Long Beach Municipal Code Div. I General Provisions

For purpose of this Chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth as follows unless the contrary is stated or clearly appears from the content:

A. "Campaign statement" means an itemized report which is prepared on a form required by the City Clerk and which provides the information required by this Chapter.

B. "Contribution" shall have the same meaning as set forth in California Government Code Section 82015, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, as it reads now and as it may be amended.

C. "Election" means any primary, general, special or runoff election held in the City, including an initiative, referendum or recall election.

D. "Mass mailing" means two hundred (200) or more substantially similar tangible items. "Mass mailing" does not include e-mails, website or social media postings, text messages, and recorded telephone messages or robocalls. "Mass mailing" does not include any of the following mailings so long as the mailing complies with the requirements in Subsection 1.15.530 of this Chapter:

1. Mail which is sent in response to an unsolicited letter or other inquiry; or

2. Any announcement, notice or invitation to an officeholder's constituents concerning a public meeting which is directly related to the officeholder's incumbent governmental duties, which is to be held by the officeholder and which the officeholder intends to attend; or

3. Any announcement, notice or invitation to any official City event or events for which the City is providing its facilities, its staff or other financial support; or

4. Business cards that do not contain more than one mention of the officeholder's name.

E. "Officeholder" means all elected City officers.

F. "Measure" means any City Charter amendment, ordinance or any other City proposition, including any amendment to such propositions, submitted to a popular vote at an election, whether by initiative, referendum or recall procedure or otherwise, or circulated for the purposes of submission to a popular vote at any election, whether or not the proposition qualifies for the ballot.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)

Candidates elected to office shall assume such office on the third Tuesday in December, or such later date if additional time is required to canvass and certify election results, and shall serve until the election and qualification of their successors. Only those elected offices which become vacant shall be filled on the third Tuesday of December of that year.

(ORD-25-0003 § 2, 2025; ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)

If any section, subsection, division, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase in this Chapter or any part thereof is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this Chapter or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, division, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, divisions, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases be declared unconstitutional, or invalid, or ineffective.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)

This Chapter is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project within the meaning of 14 CCR § 15378 or alternatively, because it is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment (14 CCR § 15061(b)(3)). This Chapter implements changes to the timing of municipal elections that have no potential for direct or indirect changes to the environment.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)