City of Modesto School Board Elections, Measure F (November 2015)
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A measure to allow changes to the method of board of education elections was on the ballot for Modesto voters in Stanislaus County, California, on November 3, 2015. Through paperwork allegedly filed in error by the Modesto city clerk, the measure was included on the ballots of city voters, but not the ballots of voters within the Modesto School District residing outside of the city boundaries. Because of this, the school district board, the city council and county officials requested that the results for Measure F not be counted. Another election on this issue was scheduled for June 2016.[1][2]
If enacted, Measure F would have amended the city charter of the city of Modesto. The charter was written to require that Modesto School District Board of Education members be elected in an at-large election, meaning that all registered voters within the school district's boundaries could vote for all of the candidates running for the board. The proposed amendment to the city charter would have removed this requirement and allowed the board of education to select another method of electing its members. This would have provided the flexibility to transition to a trustee- or district-based voting system, in which some or all members of the board would be elected only by registered voters residing within their own district.[3]
Aftermath
The Modesto City Council met in a closed meeting after the election and determined that the city clerk, Stephanie Lopez, was at fault for including Measure F on the ballot of city voters but not voters within the school district residing outside of city limits. The confusion over Measure F stemmed from the fact that the city charter dictates the election procedure for the school district, but the issue affected not only city residents but district residents outside of the city as well. Lopez said that, although the city instructed her to include Measure F on the ballots of all district residents, she restricted the measure to just city residents in response to concerns expressed by county officials over the legality of non-city residents voting on a measure to alter the city charter. Ultimately the city, district and county agreed to request that the votes on Measure F not be counted. Another election on the issue was scheduled for June 2016. The city decided to take disciplinary action against City Clerk Lopez, docking her salary of $120,625 by 5 percent from November 17, 2015, until her next performance review.[2]
According to the city council, the botched Measure F election cost the city about $40,000 to $50,000.[2]
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[3]
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Shall the Modesto City Charter be amended to allow the Board of Education for Modesto City Schools to change the method of election of the Board of Education in accordance with the California Education Code? [4] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of Measure F was prepared by the office of the Modesto city attorney:
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The City Council of the City of Modesto placed Measure F on the ballot in response to a request from the Board of Education for the Modesto City Schools. Measure F would amend the City of Modesto Charter regarding the method of election for the Board of Education. The method of election for boards of education is governed by the California Education Code, unless a city charter establishes the method of election. The California Education Code provides that boards of education may be elected at large, through a trustee or "district" system, or a combination of both of these methods. Currently, the City's Charter requires that members of the Board of Education be elected at large from the territories within the boundaries of the school district. This means that all registered voters within the school district's boundaries are able to vote for all of the candidates running for a seat on the Board. Alternatively, in a trustee- or district based method of election, members of the Board would be elected by registered voters residing only in a particular trustee's area or district. The California Education Code provides a process for establishing a trustee method of election, including determining the boundaries of the trustee areas. The proposed City Charter amendment would delete the requirement that the Board be elected at large, and add language authorizing the Board of Education to select a method of election for its members in accordance with the California Education Code. The California Voting Rights Act prohibits at large elections that impair the ability of a protected class to elect preferred candidates or influence the outcome of elections. This proposed City Charter amendment would provide the Board of Education with the flexibility to initiate the process to transition from an at large- to a trustee- or district-based method of election. A "Yes" vote is a vote to amend the City Charter and allow the Board of Education to select a method of election for its members consistent with the California Education Code. A "No" vote would keep the City Charter as is, and members of the Board of Education would be elected at large. Measure F would be approved if it received a simple majority of "Yes" votes from registered voters in the City of Modesto boundaries. [4] |
” |
| —Adam U. Lindren, Modesto city attorney[3] | ||
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of Measure F:[3]
- Amy Elliott Neumann, Modesto City Schools Board President
- Pamela Able, Modesto City Schools Superintendent
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of Measure F:
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MEASURE F IS NOT A TAX. A YES vote on Measure F empowers all school district voters and may save Modesto City Schools from fighting a costly legal battle. Measure F removes one sentence from the Modesto City Charter that forces all school board members to be elected on an “at large” basis. Measure F will:
Every member of the Modesto City Schools Board of Education and Modesto City Council voted to place Measure F on the ballot. Modesto City Schools is made up of 33 schools that serve over 29,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade in all of Modesto, Empire, Salida, and portions of Riverbank. The District is governed by a seven-member Board of Education currently elected at-large from throughout the District. Measure F makes sure that all District voters, whether they live in Modesto or not, have the same rights to choose how the school board is elected. Today, the City Charter decides how the school board is elected, even though the District’s boundaries extend to many voters that live outside the City. Measure F helps ensure consistency with the California Voting Rights Act. Other public agencies that have not updated their voting procedures have faced costly lawsuits and have not prevailed in those cases. Measure F is a commonsense and fiscally prudent step to avoid potential legal challenges, which could results in unnecessary costs and disruption to the operations of our local schools. Measure F empowers all voters in the District and keeps costly lawsuits out of our schools, so we can focus on the kids. Please vote YES.[4] |
” |
| —Amy Elliott Neumann, Modesto City School District Board President[3] | ||
Opposition
No official argument in opposition to Measure F was submitted by the deadline. If you know of endorsements or arguments that should be posted here, please email the Local Ballot Measures Project staff writer.
Path to the ballot
Measure F was put on the ballot by a vote of the Modesto City Council. Through paperwork allegedly filed in error by the Modesto city clerk, the measure was included on the ballots of city voters, but not the ballots of voters within the Modesto School District residing outside of the city boundaries. Because of this, the school district board, the city council and county officials requested that the results for Measure F not be counted. Another election on this issue was scheduled for June 2016.[1][3][2]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Modesto School Board Elections Measure F. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Local election and voting laws on the ballot
- Stanislaus County, California ballot measures
- November 3, 2015 ballot measures in California
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Modesto Bee, "The Modesto Bee 2015 election recommendations," October 22, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Modesto Bee, "Modesto council disciplines city clerk," November 10, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Stanislaus County Elections, "Modesto sample ballot for election on November 3, 2015," accessed October 5, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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