Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Subject: Woodside Fire District's Request to Change from Odd to Even-Numbered Year Elections
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing implementation of the Woodside Fire Protection District Governing Board's request that future board elections be moved from odd to even-numbered years.
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BACKGROUND:
In September 2015, the Governor signed Senate Bill No. 415 ("SB 415"), which is also known as the California Voter Participation Rights Act. SB 415 requires most jurisdictions, including cities, school districts, and other districts, that currently hold elections for governing board members in odd-numbered years to move their elections to even-numbered years. SB 415's goal is to increase voter turnout, given that even-numbered year elections generally have higher voter turnout rates than odd-numbered year elections. There are 70 jurisdictions in San Mateo County. As of December 12, 2017, three of them have not yet moved to even-numbered year elections. We anticipate that these remaining three jurisdictions will move to even-numbered year elections. The jurisdictions are required under Election Code to adopt a plan by January 1, 2018 to consolidate future elections with a statewide election.
On November 27, 2017, the Board of Directors of the Woodside Fire Protection District (the "District") approved a resolution pursuant to Sections 10404(b) and 10505 of the Elections Code requesting that election dates for future District board elections be moved from odd to even-numbered years. Notice of the District's requested change was submitted to the Board of Supervisors on November 28, 2017. The Resolution would move the District's next election, currently scheduled for November 2019, to November 2020. Current board members up for reelection in 2019 would have thei...
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