Page 26 - Special District Handbook with Cover-Final

PHASE 8 -- ELECTION

• Whenever any ordinance is required to be submitted to the voters of a district at any election, the district elections official shall cause the ordinance to be printed. A copy of the ordinance shall be made available to any voter upon

request. Elec. Code § 9312

SUBMISSION OF DIRECT ARGUMENTS

• The persons filing an initiative petition may file a written argument in favor of the ordinance. Elec. Code § 9315

• No more than five signatures shall appear with any argument in favor

submitted. Elec. Code §§ 9302, 9315

• The district board may submit an argument against the ordinance.

Elec. Code § 9315

• The district board must take a formal position (by taking action at a meeting) before signing an argument against an initiative measure. The board as a whole may submit an argument against a measure. The board may authorize any number of individual board members to sign the argument. There is no limit to the number who can sign, but it must be clear that the argument is on behalf of the board rather than on behalf of those individual members.

• No arguments shall exceed 300 words in length. Elec. Code § 9315

• Both arguments shall be printed and mailed to each voter with the sample ballot for the election. Elec. Code § 9315

• Based on time reasonably necessary to prepare and print the arguments, analysis, and sample ballots, and to permit the 10-calendar-day public examination for the election, the elections official shall fix/determine a reasonable date prior to the election after which no arguments for or against any special district measure may be submitted for printing and distribution to the voters – usually 88 days prior to election.

Elec. Code § 9316

• A ballot argument will not be accepted unless accompanied by the printed name and signature or printed names and signatures of the person or persons submitting it, or, if submitted on behalf of an organization, the name of the organization and the printed name and signature of at least one of its principal officers. Elec. Code § 9600

• Arguments may be changed or withdrawn by their proponents until and including the date fixed by the district elections official.

Elec. Code §§ 9316, 9601

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