Loading...
CC - Item 4D - Calling of Special Municipal Election February 7, 2006• TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCILL FROM: CITY CLERK DATE: OCTOBER 3, 2005 • RE: CALLING OF SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION - FEBRUARY 7, 2006 At the City Council meeting of September 27, 2005, the City Council received and filed Notices of Sufficiency relating to the petitions submitted to the City Clerk in the effort to recall Councilmembers Jay T. Imperial and Gary A. Taylor. Pursuant to the Elections Code of the State of California, Section 11240, once the City Council has received the Notices of Sufficiency, the governing body must set the date for the recall election within fourteen days. The election must take place within 88 to 125 days from the date the election is called. We have consulted with Martin and Chapman, the City's election supplier, and confirmed that the election must take place on a Tuesday. Given the fact that a new City Clerk will take office after my retirement later this month, and that additional election procedures are necessitated by the Department of Justice consent decree, I recommend that the election be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2006. The Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year holidays are upcoming and to hold the election any earlier would inconvenience the voter by having an election so close to the holidays when many people travel. Martin and Chapman Company advises that their employees have staggered holiday schedules and the company operates with a "skeleton crew' during the holiday period in December. 0 C T 112005 rrE-fA No.11L•e-:P • • If the Council sets the Special Election for February 7, 2006, the Nomination Period will open October 12, 2005 and close November 28, 2005, the 75`h day before the election as provided by the Elections Code. If the election is held any earlier, it would shorten the nomination filing period, as well as time frames for notices, mailing of sample ballots, absentee voter applications and ballot processing and appointment of precinct officers and clerks. Attached is a copy of the election Index and Check List. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Council set the Special Election to be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 and to direct the City Clerk to prepare the necessary documents to call for a Special Municipal Election to submit to the voters the questions of the recall of Councilmember Jay Imperial and Councilmember Gary A. Taylor and an election of their successors should the recall be successful. • • Index and Check List for Full Election City of Rosemead Special Municipal Election February 7, 2006 Form Suggested Completion No. Item Action Date Date Preliminary Assignments Pink Information Fact Sheet / send to M&C Fax/Mail By 10/11 1 Letter: Purchase of Ballots / send to M&C Mail By 10/11 2A Resolution: County Services Adopt By 10/11 3A Resolution: Calling Election Adopt By 10/11 6 Resolution: Policy on Candidate's Statements Adopt By 10/11 Letter to Secretary of State requesting Random Alphabet Mail By 10/11 Two copies of 2A to Board of Supervisors Mail As adopted One copy of 2A, 3A to County Elections Department Mail As adopted Copies of ALL Resolutions to M&C As adopted Intermediate Assignments 11 Notice: Election, Candidates & Measure(s) Publish/Post thru From Cz Nomination Petition Signatures Check As received Candidate's Statements to M&C Fax/Mail As received Candidate's Names & Designations for the ballot to M&C Fax/Mail By 11117 Precinct Consolidations to County Elections Department Fax/Mail By 12/8 Polling Places and Precinct Consolidations to M&C By 12/8 Postage Check for Sample Ballots/send to M&C or to City Postmaster Mail By 12/9 Appoint Election Officers By 1/9 Send Election Officer Addresses & Zip codes to M&C if M&C is preparing Fax/Mail As complete 12 Notice: Nominees for Public Office Publish/Post By 1/23 Election Officer Appointment Forms and Instructions Mail By 1/23 15 Notice: Absent Voter Canvass Board Post By 1/27 14 Notice: Central Counting Place Publish/Post By 1/28 13 Notice: Election Officers and Polling Places Publish/Post By 1/31 Notice to Inspector of Absentee/Mail Ballot Voters Deliver By 2/6 Compare Absent Voter's Signatures on Return Envelopes Compare Daily After Election Day Assignments 16 Election Official's Certificate of Canvass To Council By 313 17A Resolution: Declaring Result of Election Adopt By 3/3 If wanting a Runoff Election instead of resolving a tie vote by lot 18 Resolution: Establishing Special Runoff Election Adopt By 2/6 19 Resolution: Calling for Special Runoff Election Adopt By 3/3 • COUNCIL MEMORANDUM FROM: CITY CLERK DATE: OCTOBER 11, 2005 • RE: RECOMMENDATION OF FEBRUARY 7, 2006 RECALL ELECTION DATE - MARTIN & CHAPMAN, CITY'S ELECTION SUPPLIER At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the Council will consider designating the date of February 7, 2006, or an earlier Tuesday in January, as the date to hold the City's Recall Municipal Election. Given the fact that a new City Clerk will take office after my retirement later this month, and additional election procedures are necessitated by the Department of Justice consent decree, I am recommending the February 7`h date. The City's election supplier, Martin & Chapman also recommends holding the election no earlier than January 31 S` . Scott Martin, or a representative from Martin and Chapman, will be present at the meeting to answer any questions you may have. MARTIN & CHAPMAN'S JUSTIFICATIONS FOR NOT HOLDING ELECTION PRIOR TO JANUARY 31 - An earlier election date will shorten the nomination period. With a January 10`h election, the nomination period would be only 16 days, October 12 to October 27. With a January 24`h election, the nomination period will be only 30 days, October 12 to November 10`h. - Any date earlier than January 31" would put the mailing of the sample ballots, mailing of absentee ballots, during the peak of the holiday mail season - they go in the mail 30 days prior to the election. Voters would set aside and/or loose or forget about them. - It will be difficult to recruit precinct workers during the holidays. Election Date Memo - 10/10/05 Page 2. - The City needs as much time as possible to prepare to comply with the Department of Justice requirements. The holidays will shorten that time frame. - For a January 24`h election, the absentee period begins December 26`' - the question is will the candidates want to campaign between Christmas and New Years. - The City may only have one scheduled City Council meeting in December, but will have to schedule an adjourned or special meeting in order to meet certain time frames regarding appointing election officers or polling places. Following are Martin & Chapman 's recommendations for holding the election on February 7rh - A later election would lengthen the nomination period. With a January 31" election, the nomination period would be 37 days, October 12 to November 17. With a February 7'h election, the nomination period would be 44-46 days, October 12 to November 24 (Thanksgiving Day), extended to either Friday, November 25`h or Monday, November 28` . - Mailing of sample ballots and Absentee Voters ballots begins after New Years. - Many of the items the Council needs to approve will take place after the holidays at their regularly scheduled meeting. - The City's consultant, Martin & Chapman, Co., will be better prepared to comply with the Department of Justice consent decree. Holding the City's recall election any sooner than January 31St would considerably shorten the nomination filing period, as well as time frames for publishing notices, mailing of sample ballots, absentee applications and ballot processing, recruiting bi- lingual precinct officers and clerks. It would also impose time constraints on the City's Department of Justice consent decree in our efforts to form advisory groups and to reach as many foreign language citizens as possible.