Chapter 2.28 — MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Beginning with elections held after March 2017, the general municipal election for the Bellflower City Council must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. The first general municipal election after March 2017 general municipal election must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2018. (Prior code § 2-10; Ord. 1318 § 2, 9/26/16)

• A. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 34871(a), Members of the City Council of the City of Bellflower shall be elected by-districts in five single-member districts.

• B. 1. Beginning with the general municipal election in March 2019, Members of the City Council shall be elected in the electoral districts established by Section 2.28.030 and subsequently reapportioned as provided by State law. Elections shall take place on a by-district basis as that term is defined in California Government Code Section 34871, meaning one Member of the City Council shall be elected from each district, by the voters of that district alone. Each Member of the City Council shall serve a four year term until his or her successor is qualified.

  2. Except as provided in Subdivision (3) hereof, the Council Member elected to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district, and any candidate for City Council must live in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued. Termination of residency in a district by a Council Member shall create an immediate vacancy for that Council district unless a substitute residence within the district is established within 30 days after the termination of residency.

  3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Members of the City Council in office at the time the ordinance codified in this chapter takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the full term to which he or she was elected and until his or her successor is qualified. At the end of the term of each Council Member that Member's successor shall be elected on a by-district basis in the districts established in Section 2.28.030 and as provided in Section 2.28.040.

• (Ord. 1302 § 1, 11/8/16)

• A. Subject to Section 2.28.040, Members of the City Council shall be elected on a "by-district" basis from the Council districts described as follows:

  1. Council District 1 shall comprise all that portion of the City beginning at the intersection of Somerset Blvd. and the City's western border, thence proceeding easterly along Somerset Blvd. to Cabell Ave.; thence proceeding northeasterly along Cabell Ave. to Potter St.; thence proceeding southeasterly and easterly along Potter St. to Cornuta Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Cornuta Ave. to Lindale St.; thence proceeding easterly along Lindale St. to Woodruff Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Woodruff Ave. to Rosecrans Ave.; thence proceeding easterly along Rosecrans Ave. to the City's eastern border; thence proceeding counter-clockwise along the City border to the point of beginning.

  2. Council District 2 shall comprise all that portion of the City beginning at the intersection of Somerset Blvd. and Bellflower Blvd., thence proceeding easterly along Somerset Blvd. to Cabell Ave.; thence proceeding northeasterly along Cabell Ave. to Potter St.; thence proceeding southeasterly and easterly along Potter St. to Cornuta Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Cornuta Ave. to Lindale St.; thence proceeding easterly along Lindale St. to Woodruff Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Woodruff Ave. to Rosecrans Ave.; thence proceeding easterly along Rosecrans Ave. to the City's eastern border; thence proceeding clockwise along the City border to Highway 91; thence proceeding westerly along Highway 91 to the Bellflower Bike Trail; thence proceeding northwesterly along the Bellflower Bike Trail to Cornuta Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Cornuta Ave. to the north edge of parcel APN 7109003051 (16331 Cornuta Ave.); thence proceeding westerly along the north edge of parcel APN 7109003051 and parcel APN 7109003013 (16326 Eucalyptus Ave.) to Eucalyptus Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Eucalyptus Ave. to Alondra Blvd.; thence proceeding westerly along Alondra Blvd. to Bellflower Blvd.; thence proceeding northerly along Bellflower Blvd. to the point of beginning.

  3. Council District 3 shall comprise all that portion of the City beginning at the intersection of Somerset Blvd. and the City's western border, thence proceeding easterly along Somerset Blvd. to Bellflower Blvd.; thence proceeding southerly along Bellflower Blvd. to Flower St.; thence proceeding westerly along Flower St. to Clark Ave.; thence proceeding southerly along Clark Ave. to Walnut St.; thence proceeding westerly along Walnut St. to the City border; thence proceeding clockwise along the City border to the point of beginning.

  4. Council District 4 shall comprise all that portion of the City beginning at the intersection of Ardmore Ave. and the City's southern border, thence proceeding northerly along Ardmore Ave. to Flower St.; thence proceeding westerly along Flower St. to Clark Ave.; thence proceeding southerly along Clark Ave. to Walnut St.; thence proceeding westerly along Walnut St. to the City border; thence proceeding counter-clockwise along the City border to the point of beginning.

  5. Council District 5 shall comprise all that portion of the City beginning at the intersection of Highway 91 and the City's eastern border, thence proceeding westerly along Highway 91 to the Bellflower Bike Trail; thence proceeding northwesterly along the Bellflower Bike Trail to Cornuta Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Cornuta Ave. to the north edge of parcel APN 7109003051 (16331 Cornuta Ave.); thence proceeding westerly along the north edge of parcel APN 7109003051 and parcel APN 7109003013 (16326 Eucalyptus Ave.) to Eucalyptus Ave.; thence proceeding northerly along Eucalyptus Ave. to Alondra Blvd.; thence proceeding westerly along Alondra Blvd. to Bellflower Blvd.; thence proceeding southerly along Bellflower Blvd. to Flower St.; thence proceeding westerly along Flower St. to Ardmore Ave.; thence proceeding southerly along Ardmore Ave. to the City border; thence proceeding counter-clockwise along the City border to the point of beginning.

• B. The Council districts specified in Subsection (A) shall continue in effect until they are repealed or amended by the voters or until they are adjusted pursuant to California

Elections Code Sections 21600-21606, any successor statute thereto, or any other provision of State law authorizing the City Council to amend the districts without a vote of the people.

• (Ord. 1302 § 1, 11/8/16)

Council Members shall be elected in Council Districts 1, 3, and 5 beginning at the general municipal election in 2019 (or November 2018, if the City's elections are allowed by the County of Los Angeles or required by State law to be consolidated with the statewide election) and every four years thereafter. Council Members shall be elected from Council Districts 2 and 4 beginning at the general municipal election in 2021 (or November 2020, if the City's elections are allowed by the County of Los Angeles or required by State law to be consolidated with the statewide election) and every four years thereafter.

(Ord. 1302 § 1, 11/8/16)

• A. If by 5:00 p.m. of the 88th day, or the 83rd day if an incumbent fails to file, before a scheduled municipal election, no one person or only one person has been nominated for any office that is elected within the city, the City Clerk must submit a certificate of these facts to the City Council and inform the Council that it can, at a regular or special meeting held before the municipal election, adopt one of the following courses of action:

  1. Appoint to the office the sole person who has been nominated; or

  2. Appoint to the office an eligible elector if no one has been nominated; or

  3. Hold the election, if either no one or only one person has been nominated.

• B. Only after informing the City Council of its options may the City Clerk publish a notice of the facts and the City Council's available options in any newspaper of general circulation. After the fifth day following the date of posting or publication, the City Council may appoint or direct an election be held for the relevant City Council district. The City Clerk may not accept for filing any statement of write-in candidacy that is submitted after the appointment is made.

• C. Should the City Council make an appointment, it may cancel the relevant election in question for the appointed position. The term of the individual appointed to office will commence in accordance with Elections Code Section 10229.

• D. Notwithstanding any other conflicting provision of California law, this section may be implemented by the City Council even if a city measure is qualified and submitted to the voters at a municipal election.

• (Ord. 1437, 1/27/2025)