Pass: 120656 / 72.52% Yes votes ...... 45718 / 27.48% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions

Summary:

This proposition would amend the San Diego City Charter to set a later date for elected officials to be sworn into office, extend the deadlines to call special elections to fill vacancies in the offices of Mayor and City Council, and make non-substantive revisions to the Charter, to provide additional time for election officials to comply with state and federal deadlines to certify election results, provide mail ballots to military and overseas voters, and translate ballot materials.

Fiscal Impact:

This measure would establish the inauguration date of newly elected Councilmembers and Mayors in San Diego as the December 10th following their elections, and would allow 90 days between primary arnd run-off elections. Adoption of this measure would have no fiscal impact on the City.

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

This proposition would .amend sections of the San Diego Charter related to elections, providing additional time for election officials to comply with state and federal election deadlines.

The Charter requires the Mayor, City Council and City Attorney to be sworn into office "from and after 10 a.m. the first Monday after the first day of December next succeeding the elect ion." This inauguration date has proven problematic, because it may occur before election officials can certify election results. Depending on the specific election year, the term of office may begin from 27 to 34 days following the election. Elections officials have 28 days under state law to certify results. State legislators have proposed extending that time to 30 days.

If this proposition is approved, it would change the inauguration date, providing for 32 to 36 dlays between the November election and the December inauguration, according to a study by the City Clerk's Office. The amendments would provide that City officials "shall hold office for a term of four years from and after 10 a.m. on the tenth day of December next succeeding their elect ion and until their successors are elected and qualified. If the tenth day of December falls on a weekend or holiday, the term shall begin at 10 a.m. on the next calendar day that is not a weekend or a holiday."

The proposition also would extend the deadline to hold a special run-off election when there is a vacancy in the office of Mayor or Councilmember that must be filled by election. The Charter's deadline to hold special run-off elections has conflicted with laws requiring elections officials to mail ballots to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election.

If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in a special election, the Charter requires a special "run-off" election of the top two vote-getters to be held within 49 days of the special election. This proposition would extend that deadline, allowing the run-off election to be held up to 90 days after the special election, and up to 120 days later if the run-off election can be consolidated with a municipal or statewide election during that time.

The City Council proposed this ballot measure, working with the City's elections official, the City Clerk, and placed the measure on the ballot. If approved, the Charter amendments would become effective after they are chaptered by the California Secretary of State.

KPBS

• Prop. A Proposes changes to San Diego City Charter - 5/27/14