Paso Robles Municipal Code Ch. 2.65 Elections

Pursuant to Section 36503 of the California Government Code, the city of El Paso de Robles shall hold its general municipal election on the same day as the statewide general election. The date for said election is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years, unless otherwise designated by the state.

(Ord. 694 N.S. § 1, 1995: Ord. 482 N.S., 1983: Ord. 480 N.S. § 1, 1983)

(Ord. No. 1062 N.S., § 19, 10-16-2018)

The city council determines that a filing fee shall be collected and that is proportionate to the costs of processing a candidate's nomination papers for municipal elective offices. The filing fee shall be established from time to time in the city's master fee schedule and shall be imposed upon and paid by candidates upon the filing of nomination papers for municipal elective offices.

(Ord. 788 N.S. § 1, 2000)

(Ord. No. 1062 N.S., § 19, 10-16-2018)

The mayor shall be elected at-large and have a term of four years. At a general municipal election in 2000, the voters determined to have an elected mayor who should serve a term of two years. At a general municipal election on November 6, 2012, the voters determined that the term of the office of mayor should be four years.

(Ord. No. 1071 N.S., § 2, 4-16-2019)

A. Pursuant to California Government Code section 34886, four members of the city council shall be elected by-district in separate single-member districts.

1. Members of the city council shall be elected in the electoral districts established by subdivision (b) of this section, as may be subsequently reapportioned pursuant to state law. Elections shall take place "by-district" as that term is defined in California Government Code section 34871, meaning one councilmember shall be elected from each district, by the voters of that district alone.

2. Any candidate for city council must reside in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued. Any councilmember elected or appointed to the seat of a specific district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district for his or her full term of office.

3. Termination of residency in a district by a councilmember shall create a vacancy for that city council district unless a substitute residence within the district is declared and established within thirty days after the termination of residency.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the councilmembers in office at the time this section takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the term to which they were elected. In the event a vacancy occurs during a councilmember's term, the vacancy shall be filled pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code section 36512(b).

B. City council districts and district elections. Four councilmembers shall be elected on a "by-district" basis from the council districts shown and numbered on the map titled 'City of El Paso de Robles District Map' attached as Exhibit A, a copy of which shall be on file in the city clerk's office. In 2020, and every four years thereafter, the following two city council districts shall be elected by-district: district 3 and district 4. In 2022, and every four years thereafter, the following two city council districts shall be elected by-district: district 1 and district 2.

C. Amendment of district boundaries. Pursuant to California Elections Code section 21601, as it may be amended from time to time, the city council shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the districts following each decennial federal census to ensure that the districts are in compliance with all applicable provisions of law.

(Ord. No. 1071 N.S., § 3, 4-16-2019; Ord. No. 1118 N.S., § 3, 4-19-2022)

A. Definitions. The following definitions apply for the purposes of this section:

"Candidate" shall mean a candidate, as that phrase is defined in Section 82007 of the Government Code, as may be amended from time to time, for any City elective office for any general, special or recall election.

"Committee" has the meaning set forth in Section 82013 of the Government Code, as may be amended from time to time.

"Contribution" has the meaning set forth in Section 82015 of the Government Code, as may be amended from time to time.

"Electronic filing system" shall mean the electronic online filing and data storage system provided for by the city clerk for campaign statements, reports, forms, or other documents filed pursuant to Government Code Section 81000 et seq.

"Person" has the meaning set forth in Section 82047 of the Government Code, as may be amended from time to time.

"Statements" shall mean any statements, reports, forms, or other documents required by Government Code Chapter 4 - Political Reform Act (Section 81000 et seq.), as may be amended from time to time.

B. Any elected officer, candidate, commission, committee, or other person required to file campaign disclosure statements, reports, forms or other documents required by Government Code Chapter 4 (Campaign Disclosure) - Political Reform Act (Section 84100 et seq.) shall file those statements, reports, or other documents online or electronically with the electronic filing system unless exempt from the requirement to file online pursuant to Government Code Section 84615(a) because the officer, candidate, or committee or person receives less than two thousand dollars in contributions and makes less than two thousand dollars in expenditures in a calendar year.

In any instance in which an original statement, report or other document required by Government Code Chapter 4 (Campaign Disclosure) - Political Reform Act (Section 84100 et seq.) must be filed with the California Secretary of State and a duplicate or copy of that statement, report or other document is required to be filed with the City Clerk, the filer may, but is not required to, file the copy electronically.

The legislative body for the local government agency shall adopt an ordinance approving the use of online or electronic filing, which shall include a legislative finding that the online or electronic filing system will operate securely and effectively and would not unduly burden filers. The ordinance adopted by the legislative body for the local government agency may, at the discretion of that legislative body, specify that the electronic or online filing requirements apply only to specifically identified types of filings or are triggered only by identified monetary thresholds. In any instance in which the original statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the Secretary of State and a copy of that statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the local government agency, the ordinance may permit, but shall not require, that the copy be filed online or electronically.

The electronic filing system shall be implemented and maintained to be consistent with the requirements of Government Code Section 84615, as that section may be amended from time to time.

The city clerk is authorized to adopt such administrative policies and procedures as deemed necessary by the city clerk to implement this Section 2.65.050.

(Ord. No. 1140 N.S., § 3, 5-21-2024)