Merced Municipal Code Part I General Provisions

A. General municipal elections for the election of the Mayor and Members of the City Council and for such other purposes as the City Council may prescribe shall be held in said City in each odd numbered year commencing with the year 1981 on the date established under general law for the election of governing board members of elementary school districts.

B. After the 2013 general municipal election, general municipal elections thereafter shall be in November of even numbered years and to the maximum extent possible consolidated with other elections held in the State and in the County of Merced.

C. Notwithstanding the two, two-year Mayor term limit set forth in Article IV, Section 400 of this Charter, a Mayor elected in the November 2013 general municipal election whose term of office would have ended in 2015, prior to the first even-numbered year election shall continue in his/her office until either he/she is re-elected or his/her successor is elected and qualified, but in no event shall the term be extended beyond twelve months.

D. Notwithstanding the two, four-year City Council Member term limit set forth in Article IV, Section 400 of this Charter, a City Council Member elected in the November 2013 general municipal election whose term of office would have ended in 2017 shall continue in his/her office through the 2018 general municipal election until he/she is either re-elected or his/her successor is elected and qualified, but in no event shall the term be extended beyond twelve months.

E. Notwithstanding the two, four-year City Council Member term limit set forth in Article IV, Section 400 of this Charter, a City Council Member whose current term expires in November 2015 shall have his/her term continue through the 2016 general municipal election and shall be eligible for re-election and if not re-elected in the 2016 general municipal election shall serve until his/her successor is elected and qualified, but in no event shall such term be extended beyond twelve months.

(Amended November 5, 2013; amended November 6, 2007: amended November 4, 1980: amended January 18, 1973:).

All other municipal elections that may be held by authority of this Charter, or of any law, shall be known as special municipal elections.

A. Unless otherwise provided by Ordinance enacted by the City Council, all elections, including mail-ballot elections, shall be held in accordance with the procedural provisions of the Elections Code of the State of California, as the same now exists, or may hereafter be amended, for the holding of municipal elections insofar as the provisions of the Elections Code are not in conflict with this Charter or any Ordinance enacted hereunder. Any election that does not occur on the same date as a statewide primary election or statewide general election may be conducted by mail-ballot.

B. The City Council shall judge the qualifications of its Members as set forth by the Charter and shall judge all election returns. (The text of this subsection moved in its entirety from existing Section 410 without change.)

(Amended November 6, 2007).

There are hereby reserved to the electors of the City the powers of the initiative and referendum and of the recall of the Mayor and Members of the City Council. The provisions of the Elections Code of the State of California, as the same now exist, or may hereafter be amended, governing the initiative and referendum and of the recall of the Mayor and Members of the City Council, shall apply to the use thereof in the City insofar as such provisions of the Elections Code are not in conflict with this Charter.

(Amended November 6, 2007).