DATE: July 11, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Brandi L. Orth, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters
SUBJECT: Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District and Bald Mountain Fire Protection District Requests to Move from Odd Year to Even Year Elections
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District and Bald Mountain Fire Protection Districts’ requests to move from odd to even-numbered year elections and set the date for the Districts’ elections to occur on the same day as the Statewide General Election.
REPORT
Both Districts request to move their election year from odd to even-numbered years. The Elections Code requires the Board of Supervisors to notify districts and request input from these districts on the requested election date change.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the Districts would still be required to change their elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years elections. Election law has changed regarding odd year district elections. With the passing of Senate Bill (SB) 415, all political subdivisions will be required to adopt a plan by January 1, 2018 to consolidate future elections with a statewide election (even-numbered years). Special districts will be required to have elections on statewide election dates by 2022, unless the district meets a voter turnout threshold formula.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The result of this consolidation will increase the overall cost of the Statewide General Election, which will be shared by the districts involved in this election. The approval of this action would result in each of the Districts receiving a substantially lower election bill. There are many more entities that go to election in November even-numbered years and share in the cost of the election.
DISCUSSION:
These Districts have filed Resolutions with the County Clerk requesting the consolidation of their district election with the Statewide General election. The following Districts request the move from odd-numbered year to even-numbered year elections in accordance with Election Code section 10404 and 10404.5:
• Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District
• Bald Mountain Fire Protection District
Both Resolutions shall become operative upon approval by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Election Code sections 10404 (e), and 10404.5 (d) (1). These code sections state that “the Board of Supervisors… shall approve the resolution unless it finds that the ballot style, voting equipment, or computer capacity is such that additional elections or materials cannot be handled”. Prior to approval of the Resolution submitted by Bald Mountain Fire Protection District, Election Code section 10404 (c) requires the Board of Supervisors to notify all districts of the receipt of the resolution to consolidate and shall request input from each district on the effect of the consolidation. Prior to approval of the Resolution submitted by Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District, Election Code section 10404.5 (c) requires the Board of Supervisors to notify all school districts and the office of education located in the county of the receipt of the resolution to consolidate and shall request input from each district on the effect of the consolidation. All districts were notified by letter on June 16, 2017 of the Districts’ consolidation requests with instructions to provide their comments to the Clerk to the Board by 9:00 am June 23, 2017. Two districts have responded; Coalinga Regional Medical Center is in favor and has no negative comments and State Center Community College District has no objection. If other district comments are received by the Clerk to the Board after the submission of this agenda item, they will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on or before July 11, 2017.
The boundaries of Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District include Fresno and Tulare County. Tulare County is the Principal County. The District is comprised of five Trustee Areas (TA). TA No. 1 is in Fresno County. The next scheduled election for this TA position is November 2019. TA Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are in Tulare County. On March 28, 2017, Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved the District’s Resolution to consolidate TA Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 elections with an even year Statewide General Election effective November 2018. The District is requesting that Fresno County Board of Supervisors approve a Resolution to consolidate the election of TA No. 1 with an even year Statewide General Election effective November 2020.
SB 415 becomes operative January 1, 2018. Beginning on January 1, 2018 all political subdivisions electing their board members in odd year elections are required to adopt a plan to move their elections to even-year Statewide General Election dates. The only exception would be if a district’s voter turnout in odd year elections is at least 76% of the average of the district’s voter turnout in the last four (4) statewide general elections. This law will not permit the Board of Supervisors to decline a request by a special district to move to statewide even year elections, regardless whether the county’s voting system can accommodate the additional districts onto their ballot. This new law may cause Fresno County to utilize two ballot cards in future elections.
The addition of more races to the even year General election ballot will increase the overall cost of the election. However, all entities going to election pay their pro-rata share of the election costs, thereby providing offsetting revenue to the net County cost of the election. Each of the Districts’ Resolution state their election bill will be reimbursed to the County upon being presented with an invoice.
Within 30 days after your Board’s approval, all registered voters in both Districts will be notified of this approval. Notification expenses will be paid by the Districts, as authorized in the Resolutions.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District and Bald Mountain Fire Protection District have reviewed, and concurred with this item.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District Resolution
On file with Clerk - Bald Mountain Fire Protection District Resolution
On file with Clerk - Comments from other Districts
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander