HomeMy WebLinkAbout65A - DISCUSS CHARTER AMEND - PRIMARY ELEC, DIREC ELECTED MAYOR ETCREQUEST FOR
COUNCIL ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE:
DECEMBER 2, 2013
TITLE:
DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL
CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR PRIMARY
ELECTIONS AND RELATED ELECTION
ISSUES
� III
RECOMMENDED ACTION
CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY:
APPROVED
❑ As Recommended
❑ As Amended
❑ Ordinance on 1" Reading
❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading
❑ Implementing Resolution
❑ Set Public Hearing For
CONTINUED TO
FILE NUMBER
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss the election related items and provide direction.
DISCUSSION
At the City Council meeting on November 4, 2013 the City Council considered an 85A item
proposing a City Charter amendment to create a primary election for the office of Mayor. The
Council discussed the item and related issues such as whether to include a primary election for
Mayor and Council, whether Council Members should be elected from wards and not by wards,
and consideration of appointing, rather than electing a Mayor. The Council directed staff to
prepare information on the issues described below and requested that staff bring the item back
for Council consideration in at least 30 days.
The Council asked staff to address the following issues:
1. The operation of primary elections;
2. The prevalence of appointed vs. elected Mayors; and
3. The costs associated with holding elections.
Primary Elections:
Larger cities by population, such as San Jose, San Diego, Long Beach and Los Angeles hold
primary elections for elected officials. The first election, sometimes referred to as a Primary
Nominating Election (PNE) in Long Beach, is the first of two possible elections. Candidates are
nominated by the voters and appear on the PNE ballot. If any one candidate receives 50% + 1 of
the votes cast for that office, that candidate has received a majority vote and is declared elected
to that office. If any candidate does not receive a majority of the votes cast for that office in the
PNE, then a second election is held, the General Municipal Election (GME or runoff), at which the
top two vote getters from the PNE are placed on the ballot and the candidate that receives the
most votes in the GME /runoff is declared the winner.
65A -1
Potential Charter Amendment
For Primary Elections and Related Election Issues
December 2, 2013
Page 2
The cities that provide for primary elections are governed by a city charter like Santa Ana. The
charter provides for the election procedures. In order to hold a primary election in Santa Ana, the
voters must approve an amendment to the City Charter. The Council would have to direct the
City Attorney and staff to prepare the necessary resolutions to approve a ballot measure and the
actual text of the measure would have to be approved at least 88 days before a regular election
date at which the ballot question is posed.
Elected vs. Appointed
Cities throughout the state have different ways of selecting a Mayor. Some cities directly elect a
Mayor and other cities appoint a Mayor from among the elected council members. According to
statistics from the League of California Cities, as of July 1, 2011, there were 482 incorporated
cities with 362 of those being general law cities and 120 being charter cities. As of May 2010, 149
cities had a directly elected mayor, which includes both general law and charter cities. Also
attached to this report are two lists. One is a list of the 20 largest cities in California by population
and the list notes whether the cities are general law or charter and whether the Mayors are
appointed or elected. The second is a list of California cities compiled by the US Conference of
Mayors and this list (although not complete) describes cities with elected vs. appointed Mayors.
Election Costs
According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters a consolidated election in Santa Ana,
administered by the County of Orange is estimated to cost between $125,000 to $175,000. This
cost would be for a primary election and would be in addition to the costs associated with the
existing regularly scheduled municipal election in November of even - numbered years.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with providing direction to staff on whether to
prepare a proposed Charter amendment.
Am� � &�
Sonia R. Carvalho
City Attorney
SRC:Ig
65A -2
City Ranked
by Size of Population
Charter
City
Population
Size of Council,
including
Mayor
Elected or
Appointed
Mayor
Primary
Election
Elected
by /or from
Wards or
Districts
Los Angeles
Yes
3,792,621
Elected
Yes
District by
district
San Diego
Yes
1,307,402
Elected
San Jose
Yes
945,942
Elected
San Francisco
Yes
805,235
Elected
Fresno
Yes
494,665
Elected
Sacramento
Yes
466,488
Elected
Long Beach
Yes
462,257
Elected
Yes
Oakland
Yes
390,724
Elected /Votes
only in ties
Bakersfield
Yes
347,483
Elected
Anaheim
Yes
336,265
Elected
All at large
Santa Ana
Yes
340,378
7 members
Elected
Wards at
large
Riverside
Yes
297,863
7 members
Elected /Votes
only in ties
Stockton
Yes
287,584
Elected
Chula Vista
Yes
223,746
Elected
Irvine
Yes
209,707
5 members
Elected
Fremont
No
205,521
Elected
Modesto
Yes
202,740
Elected
San Bernardino
Yes
198,421
Elected
Glendale
Yes
196,882
Elected
Huntington Beach
Yes
193,369
7 members
Appointed
lExhibit A
65A -3
65A -4
US Conference of Mayors Survey Information from 2012
Cities Highlighted are those that Elected a Mayor
Cities in Bold /Underlined are 100,000 in population or more that appoint a Mayor
65A -5
Notes
Exhibit B
Election
Current Mayor
Population
Date
California
Alhambra
Steven Placido
83,089
Council to
Select in
December
Apple Valley
Curt Emick
69,135
Council to
Select in
December
Baldwin Park
Manuel Lozano
75,390
11/5/2013
Banning
Debbie Franklin
30,310
Council to
Select in
December
Bell Gardens
Pedro Aceituno
42,072
Council to
Select in
December
Brea
Ron Garcia
39,282
Council to
Select in
December
Buena Park
Elizabeth Swift
80,530
Council to
Select in
December
Calexico
Maritza Hurtado
38,572
Council to
Select in
December
Camarillo
Charlotte Craven
65,201
Council to
Select in
December
Campbell
Evan Low
39,349
Council to
Select in
December
Ceres
Chris Vierra
45,417
11/5/2013
Chino Hills
Peter Rogers
74,799
Council to
Select in
December
Citrus Heights
Steve Miller
83,301
Council to
Select in
December
Coachella
Eduardo Garcia
40,704
Council to
Select in
December
65A -5
Notes
Exhibit B
Concord
Dan Helix
122.067
Council to
Select in
December
Corona
Jason Scott
152.374
Council to
Select in
December
Costa Mesa
Jim Riaheimer
109.960
Council to
Select in
December
Cupertino
Orrin Mahoney
58,302
Council to
Select in
December
Cypress
Prakash Narain,
47,802
Councilto
M. D.
Select in
December
Daly City
Raymond A.
101.123
Council to
Buenaventura
Select in
December
Dana Point
Steven H.
33,351
Council to
Weinberg
Select in
December
Danville
Newell Arnerich
42,039
Council to
Select in
December
Delano
Joe Aguirre
53,041
Council to
Select in
December
Diamond Bar
Jack Tanaka
55,544
Council to
Select in
December
Downey
Mario A. Guerra
111.772
Council to
Select in
December
Eastvale
Ike Bootsma
54,635
Council to
Select in
December
El Centro
Benjamin J.
42,598
Council to
Solomon, III
Select in
December
El Monte
Andre Quintero
113,475
11/5/2013
Encinitas
Teresa Barth
59,518
Council to
Select in
December
Fairfield
Harry T. Price
105,321
11/5/2013
Folsom
Steve Miklos
72,203
Council to
Select in
December
Foster City
Pam Frisella
32,129
Council to
Select in
December
Fountain Valley
Mark McCurdy
55,313
Council to
Select in
December
Fullerton
Bruce Whitaker
135.161
Council to
65A -6
65A -7
Select in
December
Goleta
Roger S. Aceves
30,289
Council to
Select in
December
Hanford
Lou Martinez
53,967
Council to
Select in
December
Hawthorne
Daniel Juarez
84,293
Council to
Select in
December
Hemet
Robert Youssef
78,657
Council to
Select in
December
Hesperia
Bill Holland
90,173
Council to
Select in
December
Highland
Larry McCallon
53,104
Council to
Select in
December
Huntington
Connie
189.992
Council to
Beach
Boardman
Select in
December
Indio
Elaine Holmes
76,036
Council to
Select in
December
Jurupa Valley
Verne Lauritzen
97,426
Council to
Select in
December
La Habra
Rose Espinoza
60,239
Council to
Select in
December
Laguna Hills
Barbara Kogerman
30,344
Council to
Select in
December
Laguna Niguel
Robert Ming
62,979
Council to
Select in
December
Lake Elsinore
Robert 'Bob'
55,288
Council to
Magee
Select in
December
Lake Forest
Scott 'Scotty,
77,264
Council to
Voigts
Select in
December
Lincoln
Stan Nader
42,819
Council to
Select in
December
Livermore
John P. Marchand
80,968
11/512013
Lodi
Alan Nakanishi
62,134
Council to
Select in
December
Los Gatos
Barbara Spector
30,141
Council to
Select in
December
65A -7
Lynwood Sal Alatorre
Madera Robert L.
Poythress
Manhattan Beach David J. Lesser
Menlo Park Peter I. Ohtaki
'ijeYeed, Stan Thurston
Mission Viejo Rhonda Reardon
Montebello Christina Cortez
Monterey Park Mitchell Ing
Moreno Valley Tom Owings
Murrieta Rick Gibbs
Newark Alan L. Nagy
Newport Beach Keith D. Curry
Novato Pat Eklund
Oakley Kevin Romick
Pacifica Len Stone
Palm Desert Jan Harnik
Palmdale James C. Ledford,
Jr.
Pico Rivera Gustavo V.
Camacho
Pittsburg Nancy Parent
Placentia Scott Nelson
69,772 Council to
Select in
December
61,416 Council to
Select in
December
35,135 Council to
Select in
December
32,026 Council to
Select in
December
78,958 11/5/2013
93,305 Council to
Select in
December
62,500 Council to
Select in
December
60,269 Council to
Select in
December
193.365 Council to
Select in
December
103.466 Council to
Select in
December
42,573 11/5/2013
85,186 Council to
Select in
December
51,904 Council to
Select in
December
37,278 11/5/2013
37,234 Council to
Select in
December
48,445 Council to
Select in
December
152,750 11/5/2013
62,942 Council to
Select in
December
63,264 Council to
Select in
December
50,533 Council to
Select in
December
65A -8
Pleasant Hill
Or Michael G.
33,152
Council to
Harris
Select in
December
Rancho Cordova
Linda Budge
64,776
Council to
Select in
December
Rancho Palos
Susan Brooks
41,643
Council to
Verdes
Select in
December
Rancho Santa
L. Anthony Beall
47,853
Council to
Margarita
Select in
December
Redding
Rick Bosetti
89,861
Council to
Select in
December
Redwood City
Alicia C. Aguirre
76,815
11/5/2013
Rocklin
Diana Ruslin
56,974
Council to
Select in
December
Rohnert Park
Pam Stafford
40,971
Council to
Select in
December
Roseville
Susan Rohan
118,788
Councii to
Select in
December
San Bernardino
Patrick J. Morris
209,924
11/512013
San Bruno
Jim Ruane
41,114
11/5/2013
San
Mike Tracy
106.433
Council to
Buenaventura
Select in
December
San Clemente
Bob Baker
63,522
Council to
Select in
December
San Diego
Todd Gloria
1,307,402
11/19/2013
San Jacinto
Mark Bartel
44,199
Council to
Select in
December
San Juan
John Taylor
34,593
Council to
Capistrano
Select in
December
San Mateo
David Lim
97,207
Council to
Select in
December
San Raman
Bill Clarkson
72,148
11/5/2013
Santa Barbara
Helene Schneider
88,410
11/5/2013
Santa Clarita
Bob Kellar
176.320
Council to
Select in
December
Santa Cruz
Hilary Bryant
59,946
Council to
Select in
December
Santa Monica
Pam O'Connor
89,736
Council to
Select in
65A -9
65A -10
December
Saratoga
Jill Hunter
30,677
11/5/2013
South San
Pedro Gonzalez
63,632
Council to
Francisco
Select in
December
Stanton
David J. Shawver
38,186
Council to
Select in
December
Temecula
Michael S.
100.097
Council to
Naaaar
Select in
December
Thousand Oaks
Claudia Bill -de la
126.683
Council to
Pena
Select in
December
Tracy
Brent H. Ives
82,922
11/5/2013
Tustin
Al Murray
75,540
Council to
Select in
December
Victorville
Jim Cox
115.903
Council to
Select in
December
Visalia
Amy Shuklian
124,442
Council to
Select in
December
Walnut Creek
Cindy Silva
64,173
Council to
Select in
December
Watsonville
Lowell Hurst
51,199
Council to
Select in
December
West Covina
Shelley
106.098
Council to
Sanderson
Select in
December
Wildomar
Timothy Walker
32,176
Council to
Select in
December
Yorba Linda
Tom Lindsey
64,234
Council to
Select in
December
Yuba City
John Buckland
64,925
Council to
Select in
December
Yucaipa
Denise Hoyt
51,367
Council to
Select in
December
65A -10