Long Beach Municipal Code Div. V Candidates

A. A nominating petition for a candidate in a district election for City Council member must be signed by a registered voter and resident of the geographical area making up the district from which the member is elected. No voter shall sign the nominating petition of any candidate for whom they cannot vote. A nominating petition for a candidate for a City-wide office may be signed by a registered voter and resident of the City.

B. A filing fee as determined by the City Council by resolution shall be paid to the City Clerk upon the filing of a nomination petition for any elective office of the City. In addition to said filing fee, a candidate shall submit a petition containing the signatures of twenty (20) registered voters who reside in the district in which the candidate is seeking nomination. In lieu of payment of said filing fee, a candidate may submit a statement under penalty of perjury that the candidate is indigent by virtue of having no available funds and is unable to raise funds sufficient to pay the required filing fee. Such candidate shall, in any event, submit the petition containing twenty (20) signatures of registered voters in the district in which the candidate is seeking nomination.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)

A. In any candidate's statement filed in any election in the City, the designation of present principal profession, vocation, or occupation of a candidate shall be governed by the provisions of the California Elections Code including any regulations promulgated thereunder, as it reads now or as it may be amended.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)

A. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, no mass mailing and no radio program or podcast, television program, video, social media video or livestream, or similar form of media shall be prepared, produced, printed, sent, broadcast, transmitted, delivered or distributed at public expense by, on behalf of, or at the behest of any officeholder after any such officeholder has filed the nomination documents as defined in Section 1.15.510.A of this Division or Section 333 of the California Elections Code, whichever is applicable, for any local, State or federal office.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1.15.530.A, any officeholder may appear on a radio program or podcast, television program, video, social media video or livestream, or similar form of media prepared, produced, sent, broadcast, transmitted, delivered or distributed at public expense after said officeholder has filed nomination documents for local, State, or federal office only if:

1. The appearance is at a noticed public meeting, such as, a City Council meeting or a meeting of any of its subcommittees; or

2. The appearance is at an event open to the public for which the City is providing its facilities, staff, or other financial support; the event is not held by, on behalf of, or at the behest of one or more officeholders who have filed nomination documents for elected office, or their office(s); and half or more of the officeholders speaking at and/or participating in the event have not filed nomination documents elected office; or

3. The communication is necessary to protect the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public due to a state of emergency.

C. Except where otherwise prohibited by this Section, mass mailings exempt pursuant to Section 1.15.010 (E)(1) through (4) of this Chapter may be sent under the following conditions:

1. The mailing contains only a single mention of the officeholder and the mailing does not contain the officeholder's photo or signature; and

2. The mailing only includes information which is pertinent to the purpose of the public meeting or event, such as, the date, time and place, description of the subject matter, identification of speakers or participants, an explanation of any problems or issues, directions to the location of the meeting, and a telephone number to call for additional information; and

3. If the mailing is a notice or announcement, the officeholder's name may be included in the letterhead, and on the return address portion of the envelope or post card, as well as a single mention of the officeholder's name in the body of the notice or announcement. Where multiple officeholders are names in the letterhead, the names of all officeholders must appear in the same size, font type, color, and location.

4. For purposes of this Subsection, "mention" includes, but is not limited to, the officeholder's name, office, social media handle, pronouns referencing the officeholder such as "I", "we", or "us", or any other icon or image intended to represent the officeholder. "Mention" does not include an e-mail address or website that contains the officeholder's name or office.

D. Mailings exempt pursuant to Section 1.15.010 (E)(1) through (4) of this Chapter shall not be prepared, produced, printed, sent, broadcast, transmitted, delivered or distributed within sixty (60) days preceding an election by, on behalf of, or at the behest of a candidate for any local, State or federal office whose name will appear on the ballot at that election.

E. Any violation of this Section shall be deemed to constitute an infraction as provided in Section 17 of the California Penal Code, and penalties for such infraction shall be as set forth in Subsection 19.8 of the Penal Code.

(ORD-23-0049 § 2(Exh. A), 2023)