RESOLUTION NO. 2025-011
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON,
CALIFORNIA, RECITING THE FACT OF THE ALL MAIL-BALLOT
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD ON APRIL 8, 2025,
DECLARING THE RESULTS AND SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS
PROVIDED BY LAW
SECTION 1. Recitals.
A. A General Municipal Election was held and conducted in the City of Vernon, California, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, as required by law.
B. Notice of the Election was given in time, form and manner as provided by law; candidates were nominated to fill the vacancy as required by law; election officers were appointed; and in all respects the election was held and conducted and the votes were cast, received and canvassed and the returns made and declared in the time, form and manner as required by the provisions of the City Charter and Elections Code of the State of California for the holding of elections in charter cities.
C. The Interim City Clerk canvassed the returns of the election and has certified the results to the City Council, which certification and results are received, attached, and made a part hereto as Exhibit A.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 3. The whole number of ballots legally cast for the General Municipal Election held on April 8, 2025, was 80 ballots cast.
SECTION 4. The Interim City Clerk canvassed the returns of the election and certified the results to the City Council, which certification and results are received and accepted, attached and made a part hereto as Exhibit A.
SECTION 5. The names of the persons voted for at the General Municipal Election for the office of member of the City Council, as it appeared on the official ballot, is as follows:
Diana Gonzales 22 Votes
Judith Merlo 58 Votes
SECTION 6. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby declares that Judith Merlo was elected as member of the City Council for the full term of five (5) years.
SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall execute a Certificate of Election and administer the Oath of Office.
SECTION 8. The City Clerk shall immediately make and deliver to the person so elected a Certificate of Election signed by the City Clerk and authenticated.
SECTION 9. The City Clerk shall also administer to the person elected the Oath of Office prescribed in the Constitution of the State of California and shall have him or her subscribe to it and file it in the Office of the City Clerk. The person so elected shall then be inducted into the respective office to which he or she has been elected.
SECTION 10. The measures voted upon at the April 8, 2025, General Municipal Election are as follows:
Measure Y
Shall the measure amending Chapters 3.5 and 3.6 of the
Vernon City Charter to state that during City Council
installation following a regular municipal election, the position of Mayor shall be filled by the Council Member entering their fifth (last) year of their Council seat’s term, and the position of Mayor Pro Tempore shall be filled by the Council Member entering their fourth year of their Council seat’s term, and so on in descending order if necessary, be adopted?
YES 53 Votes
NO 17 Votes
Measure Z
Shall the measure amending Chapter 3.4 of the Vernon City Charter to require that election returns be canvassed
beginning on the first Tuesday following a City Council election and continued to the time, form and manner required by the City Charter, Vernon Municipal Code and the general laws of the State governing municipal elections, and that Council Member terms shall begin at the hour election results are certified by the City Council, be adopted?
YES 59 Votes
NO 12 Votes
SECTION 11: The City Council does declare and determine that, as a result of the General Municipal Election, a simple majority of the voters voting on Measures Y and Z did vote in favor of each measure, and the measures carried, and shall be deemed adopted and ratified.
Resolution No. 2025-011
Resolution No. 2025-011
SECTION 12. The City Clerk or Deputy City Clerk shall certify the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED May 6, 2025.
JUDITH MERLO, Mayor
ATTEST:
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
seal)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH N. MOUSSA, City Attorney
I CERTIFY THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2025-011 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Vernon at the Regular Meeting on May 6, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: 5 Council Members: Larios, Lopez, Rivera, Ybarra, Merlo NOES: 0
ABSENT: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
seal)
APRIL 8, 2025 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
OFFICIAL RESULTS
I, Deborah Harrington, Interim City Clerk of the City of Vernon, California, do hereby certify that I have canvassed the April 8, 2025 General Municipal Election ballots returned as of April 8 and April16, 2025, and find the number of votes cast as follows:
TO ELECT ONE
COUNCIL MEMBER
1st Count
April 8, 2025
2nd Count
April 16, 2025 Total
Diana Gonzales 22 0 22
Judith Merlo 52 6 58
Total Votes
BALLOT MEASURE Y
1st Count
April 8, 2025
2nd Count
April 16, 2025 Total
Measure Y – Charter Amendment
regarding installation of Mayor
and Mayor Pro Tem
YES 47 6 53
NO 17 0 17
BALLOT MEASURE Z
1st Count
April 8, 2025
2nd Count
April 16, 2025 Total
Measure Z – Charter Amendment
to align canvass/certification of
results with California Election
Code
YES 53 6 59
NO 12 0 12
VOTER TURNOUT
These results are official and reflect ballots received and canvassed at the close of polls on election day and at a second canvass conducted on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
The results were certified at the Regular City Council
Meeting of May 6, 2025.
Interim City Clerk
May 6, 2025
Registered Voters
Ballot Received
112
80 Voter Turnout 71%
KLELW
Resolution No. 2025-011
City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 6, 2025
From: Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Submitted by: Sandra Dolson, City Clerk Specialist
Subject
Results of the City of Vernon April 8, 2025 General Municipal Election Recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-011 reciting the facts and declaring the results of the General Municipal Election held on April 8, 2025.
Background
On November 5, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-023, calling the General Municipal Election on April 8, 2025, to fill one Council seat and submit Measures Y and Z to the voters. Measure Y amends Chapters 3.5 and 3.6 of the Vernon City Charter relating to the position of Mayor to be filled by the Council Member entering their fifth (last) year of their Council seat’s term and Mayor Pro Tempore entering their fourth year of their Council seat’s term.
Measure Z amends Chapter 3.4 of the Vernon City Charter to align City election canvassing procedures and timeframes with applicable State election law.
On April 8, 2025, the General Municipal Election was held in conformance with the City Charter, Vernon Municipal Code, California Election Code, and the Federal Voting Rights Act.
Canvass of the returned All Mail Ballots was conducted on Aprill 8, 2025 immediately following the deadline to receive ballots. A second canvass was conducted on April 16, 2025, following the signature verification process of ballots not counted on election night.
Pursuant to Election Code Section 10263, the City Council must adopt a resolution reciting the facts of the election. Attached to the resolution are the Official Results, which detail the total votes cast for each candidate, as well as the votes for and against Measures Y and Z.
Based on these results, Judith Merlo was elected to the City Council for a full five-year term that will expire in April 2030. Measures Y and Z, the full texts of which are encompassed in Resolution No. 2024-023, were approved by a majority of voters who cast ballots.
Following adoption of the resolution reciting the election results, the City Clerk will administer the Oath of Office to the newly elected Council Member.
As the mayoral rotation and canvassing ballot measures are Charter amendments, their effective dates are governed by the California Elections Code and applicable Government Code provisions. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9269, charter amendments must be ratified by the Secretary of State following voter approval and the declaration of election results by the legislative body. Once ratified, the amendment becomes effective unless a different effective date is specified in the measure. In accordance with Government Code Sections 34459 and 34460, staff will submit the Charter amendments to the Secretary of State for filing upon election certification by the City Council. Council reorganization pursuant to the amended mayoral rotation provisions will take place at a City Council meeting after Secretary of State filing and acceptance.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2025-011