HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-30; Petition for Special Election Received; Cobian, Sheilato the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
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Council Memorandum
Oct. 30, 2019
To: Honorable MayoC Hall a 0 embers of the City Council
From: Sheila Cobian, City Clerk~ e M nager
Via: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Re: Petition for Special Election ec ived
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2019125
This memorandum provides information related to the citizens' petitions received Oct. 30, 2019,
in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy for the District 1 City Council seat.
Background/Discussion
On Oct. 9, 2019, Barbara Hamilton resigned her District 1 City Council seat. Per the Carlsbad
Municipal Code, when a vacancy occurs, the City Council may either appoint someone or call a
special election. On Oct. 22, the City Council voted to conduct an appointment process and is
scheduled to consider applicants at the Nov. 19 meeting. Under city law, if 10% of voters sign a
petition within 60 days of a vacancy, the City Council must fill the vacancy by an election.
Voters from City Council District 1 in Carlsbad submitted a petition to the City of Carlsbad Oct. 30
calling for a special election to fill the vacancy created when Council Member Barbara Hamilton
resigned Oct. 9. Following an administrative review by the Office of the City Clerk to ensure the
petition contained the required 1,652 signatures, city staff delivered the petitions to the County
of San Diego Registrar of Voters, which is in charge of verifying the signatures.
The Registrar of Voters has 30 days to verify the signatures, but staff there have said it will likely
be done sooner given the relatively small number of signatures required.
Next Steps
Should the Registrar of Voters confirm that the petitions contain the required number of
registered voter signatures, staff will prepare for City Council action a resolution declaring the
sufficiency of the petition and a resolution calling a special election to fill the City Council vacancy
in District 1.
cc: Elaine Lu key, Chief Operations Officer
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
. Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager
Cindie McMahon, Assistant City Attorney
Community Services Branch I City Clerk Services
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2917 t