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Charter Amendment 1 New City Election Dates and Schedules; One-Time Adjustment to Align Terms With New Election Dates by 2020 City of Los Angeles Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required Pass: 139,292 / 77.2% Yes votes ...... 41,081 / 22.8% No votes
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Index of all Measures |
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Information shown below: Summary | Fiscal Impact | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | ||||||
Shall the City Charter be amended to: 1) change the City's primary and general election dates to June and November of even-numbered years beginning in 2020 so that City elections are held on the same dates as Federal and State elections; 2) provide that, in 2015 and 2017 only, candidates be elected for a term of 5/12 years to transition to the new election dates; 3) adjust vacancy election schedules and allow temporary appointments to fill vacant offices until an election is held; 4) enable initiative and referendum elections to be scheduled at either the next City or next State election; and 5) allow initiative proponents to withdraw their measure prior to scheduling an election?
THE PROPOSAL: This measure would change the City's election dates to the same dates as State elections beginning in 2020. To shift to the new election dates, candidates elected in 2015 and 2017 would serve a term of 5/1 2 years. The measure would make other related changes to election calendars, as described above. A YES VOTE MEANS: You want to change the City's election dates to the same dates as State elections beginning in 2020; approve a one-time change to candidate terms to align with these new dates; and approve other related election calendar changes. A NO VOTE MEANS: You do not want to change the City's election dates to the same dates as State elections beginning in 2020; approve a one-time change to candidate terms to align with these new dates; and approve other related election calendar changes.
The measure would amend the Charter relative to election dates for primary nominating and general municipal elections, by making permanent, and one-time adjustments, to election schedules, terms of office, and other related changes to align City election laws with the new election dates. The proposed measure would make the following changes:
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League of Women Voters of Los Angeles
Should the City Charter be amended to provide for new election dates for city elections and elections for members of the board of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); should one-time adjustments be made to align the terms of elected officials with the new election dates; and should other election-related changes be made?
L.A. City elections are held in March and May of odd-numbered years, while California state elections are held in June and November of even-numbered years. Elections for members of the LAUSD board are held concurrently with L.A. City elections. LAUSD elections are separate from city elections because a number of schools in the LAUSD lie outside of the city; voters in those areas vote for members of the LAUSD board, but not on L.A. City issues.
Starting in the year 2020, L.A. City and LAUSD elections would be held at the same time as California state elections, in June and November of even-numbered years. The City Council would have the option of having the elections consolidated by L.A. County on the same ballot as federal and state elections, or holding regular city elections on the new dates.
Charter Amendment Two would make these change for the LAUSD elections.
The total financial impact of these measures is unknown. At this time, it's not possible to determine whether the city will save money by not having to conduct its own elections. The county will charge the city a fee to conduct consolidated elections, the cost of which is unknown at this time. Consolidating these local elections with state elections may depend on the successful implementation of L.A. County's new voting system, which is expected to roll out in 2020. There are potential savings due to the "other changes" described above.
You want to change the L.A. City and LAUSD election dates to the same dates as California state elections, change the terms of elected officials to align with the new dates, and make other election-related changes.
You do not want to change the L.A. City and LAUSD election dates to the same dates as California state elections, change the terms of elected officials to align with the new dates, or make other election-related changes.
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Arguments For Charter Amendment 1 | Arguments Against Charter Amendment 1 | ||
A government of the people and for the people requires participation BY the people. Elections
are the great equalizer, allowing everyone's voice to be heard with the same weight without
regard to race, age or gender.
Elections are sacred and allow our democracy to function. Elections are also expensive--costing taxpayers millions of dollars. When we hold elections with very low voter turnout, we are wasting money and placing power directly into the hands of special interests--not the voters. It's time for change. It's time to simplify our election process and stop wasting taxpayer dollars. A YES vote on Charter Amendment 1 will do this. For as long as anyone can remember, Los Angeles holds elections for local offices like Mayor and City Councilmembers just a few months AFTER we vote for higher profile offices like President and U.S. Senator. Here's the result: In the November 2012 election, turnout was 71%. A few months later, turnout in the 2013 election for Mayor of Los Angeles was only 21%! That means barely one in five voters are making critical, quality of life decisions for the vast majority of Angelenos. That's simply not democracy at its best! Charter Amendment 1 will consolidate city elections with federal and state elections, vastly improve voter participation and potentially save millions of dollars that could be better spent on schools, parks, libraries, and fixing our roads to reduce e traffic.
"... If switching to on-cycle elections means more people will be involved in choosing their local representatives, then Los Angeles shouldn't hesitate to do it." (Los Angeles Times, 9/18/14) Join the Los Angeles 2020 Commission, the Elections Reform Commission, Common Cause, neighborhood councils, academics, business groups, and your neighbors in supporting Charter Amendment 1. Vote YES for higher voter turnout. Vote YES for better democracy. Vote YES to save millions in taxpayer dollars. Vote YES on Charter Amendment 1. PERSONS SIGNING ARGUMENT FOR CHARTER AMENDMENT 1
Dr. Fernando Guerra, Chair, City of Los Angeles Municipal Elections Reform Commission
L.A. Councilmembers pushing to change city election dates cleverly built an extended 5 ½ year office term into the ballot language, instead of allowing you, the voter, to decide the length of term. "This ... seems like another attempt to treat the symptom instead of the disease, to puff up participation percentages without necessarily boosting civic engagement... it's discouraging to see (city officials) pretend the problem is in the election system, when they should look inward and encourage the public to do the same." - L.A. Daily News editorial (9/24/14) Vote NO on Charter Amendment 1. PERSONS SIGNING REBUTTAL TO THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF CHARTER AMENDMENT 1
BERNARD C. PARKS
HANS JOHNSON
J. MICHAEL CAREY | Don't let City Council bend the rules so some members can extend their terms. Charter Amendment 1 gives a free extra 18 months in office to incumbent councilmembers who voted to place it on the ballot. It restricts the ability of city residents to have our election debates focused on neighborhood and local school concerns. It is bad for Los Angeles' political future and lacks accountability and fairness. Even the proposal's supporters acknowledge changing the election date does not solve the problem of declining voting. It only addresses a symptom. Charter Amendment 1 shifts the city election schedule to even years - buried at the bottom of a crowded ballot after federal, state and county races and propositions. Competing in California's frantic general election environment, local contests would necessarily become exceedingly more expensive in the costlier context of a Presidential or gubernatorial election year. The result: candidates would be even more dependent on special interests to give them money. This would tilt the playing field toward favor-seekers, a corrupting influence over city governance, and expose our precious nonpartisan city elections to the skewed influence of partisan electioneering. Finally, this proposal gives away control of our elections to county government, at an unknown cost. Real election reform should focus on earlier and expanded civics education, easier and more modernized voting procedures, scheduling elections on a weekend or encouraging a citywide voting holiday, and campaign reform. Charter Amendment 1 is fake reform. A larger turnout at an even-year Presidential election (even-year gubernatorial elections are notoriously low turnout) does not necessarily translate to increased engagement of city voters with L.A.'s office elections, school elections and local propositions. Charter Amendment 1 ignores genuine strategies to enable and engage informed voting. It gives officeholders an additional year and a half term without their needing to run. Vote NO on Charter Amendment 1. PERSONS SIGNING ARGUMENT AGAINST CHARTER AMENDMENT 1 BERNARD C. PARKS, Councilmember, District 8, City of Los Angeles HANS JOHNSON, President, East Area Progressive Democrats J. MICHAEL CAREY, Retired City Clerk. City of Los Angeles
Even opponents of Charter Amendment 1 admit this. In their own ballot argument, they say that Charter Amendment 1 would lead to "A larger turnout." We agree. Opponents claim higher turnout elections would pose "an unknown cost." That's because there is NO cost. Every independent analysis says Charter Amendment 1 will save money because the city will no longer have to pay the costs for printing, mailing ballot pamphlets, hiring poll workers, and other election-related expenses. Vote YES to put power back in the hands of the voters, not the special interests. Vote YES to save taxpayer dollars needed to fund schools, libraries and parks--not more elections. Vote YES on Charter Amendment 1. PERSONS SIGNING REBUTTAL TO THE ARGUMENT AGAINST CHARTER AMENDMENT 1
Dr. Fernando Guerra, Chair, City of Los Angeles Municipal Elections Reform Commission |