Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Subject: Resolution Authorizing Implementation of East Palo Alto Sanitary District's Request to Change from Odd to Even-Numbered Year Elections
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing implementation of the East Palo Alto Sanitary 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"), 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 June 19, 2018, only the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (the "District") has not yet moved to even-numbered year elections.
On May 3, 2018, the Board of Directors of the District approved a resolution pursuant to Section 10404 of the Elections Code requesting that election dates for future District board elections be moved from odd to even-numbered years (the "Resolution"). Notice of the District's requested change was submitted to the Board of Supervisors on May 7, 2018. The Resolution would move the District's next election, currently scheduled for November 2019, to June 2020. Current board members up for reelection in 2019 would have their terms extended through the next election in 2020, and board members up for reelection in November 2021 will continue through June 2022. Section 10404(e) requires the Board of Supervisors to act on the reque...
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