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Special Municipal Election November 15, 2004 Page 2 Code related to referendum petitions, opponents of Ordinance NS-2649 submitted 515 petition sections to the Clerk of the Council on September 1, 2004. On September 27, 2004, the Registrar of Voters notified the Clerk of the Council that 8,475 signatures, or 10% of the registered voters in Santa Ana, were verified as valid, thus qualifying the referendum petition against Ordinance NS-2649 (One Broadway Plaza). The ordinance was suspended, and, under the provisions of the Elections Code, the City Council is required to reconsider the ordinance and either rescind it or submit the matter to the voters at the next regular municipal election occurring not less than 88 days of the order, or at a special election. On October 4, 2004, the City Council received and filed the certification of the petition, and formed an Ad Hoc Council Committee comprised of Councilmembers Bist and Christy to meet with staff, proponents of the referendum petition, and the developer to discuss the financial impact of a special election, and to recommend an election date. At the first Ad Hoc Committee meeting on October 13, 2004, the Registrar of Voters, Steven Rodermund, estimated that a special election would cost the City $2.50 per registered voter. He further estimated that an election consolidated with the next municipal election in November 2006 would cost $1.00 per registered voter. The most recent report of voter registration filed with the Secretary of State by the Registrar of Voters in October reflects that voter registration in Santa Ana is now 90,464. Proponents of the referendum present at the October 13th meeting recommended that an election on this matter be scheduled as soon as possible. On November 9, 2004, the Ad Hoc Committee met and recommended April 5, 2005 as the date of the Special Election on the referendum measure. The Santa Ana City Charter requires that all elections be called by ordinance. The subj ect ordinance establishes April 5, 2005 as the date for the referendum measure related to the One Broadway Plaza project. The City Council may, by resolution, request the Orange County Board of Supervisors to permit the Registrar of Voters to render specified services to the city relating to the conduct of an election. The subject resolution requests the Board of Supervisors of Orange County to permit the Registrar of Voters to perform all necessary and required services to conduct the Special Municipal Election in the City of Santa Ana, including canvassing the election returns. The Elections Code specifies that the persons filing a referendum petition may file a written argument related to the ballot measure. Elections Code Section 9282 also specifies that the legislative body, or any member or members of the legislative body authorized by that body, may submit or sign a written argument for or against the referendum. This section further authorizes any individual voter or bona fide association of citizens to 50A-2