TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Liza Tamura, City Clerk
George Gabriel, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Adoption of Resolution Nos. 18-0140, 18-0141 and 18-0142, Related to the March 5, 2019 General Municipal Election (City Clerk Tamura).
a) ADOPT RESOLUTION NOS. 18-0140, 18-0141 AND 18-0142
b) APPROPRIATE FUNDS
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt each resolution summarized below and appropriate an additional $184,990 to conduct the March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election.
• Resolution No. 18-0140 - Calling and giving notice of the General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, for two councilmember seats.
• Resolution No. 18-0141 - Authorizing the City to request assistance from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
• Resolution No. 18-0142 - Requiring candidates to pay for their Candidate’s Statement to be printed in the Voter’s Pamphlets for Municipal Elections.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Funds totaling $129,192 are currently budgeted to conduct various services related to the March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election. In absence of the City’s election services provider, Martin & Chapman, City Council directed staff at the September 19, 2018, meeting to utilize the services of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to conduct the March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election. Therefore, an additional $184,990 is recommended for appropriation from the unreserved General Fund balance, totaling $314,182 allocated towards conducting the March 5, 2019 General Municipal Election.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Manhattan Beach currently holds the City’s General Municipal Election in March of odd years. Starting in 2020, the City will hold the City’s General Municipal Election in November of even years in conjunction with statewide elections. On October 18, 2016, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 16-0026 establishing the new General Municipal Election dates. The election date change is in response to state mandates imposed by California Senate Bill 415 as a result of declining voter turnouts. The March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election will be the last general municipal election held in March of odd years.
As indicated at the September 19, 2018, City Council meeting, the City’s long-time election services provider, Martin & Chapman, announced they will be concluding operations of their business in December 2018 and will not conduct any future election services. In response to this, the City Council directed Staff to utilize the services of the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) to conduct the March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election.
DISCUSSION:
Customary Resolutions for a General Municipal Election
In compliance with the California Elections Code, the City Council must adopt Resolution No. 18-0140 in order to conduct the Tuesday, March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election and give notice of the election. Additionally, Resolution No. 18-0140 establishes a by lot procedure in the event of a tie vote.
Pursuant to Resolution No. 18-0141, the Board of Supervisors, in conjunction with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, will prepare and furnish items such as listing of county precincts with number of registered voters in each; a list of polling places and poll workers the county uses for their elections; labels for vote-by mail voters; labels for sample ballot pamphlets; the Roster of Voters and Street Indexes for Election Day; Voter signature verification services as needed, and election equipment and assistance as needed according to state law.
Resolution No. 18-0142 requires each candidate that chooses to have a Candidate’s Statement to pay for his or her Candidate’s statement to be printed in the Voters Pamphlet for the election. Resolution No. 18-0142 sets forth the fee of $900 based upon past history of the costs. If the cost of the printing is less than $900 per Council Candidate, a reimbursement check will be issued. If the cost of printing is more than $900 a request for payment will be submitted to the candidate from the City.
Potential Ballot Measure
At the August 21, 2018, meeting, City Council directed Staff to conduct polling on increasing the City’s uniform hotel/motel Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at rates of 12%,13%, or 14% and return to the City Council with the necessary resolutions. Pending the results of the polling, staff will return with election resolutions related to placing the measure on the March 5, 2019, General Municipal Election ballot.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 18-0140
2. Resolution No. 18-0141
3. Resolution No. 18-0142