Seal Beach Municipal Code Art. V Elections

Municipal elections held in the City shall be classified as either:

a. General Municipal Elections.

b. Municipal Run-Off Elections.

c. Special Municipal Elections.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

General Municipal Elections shall be held on the first (1st) Tuesday after the first (1st) Monday in November in even-numbered years commencing with the year 2008. The City Council may by ordinance fix another date in any even-numbered year, if such change will not extend or reduce any elective officer's term by more than 12 months. The City Council may order any special municipal election consolidated with the General Municipal Election by following the procedure prescribed by State law for the consolidation of Special Elections with Municipal Elections.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

Municipal Run-Off Elections for the election of officers shall be held on the last Tuesday in January in each odd-numbered year commencing with the year 2009. If, pursuant to Section 501, the City Council has fixed another date for the General Municipal Election, the Municipal Run-Off Election shall be held on a Tuesday no later than seven weeks after the date fixed for the General Municipal Election.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

All other municipal elections that may be held in the City of Seal Beach by the authority of the Constitution of the State of California, this Charter, or general law, or by ordinance of the City shall be known as special municipal elections.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

The City Council shall have the power to submit to the electors of the City of Seal Beach, at any election, any measure or proposition required to be submitted by the constitution, this Charter, general law, or by ordinance of the City; provided, that in case such measure or proposition is required by said constitution, charter, general law, or ordinance to be submitted at a special or other particular kind of election, or within any specified time, it shall be so submitted, and not otherwise. The City Council may cause to be mailed to all registered electors of the City, at any election at which all the qualified electors of the City are entitled to vote, arguments, in printed pamphlet form, relating to each measure or proposition to be voted upon at any such election; the procedure for the preparation and form of such arguments shall be as provided by the City Council by ordinance.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

The City Council shall, by ordinance, order the holding of all elections. Such ordinance shall conform in all respects to the general law of the State of California governing the conduct of municipal elections, now or hereafter in force, except as in this Charter or by ordinance otherwise provided. All ordinances ordering the holding of elections shall be published at least three times in the official newspaper of the City of Seal Beach 10 days prior to the date of the election.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

Except as otherwise provided or required by this Charter or Ordinance, the provisions of the general law relating to the qualifications of electors, the manner of voting, the duties of election officers, the canvassing of returns, and all particulars in respect to the management of elections, so far as they may be applicable, shall govern all municipal elections of the City of Seal Beach; provided that the City Council shall meet as a canvassing board and duly canvass the election returns at the hour set for holding regular meetings on the seventh day following any municipal election.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

Each elector may vote for one candidate for the office of Councilmember from the district in which the elector resides. Only one person shall be elected to the City Council from each district.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006, amended 2014)

The City Council shall declare any candidate who receives a majority (50% plus 1) of all the votes cast for an office at any general municipal election to be elected to such office. If no candidate for an office receives a majority (50% plus 1) of all the votes cast, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes at the General Municipal Election shall be the only candidates for such office printed upon the ballots at the Municipal Run-Off Election. The City Council shall declare the candidate who receives the most votes at the Municipal Run-Off Election to be elected to such office.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

The City Clerk shall cause ballots to be printed, bound and numbered as provided by the general law, except as otherwise required in this Charter or ordinance.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

No informalities in conducting any municipal election shall invalidate the election, if such election has been fairly conducted and in substantial conformity to the requirements of this Charter, and the election laws of the State of California.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

The electors of the City shall have the powers of the measures, initiatives, and referenda, and may recall Municipal Elective Officers. The provisions of the California Elections Code governing measures, initiatives, referenda, and recalls of municipal officers shall govern such subjects provided such provisions are not in conflict with this Charter.

(Res. No. 5443, 2006)

The five members of the City Council shall be elected by districts, the boundaries of which shall be as defined by ordinance adopted by the City Council.

In 1980 and each tenth (10th) year thereafter, the City Council shall appoint a committee to study and report to the City Council on the advisability of redistricting the City. Upon receipt of any such committee report, and at any other time deemed necessary or desirable in order that the district boundaries be in accordance with constitutional requirement, fair and logical, the City Council may by ordinance change and redefine the boundaries of any or all of such districts. The boundaries so defined shall be established in such manner that the district shall, as nearly as practicable, constitute natural areas of contiguous and compact territory and provide fair representation on the City Council. Any territory hereafter annexed to or consolidated with the City shall, at the time of such annexation or consolidation, be added by ordinance of the City Council to any adjacent district or districts.

(Amended 1974, Res. No. 5443, 2006)