TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Laura B. Maguire, City Clerk
Jonathan Serret, Cultural and Community Services Director DATE:March 24, 2026
SUBJECT: League of Women Voters Congressional and State Assembly Primary Candidate Forums
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve League of Women Voters’ request to use the Scherr Forum Theatre and Thousand Oaks Television (TOTV) for televised Congressional and State Assembly Candidate Forums on April 30, 2026.
2. Approve budget appropriation from A/C #001-0000-311-1000 (General Fund - Fund Balance) to A/C #001-2110-611-6910 (General Fund - Election Costs).
3. Authorize expenditure of $3,200 in FY 2025-26 from A/C #001-2110-611-6910 (General Fund - Election Costs).
4. Find that this is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$3,200 Increase to Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget. $3,200 increase to Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget is requested for use of the Scherr Forum Theatre (Andrew P. Fox City Council Chambers), including rental, labor, ushers, custodial, utilities, and insurance. There are no charges for costs associated with videotaping pursuant to the Televised Candidate/Ballot Measure Forum Policy.
LWV Congressional and State Assembly Primary Candidate Forums March 24, 2026
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2 BACKGROUND:
The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with the mission to encourage informed and active participation of citizens in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy. In the past, LWV has requested approval to hold televised candidate forums in the Scherr Forum Theatre, contingent on theatre availability.
This year’s California Primary Election will be held on June 2, 2026, and will include the Congressional District 26 seat and the Assembly District 42 seat.
Congressional District 26 includes most of Ventura County and a portion of Los Angeles County, including the cities of Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Camarillo, Newbury Park, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Calabasas. Assembly District 42 represents portions of both Ventura and Los Angeles counties, generally including communities such as Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, and parts the Oxnard plain.
For the June 2, 2026, Primary Election, LWV has expressed interest in hosting two Candidate Forums on the evening of April 30, 2026 (Attachment #1). One forum will feature candidates for the Congressional District 26 seat and the other will feature candidates for the Assembly District 42 seat. City Council has approved the use of Scherr Forum Theatre for forums such as this in both primary and general elections as well as covering the associated costs in past election cycles.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The City Manager’s Office received the request from LWV to use the Scherr Forum Theatre to host two forums for the local congressional and Assembly seats. If City Council approves the payment of Scherr Forum Theatre rental fees by the General Fund, LWV will follow the Televised Candidate/Ballot Measure Forum Policy as adopted by City Council on April 24, 2012 (Attachment #2). The Cultural and Community Services Department and TOTV have coordinated the date and reserved the Scherr Forum Theatre for the event.
Staff recommends City Council approval of the LWV request for the public to have access to a forum to gain understanding of candidate positions and make informed voting choices. A televised Candidate Forum is an opportunity to publicize the election and introduce candidates to the general public.
LWV Congressional and State Assembly Primary Candidate Forums March 24, 2026
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2 COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
B. Provide municipal government leadership which is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – LWV Request
Attachment #2 – Televised Candidate/Ballot Measure Forum Policy CCD:630-20\cg\H:\COMMON\Elections\2026\Staff Rpts\04142026 LWV Forum Staff Report.docx