League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA November 5, 2013 Election
	Measure D Change General Municipal Election to Even-numbered Years City of San Ramon Majority Approval Required Pass: 6737 / 83.09% Yes votes ...... 1371 / 16.91% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure D

There are two fundamental reasons to support this change of municipal elections to even years. First, there is greater voter participation in even years' elections, driven primarily by the large number of statewide and national candidates on those even year ballots. Second, this change will save the city substantial money every election cycle. By changing the city council and mayor elections to the even year election cycle, we will align our elections with the election cycle for the President, US Senators, Congressmen, State Governor, and others. There is a dramatic increase in election turnout when national and state offices are on the ballot. In 2010 Contra Costa County voter turnout was 66% when the Governor and US Senator were on the ballot. In 2012, it was 79% for the Presidential election. In 2011 when the city held its last election, voter turnout was only about 29%. Clearly, voter turnout goes up in even years. The San Ramon City Attorney has determined that the change to even year elections will save the city approximately $142,000 every election cycle. San Ramon is the last and only city with elections in odd years. This was not the case many years ago, but all cities and most jurisdictions in the county have moved their elections to even years in the last decade. The few remaining jurisdictions must then share the cost and pay the county to run the election. With fewer participants, the share we must pay goes up every year. This situation will get worse not better in the future. Vote YES on "D" to save money and increase voter participation in San Ramon elections. Louis I. Dagen, Donna R. Kerger, Eric G. Wallis, David Ernest, Shirley Ernest Rebuttal to Arguments For None filed. (No arguments against Measure D were submitted)

Full Text of Measure D

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAMON AMENDING SECTION A3-1 OF CHAPTER I OF DIVISION A3 OF TITLE A OF THE SAN RAMON MUNICIPAL CODE TO MOVE THE DATE OF THE CITY'S GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FROM THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER IN ODD-NUMBERED YEARS TO THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER IN EVEN-NUMBERED YEARS AND TO EXTEND THE TERMS OF THE MAYOR AND ALL CITY COUNCILMEMBERS BY ONE YEAR AS PROVIDED FOR BY THE STATE ELECTIONS CODE The people of the City of San Ramon do ordain as follows: Section 1. Findings. (a) The City of San Ramon currently holds General Municipal Elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in odd-numbered years. (b) The City of San Ramon is currently the only remaining city in Contra Costa County to hold their elections in odd-numbered years. (c) California Elections Code Section 1301(b)(1) authorizes the City to reschedule its General Municipal Elections to be held on the same day as the statewide general election. (d) California Elections Code Section 10403.5(b) authorizes the City, as a result of adopting an ordinance pursuant to Section 1301(b), to increase or decrease a term of office by no more than 12 months. (e) On April 23, 2013, the City Council determined that the decision of moving the General Municipal Election date to even-numbered years and extending the terms of the City Councilmembers should be decided by the voters of San Ramon. Acting under the authority of Elections Code § 9222, the City Council voted to approve the option of placing this ordinance as a proposition on the November 5, 2013 election. Section 2. Amendment to the San Ramon Municipal Code. Section A3-1 of Chapter I of Division A3 of Title A of the San Ramon Municipal Code is amended to read as follows: A3-1.-Date held. A. Commencing in 2014, the general municipal election shall be held on the same day as the statewide general election, as provided for in the California Elections Code; on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. B. In order to accomplish changing the election date from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, as provided by the California Elections Code, the term of office of those members of the City Council elected in 2011 shall be extended by one year until 2016. The term of office of those members of the City Council elected in 2013 shall be extended by one year until 2018. The term of office of the Mayor elected in 2013 shall be extended by one year until 2016. The City Council shall amend any other provision of the Municipal Code as necessary to conform with this section. Section 3. Effective Only if Charter Amendment Passes. This ordinance shall be effective only if the Charter Amendment changing the Mayor's election date to even-numbered years and extending the Mayor's term by one year, also on the November 5, 2013 ballot, passes. Section 4. Codification. Only Section 2 of this ordinance shall be codified in the San Ramon Municipal Code. Section 5. Effective Date. This ordinance, if approved by a majority of the voters voting on the ordinance, shall be deemed adopted on the date the vote is canvassed and declared official by the City Council, and shall be effective 10 days thereafter (Elections Code § 9217).