HomeMy WebLinkAbout17 ORDINANCE CHANGING ELECTION DATE • • NO 17
AGE 103-94
DATE: September 28, 1994 I n t e r c o m \ �
TO: WILLIAM A. RUSTON, CITY MANAGER B 0
FROM: CITY ATTORNEY
G /`Di
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE CHANGING THE DATE OF THE CITY'S GENERAL �
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
•
Enclosed for the consideration of the City Council is a
proposed ordinance which changes the date of the City' s general
municipal election to the March statewide primary in 1996 . That
provision is automatically repealed in 1997 if the state fails to
authorize a March statewide direct primary for 1998 . In that
event, the ordinance provides that the City' s general municipal
election will be held on the second Tuesday in April.
While we understand it was the City Council' s intention to
keep the March date in the event that the state legislature
extended the law providing for a March statewide direct primary
date, this "super-Tuesday" election date, which was established by
AB2196, only applies in presidential election years . Since 1998 is
not a presidential election year, the state legislature may fail to
provide for a March statewide direct primary in 1998, even if they
decide to continue the special super-Tuesday date for the presiden-
tial election in the year 2000 .
An option for the City Council to consider is lobbying the
otate legislature to permit cities to hold a general municipal
election in March of even-numbered years. That way, in non-
presidential election years, if the statewide primary is held in
June, cities could have their own elections in March. This date
would allow a consolidated election in presidential election years,
if "super-Tuesday" is continued by the state .
Another option to consider is to lobby the state legislature
to permanently move the statewide direct primary to March of even-
numbered years.
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Enclosure
cc: Valerie Crabill, Chief Deputy City Clerk