RESOLUTION NO. ___________ (N.C.S.)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SALINAS, CALIFORNIA, CALLING FOR THE HOLDING OF A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2026, TO ASK THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF SALINAS WHETHER AN ORDINANCE REPEALING FOUR RENT-RELATED ORDINANCES SHOULD BE ADOPTED; AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF MONTEREY TO CONSOLIDATE SAID GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION WITH THE ESTBALISHED ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE DATE PURSUANT TO §10403 OF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS CODE ON THE CITY’S BEHALF WHEREAS, on June 3, 2025, the City Council adopted an ordinance to repeal four rent-related ordinances previously adopted by the City Council (“Ordinance No. 2687”): Ordinance No. 2663 (Residential Rental Registration Program), Ordinance No. 2681 (Rent Stabilization), Ordinance No. 2682 (Tenant Protection and Just Cause Eviction), and Ordinance No. 2683 (Tenant Anti-Harassment); and WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2687 was due to become effective thirty (30) days after its adoption on July 3, 2025, pursuant to Government Code section 36937; and WHEREAS, pursuant to authority provided by Division 9, Chapter 3, Article 2 (commencing at § 9235) of the Election Code of the State of California, a petition has been filed with the legislative body of the City of Salinas signed by more than ten percent of the registered voters of the city to repeal the ordinance or submit it to a vote of the voters; and WHEREAS, within the thirty (30) day period prescribed in California Elections Code section 9237 “Protect Salinas Renters 2026” submitted a referendum of Ordinance No. 2687 to the City Clerk (“Referendum Petition”). On July 3, 2025, the City Clerk determined, based solely on a raw count, that the number of signatures affixed to the Referendum Petition was in excess of the minimum number of signatures required and accepted the Referendum Petition for filing. On August 15, 2025, the Monterey County Registrar of Voters issued a Certificate of Signature Verification based on their determination that valid signatures of more than 10% of the City’s voter registration were present on the Referendum Petition; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Elections Code sections 9114 and 9115, on August 26, 2025, the City Council approved Resolution No. 23324 accepting the Certificate of Signature Verification; and WHEREAS, on September 9, 2025, the City Council considered the Referendum Petition and its options related thereto and decided to submit Ordinance No. 2687 to the voters of Salinas at the next general municipal election on November 3, 2026; and WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized and directed by statute to submit Ordinance No. 2687 to the voters.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED that the governing body of the City of Salinas hereby orders an election be called and consolidated with any and all elections also called to be held on November 3, 2026 insofar as said elections are to be held in the same territory or in territory that is in part the same as the territory of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey to order such consolidation under Elections Code Section 10401 and 10403.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDERED that pursuant to Elections Code Section 10002 said governing body hereby requests the Board of Supervisors to permit the County of Monterey Department of Elections to provide any and all services necessary for conducting the election and agrees to pay for said services.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDERED that pursuant to the requirements of California Elections Code section 10403, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey is hereby requested to consent and agree to the consolidation of a General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election for the purpose of submitting Ordinance 2687 repealing the four rent-related ordinances.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF SALINAS as follows:
SECTION I. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby adopted by the City Council.
SECTION II. Pursuant to Article 3 of the Salinas City Charter, the City Council hereby calls and orders a municipal election to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for the purpose of submitting to the voters for adoption Ordinance No. 2687 as set forth in Exhibit A.
SECTION III. The City Council hereby orders that such City of Salinas municipal election shall be consolidated with the statewide general election and all other elections to be held on November 3, 2026, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey to order such consolidation under California Elections Code sections 10400, 10401, and 10403.
SECTION IV. The City Council hereby requests the Board of Supervisors to permit the Monterey County Elections Department to provide any and all services necessary for conducting the election and agrees to pay for said services pursuant to California Elections Code section 10002; and SECTION V. The City Council hereby requests that the Monterey County Elections Department shall conduct the election for Ordinance No. 2687 to be voted on November 3, 2026, for which the 75-word ballot question shall read as follows:
Shall Ordinance No. 2687, which repeals the Residential Rental Registration Ordinance, the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, the Tenant Protection and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, and the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, be adopted? YES
NO
SECTION VI. The vote requirement for the measure to pass is a simple majority (50% + 1) of the votes cast.
SECTION VII. The official ballot to be used at said election shall conform to the provisions of the Charter of said City and the laws of the State of California with relation thereto.
SECTION VIII. The City authorizes the County of Monterey Registrar of Voters to consolidate this election with any other election to be held on November 3, 2026, for the convenience of the registered voters and to effectuate any cost savings by such consolidation.
SECTION IX. In accordance with Elections Code 12111 and Government Code Section 6061, the County of Monterey Department of Elections is hereby directed to cause a notice of the measure to be published as provided by law for the holding of the municipal election, which said notices shall be published in an adjudicated newspaper in the City of Salinas and hereby designated for that purpose.
SECTION X. The election on the measure set forth in Section 5 shall be held and conducted, the votes canvassed and the returns made, and the results ascertained and determined as provided for herein. In all particulars not prescribed in this resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as prescribed in the Salinas City Charter. In all particulars not provided for in the Charter, the election shall be held in accordance with the Elections Code of the State of California. The County of Monterey Registrar of Voters is authorized to canvass the returns of that election with respect to the votes cast in the city of Salinas and certify the results to the City Council in accordance with Elections Code section 15372. At the next regular meeting of the City Council occurring after the returns of the election have been canvassed and the certification of the results to the City Council, the City Council shall cause to be entered in its minutes a statement of the results of the election.
SECTION XI. The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to expend the necessary funds to pay for the City’s cost of placing the measure on the ballot.
SECTION XII. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to file a certified copy of this resolution to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and the Department of Elections Registrar of Voters.
SECTION XIII. The City Attorney is hereby authorized and directed to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure.
SECTION XIV. In accordance with Elections Code sections 9282 - 9286(b), which sets forth the procedures for arguments, rebuttals and the due date for the submission of said City measure shall be consistent with the final date set and established by the County of Monterey Registrar of Voters, and such dates shall be posted in the Office of the City Clerk.
SECTION XV. The City Clerk and the City Manager are hereby authorized and directed to take any and all actions necessary under law to prepare for and conduct the General Election and appropriate all monies necessary for the City Manager and the City Clerk to prepare and conduct the General Election in a manner consistent with state and local laws.
SECTION XVI. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify to the passage and approval of this Resolution and enter it into the record.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 2nd day of June 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED:
__________________________________
Dennis Donohue, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Patricia M. Soratos, City Clerk
Exhibit A: Ordinance No. 2687
Exhibit B: Impartial Analysis
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