OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
OCTOBER 20, 2014
ITEM NO. 21
CALLING OF THE
MARCH 10, 2015 CITY AND PUSD
CONSOLIDATED PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION
AND THE APRIL 21, 2015
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
BACKGROUND
Office of the City Clerk
• March 10, 2015 Consolidated Primary Nominating Election:
> City of Pasadena:
 Office of Mayor (city wide)
 City Council Districts 1, 2, 4, and 6
> Pasadena Unified School District:
 Board of Education Districts 2, 4, and 6 (newly formed)
• April 21, 2015 General Municipal Election:
> Will be held for those races in the Primary Nominating Election
with less than a 50% plus one majority winner
> Two candidates receiving the most votes for undecided race(s)
will appear on the ballot
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RESOLUTION CALLING AND
CONSOLIDATING ELECTION
Office of the City Clerk
•
Provides general information regarding the Primary
Nominating Election:
>
>
>
Offices to be elected
Time of opening and closing polls
Details of the canvass to be conducted by the City Clerk
•
Consolidates Primary and General Elections with Pasadena
Unified School District
•
Sets forth the stipends for poll workers, including a bilingual
stipend
3
RESOLUTION REQUESTING
ELECTION SERVICES
Office of the City Clerk
• Requests the rendering of specified election-related services
by the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters:
> Access to County Registrar of Voters’ computer records for all eligible
registered voters
> Precinct maps for consolidation of County precincts
> Signature verification services
> Formula for the allocation of costs for consolidated election with
PUSD
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CANDIDATE STATEMENTS/COMPLIANCE
WITH FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Office of the City Clerk
• Sets forth regulations pertaining to candidate statements for the
primary and general elections:
> Candidates to pay a pro-rata share of costs to print candidate statements
in English, as follows
 Office of Mayor:
$2,600
 City Council Districts 1 & 6:
$300
 City Council Districts 2 & 4:
$650
 PUSD Districts 2, 4, & 6:
$650
> Sets March 13, 2015 as deadline to submit Candidate Statements for the
April General Municipal Election
> Requests the Secretary of State’s Office to conduct separate randomized
alphabetical drawings for the March and April Elections
> One Change to Resolution: The time of the deadline identified for withdrawing
candidate statements updated to 5:00 p.m. (not 5:30 p.m.) per Elections Code
Section 13307(A)(3)
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CONTINUED EARLY VOTING PROGRAM
Office of the City Clerk
• The City Clerk’s Office will continue to provide “Early Voting”
opportunities beginning two weeks prior to Election Day
• For March Election:
> During regular business hours
> In the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall
> Starting Tuesday, February 24, 2015 through Monday, March 9, 2015
• Additional day of Saturday, March 7, 2015, from 10:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m.
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VOTING BOUNDARY AND
ELECTION FORMAT CHANGES
Office of the City Clerk
•
•
Several Changes to the 2015 Election Cycle:
>
Utilizes newly created voting districts for Board of Education,
Districts 2, 4, and 6
>
Incorporates changes to boundary lines for City Council Districts 1, 2,
4, and 6
>
Results in an increase to the number of ballot types from 8 to 12
Potential Issues:
>
Adds to the complexity of election administration when compared to
prior election cycles
>
Creates challenges in maintaining historic voting precinct locations
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VOTING BOUNDARY AND
ELECTION FORMAT CHANGES (cont.)
Office of the City Clerk
•
Strategies:
>
>
•
Meetings held in Summer 2014 with the City Clerk, Martin &
Chapman, County Registrar of Voters, and City’s GIS Team

Review changes to the maps

Resolve potential issues
Final voting boundary maps reviewed in detail by City Clerk, City GIS
staff, and County GIS staff
Advantages to Changes:
>
Reduces number of polling locations and poll workers to manage on
Election Day (from 71 polling sites to 61 polling sites)
>
Reduces size of run-off elections for Board of Education races
>
Lowers election costs for PUSD and brings School District in
compliance with the California Voting Rights Act
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VOTING BOUNDARY AND
ELECTION FORMAT CHANGES (cont.)
Office of the City Clerk
•
Fiscal Impact for City Elections:
>
•
Vendor proposal is approximately $100,000 above budgeted amount
 Increased number of registered voters
 Increased number of Permanent Vote by Mail Voters
 More ballot types
 Increased number of expected candidates
Strategies:
>
>
>
Use alternate sample ballot pamphlets for Permanent Vote by Mail Voters
(savings in cost for printing and postage)
Work with Vendor to reduce other hard costs, wherever appropriate,
without compromising voting requirements and/or voter experience
Delay any additional funding requests until close of nomination period
when number of candidates, candidate statements, and registered voters
are known and/or updated
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