Santa Clara, California, Measure C, City Council Elections Charter Amendment (March 2020)

Santa Clara Measure C
Election date March 3, 2020
Topic Local elections and campaigns and Local charter amendments
Status d Defeated
Type Referral	Origin Lawmakers
List of California measuresCalifornia Proposition 13 (March)California Proposition 14California Proposition 15California Proposition 16California Proposition 17California Proposition 18California Proposition 19California Proposition 20California Proposition 21California Proposition 22California Proposition 23California Proposition 24California Proposition 25Submit

A charter amendment was on the ballot for Santa Clara voters in Santa Clara County, California, on March 3, 2020. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to elect city council members by district and create an independent redistricting committee.

A "no" vote opposed amending the city charter to elect city council members by district and create an independent redistricting committee, thereby maintaining the provision that city council members are elected at large.

A simple majority was required for the approval of Measure C.

Election results

Santa Clara Measure C
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		9,731	38.63%
No		15,458	61.37%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“

Shall the City Charter be amended to elect city council members by district, excepting the mayor, as follows: for the 2020 election to establish six districts for the election of one council member to represent each district; and, beginning in 2022 to establish three districts for the election of two council members to represent each district; and to require an independent redistricting committee?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Santa Clara City Attorney:

“ If approved by the voters on March 3, 2020, this ballot measure would amend existing Santa Clara City Charter Sections 600 and 700.1, and add a new Section 700.2, to establish a by-district election system for the election of Council Members. Voters could vote only for the candidates running in the Council District in which they reside. The Mayor, City Clerk and Chief of Police would continue to be elected at-large. After a trial under the California Voting Rights Act, the Santa Clara County Superior Court entered a judgment requiring the City to hold single-member district elections under a court-ordered six-district map for both the 2018 and 2020 elections. The City of Santa Clara's Charter currently provides for the voters to elect Council Members from the entire City at-large. Each candidate must designate which numbered seat they are running for. If approved, the ballot measure would amend the City Charter to require that the 2020 election be held for the four open Council offices in Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6 appearing on the court-ordered six-district map. The charter amendment would further require that after the 2020 United States census the Council would appoint an independent districting committee to draw district boundaries to create three Council Districts that would each be represented by two Council Members. The charter amendment also contains a transition plan to ensure that all voters are able to elect one Council Member in each election. The transition plan would operate as follows: In the November 8, 2022 election, the voters in the two Council Districts where there is one open seat would each elect one Council Member to a 4-year term. In the November 5, 2024 election, the voters of the two Council Districts where there is one open seat would each elect a Council Member to a 4-year term, and the voters of the Council District that has two open seats would elect two Council Members: one for a 4-year term and one for a 2-year term. The candidate who receives the most votes in that District would be elected for the 4-year term; and the candidate who receives the second most votes would be elected for the 2-year term. Beginning with the 2026 election, and each election thereafter, each Council Member would serve a 4-year term. If approved, the ballot measure would also amend the Charter to require a 30-day residency requirement for all candidates to City elective offices, such that a candidate would have to show that he or she has resided in the City, and in the case of Council candidates in the District, for at least 30 days prior to the last date to file for the candidacy. A 'Yes' vote would establish Council district elections in the City Charter. There would be three districts with two council members elected by the voters in each district. A 'No' vote would leave in place the existing City Charter provisions, requiring that all City Council Members be elected at-large by seat number. ”

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Santa Clara City Council.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2020
• Local elections and campaigns ballot measures
• Local charter amendments ballot measures
• Santa Clara County measures

California

• March 3, 2020 measures in California
• Local ballot measures, California
• Santa Clara, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Santa Clara County Elections Office website