City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 9, 2024 FROM: CITY CLERK’S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION RECITING THE FACT OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD ON MARCH 5, 2024, DECLARING THE RESULTS AND ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 5.78 TO THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE ISSUE:
Adopt a resolution reciting the fact of General Municipal Election and declaring the results for Mayor, City Council odd-numbered wards, and Ballot Measure B ‘Cannabis Business Tax.’ RECOMMENDATIONS:
The City Council:
Adopt a resolution reciting the facts of the General Municipal Election held on March 5, 2024, and declaring the results for Office of Mayor, City Council Wards 1, 3,5, 7 and Ballot Measure B; and Adopt an ordinance adding Chapter 5.78, ‘Cannabis Business Tax,’ to the Riverside Municipal Code.
BACKGROUND:
According to California Elections Code (E.C.) section 15372, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters (ROV) will complete the canvass of returns for the General Municipal Election on April 4, 2024.
Furthermore, E.C. section 15400 states, “The governing board shall also declare the results of each election under its jurisdiction as to each measure voted on at the election." Riverside City Charter section 400(e) states, “Officials elected at the general municipal election shall take office on the second Tuesday following completion of the canvass, but in no event later than the fifth Tuesday following the general municipal election.” The candidates for Mayor and Wards 1, 3, 5, and 7 are shown below:
Mayor
Patricia Lock Dawson
Jessica Qattawi
Ward 1 Ward 3
Steven Lawson Warren Avery
Kalya Booker Steven Robillard
Philip Falcone
Hass Ratnayake
David Leon Romo Sr.
Ward 5 Ward 7
Gaby Plascencia Steve Hemenway
Sean Mill
A Cannabis Business Tax ballot measure was also submitted to the voters - Ballot Measure B: “Shall the City of Riverside adopt an ordinance establishing a tax on all cannabis businesses at a maximum rate of 10% of the gross receipts of each business, potentially generating $2,000,000 or more in revenues annually for unrestricted general revenue purposes, until repealed by voters?” DISCUSSION:
For the City of Riverside General Municipal Election, every registered voter received a vote-by-mail ballot. In addition to the Registrar of Voters Office, there were twenty-one (21) vote centers and thirteen (13) ballot drop-off locations in the city.
At the time this report was prepared, the ROV preliminary election results (Attachment 1) denote Patricia Lock Dawson's election as Mayor for a four-year term through March 2028 and Philip Falcone, Steven Robillard, Sean Mill, and Steven Hemenway's election by their respective Wards for four-year terms through March 2028.
Moreover, according to the preliminary results, the majority of voters supported Ballot Measure B, 'Cannabis Business Tax,' with a 'Yes' vote, indicating that the ballot measure prevailed.
The City Attorney prepared a resolution (Attachment 2) declaring the election results and an Ordinance (Attachment 3) adding Chapter 5.78 to the Riverside Municipal Code. It is worth noting that the ordinance was introduced on November 28, 2024, when the City Council adopted the Resolution calling for the election for the ballot measure.
Upon the ROV's completion of the canvass on or before April 4, 2024, the Statement of Vote and updated Resolution with final election results will be distributed and appended to the staff report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated election cost of the March 5, 2024, Municipal Election is included in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Budget.
Prepared by: Donesia Gause, City Clerk
Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Election Summary Report Update #18
Resolution
Ordinance
March 5, 2024, Election ResultsPage 2