Administrative
Report
N.1., File # 22-5201 Meeting Date: 12/6/2022
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION PERTAINING TO RESOLUTIONS ADDING ADDITIONAL BALLOT MEASURES TO THE MARCH 7, 2023 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION BALLOT TO
AMEND AND ADD CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE CITY CHARTER PURSUANT TO
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL; SETTING PRIORITIES FOR FILING WRITTEN ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALS; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE IMPARTIAL ANALYSES; AND TO CONFIRM OR ASSIGN NEW LETTER DESIGNATIONS TO EACH BALLOT MEASURE; AND ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2212-109, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ORDERING THE SUBMISSION TO
THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF CERTAIN MEASURES RELATING TO AMENDING CHARTER SECTIONS 8.3, 18.4 AND REVISING THE CHARTER LANGUAGE TO GENDER NEUTRAL; ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH, 7, 2023, AS CALLED BY RESOLUTION NO. 2210-079; AND
ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2212-110, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, SETTING PRIORITIES FOR THE
FILING OF WRITTEN ARGUMENTS, REBUTTALS AND DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO
PREPARE IMPARTIAL ANALYSES REGARDING CERTAIN MEASURES BE SUBMITTED TO THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION BALLOT HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2023, AS CALLED BY RESOLUTION NO CC-2210-079
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pursuant to recommendations of the City Council-appointed Charter Review Advisory Committee (“Committee”) and City Council decision regarding ranked choice voting to amend certain sections of the City Charter reviewed on November 8, 2022, adoption of these Resolution adds three (3) additional proposed Charter Amendment ballot measure questions to the March 7, 2023 General Municipal Election ballot.
Additional Charter Sections Recommended for Revision
8.3(a). Mayor, presiding officer.
18.4.(a) Majority vote: Runoff elections.
The Committee also recommended amending the Charter to reflect general neutral language Page 1 of 3 N.1., File # 22-5201 Meeting Date: 12/6/2022
The Committee also recommended amending the Charter to reflect general neutral language throughout.
The City Council is asked to review and/or revise the drafted Ballot Questions as they see fit (limited to no more than 75 words) pursuant to the Committee’s recommendations, designate an author(s) to write the argument(s) in support of these Ballot Measures for Measures CA4 and CA5, in addition to CRAC Alternate Member Wayne Craig for Measure CA3, and subsequently adopt the Resolutions.
Ranked Choice Voting
At their meeting of November 8, 2022, the City Council expressed interest in the examples set by the City of Eureka for providing for Ranked Choice Voting into their Charter. Council thus directed staff to return with a charter change for instant runoff voting to eliminate the current runoff system (separate elections), whereby submitting a charter amendment to the voters to enact Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to eliminate runoff elections for elective office of the City and require the City Council to adopt an ordinance, implementing RCV.
How RCV Works (Summary)
RCV is a method of conducting an election that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference when marking their ballots. Only one candidate can represent each of the voter’s first, second, or third, etc., choices. If a voter gives more than one candidate the same ranking that vote cannot be counted.
RCV is an attempt to allow a majority winner to be determined in just one election. It is a substitute both for a separate runoff election and for a method in which a contest with more than two competitors can be won.
Functionally, when electing a single candidate using RCV - as in a race for Mayor or Councilmember with more than two candidates - all first choices are initially tallied. If no candidate receives a majority, the “instant runoff” process triggered. The candidate receiving the fewest first choices is eliminated, and the voters for that eliminated candidate now have their second choices counted. The ballots are again tallied and the process continues until one candidate wins a majority, which explains why RCV is sometimes referred to as an instant runoff.
Certification & Implementation
The Hart Verity software used by Hart Intercivic, the City’s contracted vendor, currently has a method to tabulate RCV in certification with the State of California Secretary of State. Hart anticipates entering the State testing phase at the end of First Quarter 2023. At this time, Hart is awaiting the conclusion of that step to determine completion with the State.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT
N.1., File # 22-5201 Meeting Date: 12/6/2022
Ballot Measure costs have been included in the FY22-23 Budget for this Election.
ATTACHMENTS
Charter Review Advisory Committee First Report, November 2022 Resolution No. CC-2212-109
Resolution No. CC-2212-110