City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: November 18, 2025
From: Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Submitted by: Sandra Dolson, Deputy City Clerk
Subject
April 14, 2026, General Municipal Election
Recommendation
A. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-031 calling and giving notice of an all-mail ballot General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for the election of one City Council Member as required by the provisions of the Charter of the City of Vernon; B. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-032 adopting regulations regarding candidate statements and repealing Resolution No. 2024-024 and establishing Candidate Statement regulations; and C. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-033 requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles render specified services to the City relating to the conduct of a General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Background
Pursuant to Vernon Charter Chapter 5.1 and Municipal Code Section 2.28.020, the City’s General Municipal Elections shall be held in the City on the second Tuesday of April in each year and the City Council can direct staff to conduct the election wholly by mail as an all-mail ballot election.
Chapter 3.4 of the City Charter also specifies that the regular election of Council Members shall be held on the second Tuesday of April in each year. The City Council is required to adopt various resolutions to conduct the General Municipal Election.
Resolution Calling the Election
Resolution No. 2025-031 calls for the General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for the election of one member to the City Council for a full five (5) year term.
Resolution Establishing Candidate Statement Regulations On November 5, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-024, adopting regulations regarding candidate statements submitted to the voters at any General Municipal or Special Municipal Election to be held in the City. Staff is requesting that this resolution be repealed and replaced with Resolution No. 2025-032 establishing Candidate Statement regulations.
Pursuant to Section 13307(b)(1) of the California Elections Code the statement of each candidate shall be printed in type of uniform size and darkness and with uniform spacing. To streamline the review process, the City Clerk prefers to limit candidate statements to block format and prohibit bolding, capitalized words, italics, and underlining.
Pursuant to sections 13307 and 13308 of the California Elections Code, each candidate for nonpartisan elective office in any local agency, including any city, county, city and county, or district, may prepare a candidate statement on an appropriate form provided by the election’s official. The statement may include the name, age, and occupation of the candidate and a brief description, of no more than 200 words, the City Council may authorize an increase in the limitations on words for the statement from 200 to 400 words, of the candidate’s education and qualifications expressed by the candidate themselves. That statement shall not include the party affiliation of the candidate, nor membership or activity in the partisan political organizations. The statement shall be limited to a recitation of the candidate’s own personal background and qualifications and shall not in any way make reference to other candidates for that office or to another candidate’s qualifications, character, or activities.
Resolution Requesting County Services
Resolution No. 2025-033 requests that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorize the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to render specified services associated with the 2026 General Municipal Election such as: provide appropriate forms, signature verification services, translation services, prepare, print, and mail official ballots and ballot materials.
Ballot Drop-Off Locations
In previous elections, the City has provided an additional ballot drop-off location on election day.
Staff will evaluate the best options to ensure value for voters and will keep the public informed.
As in the past, City Hall will accept voted ballots during regular business hours for the convenience of the community.
Nomination Period
The nomination period begins on Monday, December 22, 2025, candidates may schedule an appointment beginning the week prior to obtain nomination papers and required filing materials from the City Clerk Department. The last day to file nomination papers is Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
Approval from the City Council will result in the scheduling of the General Municipal Election on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for one member of the City Council.
As the City’s Election Official, the City Clerk is to post or publish a public notice, which shall contain the following:
(a) A list of the offices to be filled.
(b) Whether the city elections official has furnished nomination papers to the incumbent for each open office.
(c) Whether, due to redistricting, there is no eligible incumbent for an open office. (d) The location where nomination papers may be obtained. (e) The location, dates, and hours of operation of the office where completed nomination papers may be filed.
Items (b) and (c) noted above are not applicable to the notice for the 2026 General Municipal Election as the incumbent for the Council Member seat has termed out and there is no redistricting in Vernon.
Fiscal Impact
The cost estimate for the General Municipal Election is $24,000. The estimate provided above is an estimate of election costs based on historical costs for comparable elections. The actual cost may be higher or lower than the estimate provided due to changes in any election factors and unanticipated increases in labor and/or operations costs. The final invoice with actual costs will be provided by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk approximately 90 days after the election. Sufficient funds are available in General Fund, City Clerk Department, Election Account No. 011-010-125-529300 for the current fiscal year.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2025-031 – Calling and Giving Notice of Election
2. Resolution No. 2025-032 – Establishing Candidate Statement Regulations
3. Resolution No. 2025-033 – Requesting County Services