City of Santa Clara - File #: 23-748

• File #: 23-748
• Version: 1
• Type: Study Session
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 5/25/2023
• In control: Council and Authorities Concurrent Meeting
• On agenda: 6/6/2023
• Final action: 6/6/2023
• Title: Presentation on Timelines and Administrative Requirements For Placement of Ballot Measures on the March and/or November 2024 Ballot Including Consideration of Amendments to the City Charter to Change the Police Chief and/or City Clerk from Elected to Appointed Positions and Consideration of an Action to Approve a Work Plan for Same, Including Possible Formation of a Charter Review Committee

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
6/6/2023	1	Council and Authorities Concurrent Meeting	Approved	Pass
6/6/2023	1	Council and Authorities Concurrent Meeting	Approved	Pass
6/6/2023	1	Council and Authorities Concurrent Meeting	Adopted	Pass

REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Presentation on Timelines and Administrative Requirements For Placement of Ballot Measures on the March and/or November 2024 Ballot Including Consideration of Amendments to the City Charter to Change the Police Chief and/or City Clerk from Elected to Appointed Positions and Consideration of an Action to Approve a Work Plan for Same, Including Possible Formation of a Charter Review Committee

Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency

BACKGROUND
At its meeting of August 30, 2022, the City Council voted to place on a future agenda discussion of possible ballot measures to change the positions of Police Chief and/or City Clerk from elected to appointed positions. (Attachment #1, Minutes of August 8, 2022 City Council meeting and Attachment #2, related June 24, 2022 written petition).

The City Council has also expressed a desire to consider additional revenue measures during the 2024 election cycle.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the procedural requirements and policy considerations related to the 2024 election cycle in an effort to facilitate Council's timely deliberation of these issues in alignment with election requirements set by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters (ROV).

DISCUSSION
As of February 2023, the ROV has indicated there will be two consolidated elections in 2024 - March 5 and November 5. Proposed Charter amendments can be placed on either ballot; however, according Article XIIIC, section 2(b) of the California Constitution, general tax measures can only be considered during a regularly scheduled general election for the members of the governing body, unless an emergency is declared by unanimous vote of the governing body.

Should the Council wish to place measures on the March 5 ballot, the following deadlines would apply:

Milestone
Timeline
Approval of Ballot Language & Call for the Election
Either regularly scheduled Council meeting in November 2023 (11/7...