the election department of the County of Contra Costa canvass the returns of the General Municipal Election and that the election be held in all respects as if there were only one election; and WHEREAS, all necessary expenses in performing this service shall be paid by the City of Pleasant Hill; and
WHEREAS, Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California provides that the governing body of the local agency adopt regulations pertaining to materials prepared by any candidate for a municipal election, including costs of the candidate’s statement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill that,
SECTION 1. That pursuant to the requirements of the laws of the State of California, relating to general law cities within the State, there shall be, and is hereby called and ordered held in the City of Pleasant Hill, California, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, a General Municipal Election of the qualified electors of Electoral Districts 3 and 4 of said City for the purpose of electing Two (2) Members of the City Council to represent Electoral Districts 3 and 4 for the full term of four (4) years.
SECTION 2. That the ballots to be used at said election shall be in form and content as required by law.
SECTION 3. That the City Clerk is authorized, instructed, and directed to procure and furnish, or coordinate with the Registrar of Voters 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 said election.
SECTION 4. That the vote center locations and hours of operations, ballot drop box locations and hours of operations, vote-by-mail procedures and timing, the election officers, and all other persons and procedures for the General Municipal Election shall be the same as those utilized by the County of Contra Costa and in compliance with the Elections Code of the State of California.
SECTION 5. That in all particulars not recited in this Resolution, said election shall be held and conducted as provided by law for holding municipal elections in said City.
SECTION 6. That notice of the time and place of holding said election is hereby given, and the City Clerk is hereby authorized, instructed, and directed to give such further or additional notice of said election, in time, form, and manner as required by law.
SECTION 7. That pursuant to the requirements of Section 10403 of the California Elections Code, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa 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, that the Registrar of Voters/County Elections Department is hereby authorized to canvass the returns of said General Municipal Election of November 3, 2026 and perform all other proceedings incidental to and connected with the General Municipal Election. Pursuant to California Elections Code Sections 10403 and 10418, the Election will be held and conducted in accordance with the provisions of law regulating the Statewide General Election.
SECTION 8. That in the event of a tie vote (if any two or more persons receive an equal and the highest number of votes for an office) as certified by the Election Official, the City Council, in accordance with California Elections Code Section 15651(a), shall set a date and time and place and summon the candidates who have received the tie votes to appear and will determine the tie by lot.
SECTION 9. The City shall reimburse said Registrar of Voters/Elections Department for services performed when work is completed upon presentation of a bill.
SECTION 10. Candidate’s Statements.
A. Pursuant to Sections 13307 and 13308 of the Election Code of the State of California, each candidate for elective office to be voted for may prepare a candidate's statement on an appropriate form provided by the City Clerk. Such statement may include the name, age and occupation of the candidate and brief description of no more than two hundred and fifty (250) words of the candidate's education and qualifications expressed by the candidate himself/herself.
Such statement shall not include party affiliation of the candidate, or membership of 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.
Such statement shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk, with payment of applicable fees, at the time the candidate's nomination papers are filed. Such statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing nomination papers and until 5:00 p.m., the next working day after the close of the nomination period.
The City Clerk is NOT permitted to edit any material contained in candidate statements.
Candidates are responsible for proofreading, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Since the statement cannot be changed after it is submitted, it is important for candidates to carefully prepare and proofread their statements. The City Clerk shall not cause to be printed or circulated any statement which the City Clerk determines does not comply with the provisions of the Elections Code. The City Clerk, in his or her sole discretion, after first attempting to consult with the candidate, may strike or modify the portion or portions of the candidate statement that is not in compliance and thereafter cause to be printed and circulated the candidate’s statement as redacted or modified. (Ordinance No. 1820, adopted May 15, 2013) B. Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, candidate’s statements will be translated into all languages required by the County of Contra Costa. The County is required to translate candidate’s statements into the following languages: Spanish and Chinese.
C. The County will print and mail sample ballots and candidate’s statements to all voters in Spanish and any other required translation languages to only those voters who are on the County voter file as having requested a sample ballot in a particular language. The County will make the sample ballots/voter information guides and candidate’s statements in the required languages available at all polling places/voting centers, on the County’s website, and in the Election Official’s office.
D. Translations:
1. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of translating the candidate’s statement into any required foreign language as specified in (A) and/or (B) of Section 10 above pursuant to Federal and\or State law.
2. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of translating the candidate’s statement into any foreign language that is not required as specified in (A) and/or (B) of Section 10 above, pursuant to Federal and\or State law, but is requested as an option by the candidate.
E. Printing:
1. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in English in the main voter pamphlet.
2. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in a foreign language required in (A) and/or (B) of Section 10 above, in the main voter pamphlet.
3. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in a foreign language requested by the candidate in the main voter pamphlet.
4. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in a foreign language required by (A) and/or (B) of Section 10 above, in the facsimile voter pamphlet.
F. Estimate, Deposit, and Payment:
The City Clerk shall estimate the total cost of printing, handling, translating, and mailing the candidate’s statements filed pursuant to this section, including costs incurred as a result of complying with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (as amended), and require each candidate filing a statement to pay in advance to the City his or her estimated pro rata share as a condition of having his or her statement included in the voter’s pamphlet. 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, the fee shall be paid at the time of filing said statement. Accordingly, the clerk is not bound 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 clerk may require the candidate to pay the balance of the cost incurred. In the event of overpayment, the clerk shall prorate the excess amount among the candidates and refund the excess amount paid within 30 days of the election.
G. Miscellaneous:
1. All translations shall be provided by professionally-certified translators.
2. 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.
3. No candidate will be permitted to include additional materials in the sample ballot package.
4. 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 11. The City Clerk is hereby directed to forward without delay to said County Registrar of Voters, a certified copy of this Resolution.
SECTION 12. That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution, enter the same in the book of original Resolutions of said City, and make a minute of the passage and adoption hereof in the records of the proceedings of the City Council of said City in the minutes of the meeting at which the same is passed and adopted.
ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill at a regular meeting held on the 1st day of June, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
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ZAC SHESS, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
LYONE P. CONNER, City Clerk