Torrance Municipal Code Art. 3 Elections

300 PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS.

Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution provides that elections are municipal affairs and therefore, the City Council retains full authority to regulate municipal elections. All elections shall be held in the manner prescribed in the Elections Code of the State of California for the holding of elections in general law cities, so far as the same may be applicable and excepting as herein otherwise provided. No person shall be entitled to vote in any such election unless the person shall be a qualified elector of the City. The City Council may by ordinance provide a procedure for the holding of City elections, in which event such procedure shall prevail over the provisions of the Elections Code.

301 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

General municipal elections shall be held in the City on the same day as the statewide direct primary election in each even numbered year.

302 SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

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

303 PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS.

Unless otherwise provided by ordinance after the adoption of this Charter, all municipal elections will be held in accordance with the provisions of the Elections Code of the State of California, as it exists or may be amended, for the holding of municipal elections provided that the provisions of the Elections Code are not in conflict with this Charter. The conduct of all municipal elections will be under the control of the City Council, and the City Council will, by ordinance or resolution, provide for the holding of each municipal election. The City Council may, in its discretion, determine to conduct mail ballot elections, ranked choice voting (or instant runoff voting) elections, or any other voting election method. The City Clerk, as the City’s election official, shall conduct City elections.

304 INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM, AND RECALL.

The provisions of the Elections Code of the State of California governing the initiative and referendum shall apply to the use of the initiative and referendum in the City insofar as the same may be applicable and except as herein otherwise provided. All elective officers of the City shall be subject to recall in the manner provided in the Elections of the State of California relating to recall of municipal officers insofar as the same may be applicable and except as herein otherwise provided.