Huntington Park Municipal Code Ch. 9 Municipal Elections

Beginning in 2026, the dates of the general municipal elections shall be the dates of the statewide general elections in November of each even-numbered year. Commencing with the general municipal election in November of 2026, the voters in Districts 4 and 5 shall elect members of the City Council by district for four-year terms. Commencing with the general municipal election in November of 2028 and thereafter, the voters in Districts 1, 2 and 3 shall elect members of the City Council by district for full four-year terms.

(§ 1, Ord. 543-NS, eff. June 15, 1994, as amended by § 1, Ord. 930-NS, eff. August 21, 2014, § 2, Ord. 2017-959, eff. September 14, 2017, and § 1, Ord. 2017-960, eff. September 14, 2017; Ord. 2026-01, 1/13/2026, eff. 1/13/2026; Ord. 2026-04, 2/24/2026, eff. 1/13/2026)

(a) The Mayor and Councilmembers of the City shall at all times while serving in elected office for the City have as their place of residence and domicile in the District for which they are seeking election.

If, during his or her term of office, the Mayor or a Councilmember moves his or her place of residence outside of the District or ceases to be an elector of the District, his or her office shall immediately become vacant.

(b) Applicable Definitions and Standards. The following rules shall be observed when determining a person's place of residence and domicile for purposes of this section:

(1) The residence of a person is that place in which the person's habitation is fixed for some period of time, but wherein he or she does not have the intention of remaining. At a given time, a person may have more than one residence (Elections Code Section 349(c)).

(2) The domicile of a person is that place in which the person's habitation is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining, and to which, whenever he or she is absent, the person has the intention of returning. At a given time, a person may have only one domicile (Elections Code Section 349(b)).

(3) When determining a person's residence for purposes of where he or she is properly registered to vote, the definition for domicile shall be used (Elections Code Section 349(a)).

(4) The term District shall have the same meaning as "by districts" found in Government Code Section 34871.

(§§ 1, 2, Ord. 654-NS, eff. June 20, 2001; Ord. 2026-04, 2/24/2026, eff. 1/13/2026)

(a) Following the effective date of this chapter and upon the commencement of "by district" elections in the order established in § 2-9.01 of this code, members of the City Council shall be elected "by district" as defined in California Government Code Section 34871 or any successor statute. A person shall not be eligible to be elected to be a member of the City Council unless he or she is otherwise qualified as required by law and both resided in the geographical area comprising the district from which he or she is nominated to be elected and was a registered voter of the City at the time nomination papers are issued to the candidate as provided for in Section 10227 of the California Elections Code. It is the intent of the City Council that no term of any member of the City Council that commenced prior to the effective date of chapter shall be affected by the adoption of this chapter.

(b) Registered voters signing nomination papers or voting for a member of the City Council shall be residents of the geographical area making up the district from which the member is to be elected.

(c) The boundaries of the five City Council districts established by the passage of Resolution 2026-01 of this Council hereby are established as described on the Council District Map attached as Exhibit "A" to Resolution 2026-01 of this Council and incorporated by this reference.

(d) The terms of the office of each member elected to the City Council shall remain four years.

(Ord. 2026-04, 2/24/2026, eff. 1/13/2026)

(a) Pursuant to Elections Code Section 21601, as it may be amended, the City Council shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the districts following each decennial federal census. Using the census as a basis, the City Council shall adjust the boundaries so that the districts shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable and in compliance with all applicable provisions of law. Any adjustment of district boundaries shall be made by resolution adopted by the City Council before the first day of November of the year following the year in which each decennial federal census is taken. Prior to the public hearing approving the adjustment of the district boundaries, the City Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed district boundaries as required by Elections Code Section 21607.

(b) At the time of any annexation of territory to the City, the City Council shall designate, by resolution adopted by a vote of at least a majority of the City Council, the contiguous district to which the annexed territory shall be a part and shall amend the district boundaries if necessary in accordance with Election Codes Section 21603, as it may be amended.

(c) Pursuant to Elections Code Section 21606, the term of office of any Councilmember who has been elected and whose term of office has not expired shall not be affected by any change in the boundaries of the district from which he or she was elected. At the first election for Council following adjustment of the boundaries of the districts, a person meeting the requirements of Government Code Section 34882 shall be elected to the City Council for each district under the readjusted district plan that has the same district number as a district whose incumbent's term on the Council is due to expire.

(Ord. 2026-04, 2/24/2026, eff. 1/13/2026)

(a) No person shall serve more than four full consecutive terms of office as a City Councilmember (each term is for four years). The completion of any unexpired term to which such person was elected or appointed to shall not be considered a term for the purposes of this subsection.

(b) A person who has served four full consecutive terms as a City Councilmember shall be eligible to serve either as an appointed or elected City Councilmember after being out of office for at least one General Municipal Election.

(c) The term limits established by this chapter shall be applicable prospectively to all terms of office for City Councilmembers from and commencing with the terms of City Councilmembers elected at the March 5, 2024, General Municipal Election.

(§ 1, Ord. 700A-NS, eff. March 4, 2003, as amended by § 2, Ord. 2017-959, eff. September 14, 2017, and § 1, Ord. 2017-960, eff. September 14, 2017; Ord. 2023-04, 4/18/2024; Ord. 2026-04, 2/24/2026, eff. 1/13/2026)