REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Certification of the March 3, 2020 Election Results for Ballot Measure B (Charter Amendment to Amend Sections 600 Through 613 Relating to Changing the City Council Election System to Implement By-District Elections)
Report
DISCUSSION
A Special Municipal Election was held March 3, 2020 for the purpose of submitting to the voters Measure B (Charter Amendment to amend Sections 600 through 616 relating to Council Election System), as follows:
Measure B:
Shall Article VI of the City of Sunnyvale Charter be amended to establish "by-district" elections for six Council members required to be residents of a district and elected only by the voters of that district, and one Mayor who will be directly elected by all City voters; change term limits to permit service on the Council for three consecutive terms but only two as Council member or Mayor; and make other conforming amendments?
Yes ___
No ___
California Elections Code Sections 9269 and 10262 require the City Council to adopt a resolution reciting the fact of the election no later than the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting following presentation of the 28-day canvass of returns. The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters (ROV) canvassed the returns of the election and presented the certified results to the City on April 23, 2020. Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-34-20 provided the ROV with a 21-day extension to provide the canvass of return due to the COVID-19 Emergency.
Measure B required a majority of votes cast for approval. Measure B received a majority vote and was approved by the voters.
The attached resolution (Attachment 1) recites the number of votes cast, percentage of the votes received by each measure as follows:
|
BALLOT MEASURES |
CHOICE |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
|
Measure B - Charter Amendment |
YES |
19,976 |
61.82% |
|
|
NO |
12,338 |
38.18% |
|
|
Total |
32,314 |
100.00% |
Total Registration: 65,262
Precinct Ballots Cast: 4,804
Vote by Mail Ballots Cast: 30,654
Total Ballots Cast: 35,458
Voter Turnout: 54.33%
Government Code Section 34459 provides that a charter amendment approved by a majority of the voters shall be deemed ratified but shall not take effect until accepted and filed by the Secretary of State pursuant to Government Code Section 34460. The Charter Amendment proposed by Measure B, amending Sections 600-613 relating to Council Election System, is included as Attachment 2. Upon Council’s certification of the election results, the Office of the City Attorney will file the Charter Amendment with the Secretary of State.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The adoption of the resolution certifying election results does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15378(b)(4) and 15378(b)(5) in that it is a fiscal and governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment and does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact resulting from certifying the election results.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution Declaring the Canvas of Returns for the Consolidated Special Municipal Election held March 3, 2020.
Staff
Prepared by: David Carnahan, City Clerk
Reviewed by: John A. Nagel, City Attorney
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution Declaring the Canvass of Returns for the Consolidated Special Municipal Election held March 3, 2020 (Measure B)
2. Charter Amendment (Sections 600-613 relating to Council Election System) (Measure B).