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HomeMy WebLinkAbout65B - BY-WARD BASED ELECTIONSBY-DISTRICT ELECTION BY-WARD ELECTION CVRA CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACTREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: MARCH 6, 2018 TITLE: REVIEW AND CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE REGARDING WARD BASED ELECTIONS, PROVIDE STAFF DIRECTION AND APPROVE RESOLUTIONS AND APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENT ACCORDINGLY (STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 5, 1) CITY MANA AD HOC RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1st Reading ❑ Ordinance on 2n" Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Discuss recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Charter Amendment regarding Ward Based Elections to be placed on June 5, 2018 Statewide Primary Election and allocate funding accordingly. Options for consideration: 1. Take no action. 2. Direct staff to move forward with Special Election on June 5, 2018 and approve actions as follow: a. Adopt a resolution giving Notice of a Special Election and request consolidation with the County of Orange with the Statewide Primary Election, as follow: I. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA GIVING NOTICE OF A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ON JUNE 5, 2018 FOR SUBMISSION TO THE VOTERS OF THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD AND ONLY BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY THE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ORANGE COUNTY TO CONSOLIDATE THE CITY'S SPECIAL ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION b. Adopt a resolution to approve title of Charter Amendment and proposed language for consideration by voters, as follow: I. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA SETTING FORTH THE LANGUAGE OF A BALLOT TITLE FOR A CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT REGARDING WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD ,9jgd„Q Y BY REGISTERED VOTERS Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations March 6, 2018 Page 2 of 7 OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY TO BE INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT FOR THE 2018 SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON JUNE 5, 2018 c. Adopt resolution authorize the filing of Arguments and Rebuttals, as follow: i. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AUTHORIZING WRITTEN ARGUMENTS FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE SANTA ANA CHARTER REGARDING WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD AND ONLY BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY d. Direct City Attorney to prepare Impartial Analysis. e. Direct Clerk of the Council to publish legal notices as required by law. f. Approve an appropriation adjustment to carry -forward and allocate prior year unallocated fund balance in the amount $202,148 and appropriate the same amount to the Clerk of the Council Contract Services -Professional expenditure account (no. 01107031-62300) for the cost to conduct a Special Election. (Requires five affirmative votes). L Other funding source or direction as identified by City Council. DISCUSSION Mayor Miguel A. Pulido established an Ad Hoc Committee comprised of Councilmembers Benavides, Sarmiento and Solorio to review and recommend options as discussed in Closed Session at the February 20, 2018 City Council Meeting regarding Ward Boundaries and Ward Based Elections. The Committee met on March 1, 2018 and recommended that staff prepare the required resolutions for placing a Charter Amendment on the June 5, 2018 Statewide Primary Election for consideration by the City Council at the next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting (refer to Exhibit 2). Furthermore, the Committee discussed Ward Re -boundary process. Items pertaining to this matter will be forthcoming in a future agenda report, but the process will run in parallel to the Ward Based Election, if approved. Due to the impending legal deadline to submit documents to the Registrar of Voters Office of 5 p.m. on Friday, March 9; 2018, staff has prepared the resolutions for consideration and attached herein. Background The City of Santa Ana received a certified letter on June 5, 2017 expressing concerns with our current process to nominate candidates by Ward, but electing at -large system. The letter asserts that the City's current practice of nominating by Ward and electing at -large dilutes the ability of Asians (a protected class) to elect candidates of their choice or otherwise influence the outcome of Santa Ana's council elections. Below is information about the California Voters Rights Act and the provisions in the City Charter regarding said matters. 65B-2 Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations March 6, 2018 Page 3of7 The CVRA was signed into law in 2002. The CVRA prohibits an at -large method of election that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election. The law's intent is to expand protections against vote dilution over those provided by the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (FVRA). The law was also motivated, in part, by the lack of success by plaintiffs in California in lawsuits challenging at -large electoral systems brought under the FVRA. The passage of the CVRA made it much easier for plaintiffs to prevail in lawsuits against public entities that elected their members to its governing body through "at -large" elections. A plaintiff need only prove the existence of "racially polarized voting" to establish liability under the CVRA. Proof of intent on the part of voters or elected officials to discriminate against a protected class is not required. Charter provisions as they relate to Method of Electing Councilmembers The City of Santa Ana currently utilizes an at -large election system, which allows electors from the entire City to elect each of the six (6) Councilmembers and the Mayor; however, the councilmembers must be nominated by electors in their respective ward. Changing to a Ward -Based Election System will require that the councilmember be both nominated and elected by electors in that Ward. The proposed charter amendment is attached to the resolutions. The current provisions in the City of Santa Ana Charter that mandate at -large elections are as follow: Sec. 400. - Number, selection and terms of members. The City Council shall consist of seven (7) members elected at the times and in the manner provided in this charter, each of whom, except for the mayor, shall serve a term of four (4) years. The term of each member shall begin at 6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of December following certification of election results, and each shall serve except as otherwise provided for in this charter, until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Each office of councilmember shall be a separate office and, except for the mayor, one (1) of such offices shall be assigned to each of the wards of the City. Candidates for each office of counciimember other than1he mayor shall be nominated from such ward by the electors Sec. 401. - Qualifications of members. To be eligible to be elected to the office of councilmember, a person must be a qualified voter and a thirty (30) day resident of the ward from which the candidate is nominated at the time nomination papers are issued as provided for in the Elections Code of the State of California, except that the mayor need only be a registered voter and thirty (30) day resident of the city at such time. In the event any councilmember other than the mayor shall cease to be a resident of the ward from which the councilmember (or, in the case of an appointee, the councilmember's predecessor) was elected, or in the event the mayor shall cease to be a resident of the city, the office shall immediately become vacant and shall be filled in the same manner as herein provided for other vacancies; provided, that where a councilmember ceases to be a resident of the ward from which the councilmember (or, in case of an appointee, the councilmember's predecessor) was elected soleiv because of a chancre in boundaries of L• Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations March 6, 2018 Page 4 of 7 reason of such change. If a member of the city council shall be convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, the office shall immediately become vacant and be so declared by the city council. A person who has served three (3) consecutive terms of four (4) years each shall be eligible for appointment, nomination for or election to the office of councilmember (regardless of wards represented by that person during such period) no sooner than for a term beginning eight (8) years after completion of that councilmember's third consecutive full term. Short or partial terms shall not be considered in determining eligibility for appointment, nomination or election. For purposes of this Charter, short or partial terms shall only be those where the councilmember was elected or appointed to replace another councilmember who left office before the latter official's term expired. Any councilmember who assumed office at the beginning of a term and left office early for any reason whatsoever shall be deemed to have served a full term; provided, however that any person who has served twenty (20) consecutive years in office, as both a council member and mayor, regardless of the order in which they served, shall not be eligible for appointment, nomination or election as a council member or as mayor, no sooner than for a term beginning eight (8) years after completion of the council member or mayoral term, or vice versa. The provisions of this section related to short or partial terms is deemed to be declaratory of existing law. Reauirements for Callina a Saecial Election on June 5. 2018 The California Elections Code requires the adoption of'the attached resolutions in order to place a ballot measure before the voters at a special municipal election and must be submitted to the Registrar of Voters at least 88 days in advance of the election (refer to Exhibit 1). In addition to calling for the election, a resolution may be approved to permit the filing of written arguments in favor of or against such measure by members of the City Council, any individual voter eligible to vote on the measure, a bona fide association of such citizens or any combination thereof, and establishes deadlines for submission of such arguments to the Clerk of the Council. The Elections Code specifies that members of the Council would be given preference and priority, if authorized by the City Council. The subject resolution would give that authorization to any member of the Council desiring to submit an argument (refer to Exhibit 3). The procedures for filing ballot arguments are detailed in the Elections Code. The Election Code procedures, as well as general guidelines for preparing arguments will be provided in a notice prepared by the Clerk of the Council and posted following final adoption of the resolution calling for the special election. Also, whenever a City measure qualifies to be on a ballot, the City Council may direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure on the existing law and the operation of the measure (Elections Code §9280). The analysis is printed in the Voter Information Pamphlet preceding the arguments for and against the measure. City Attorney may be directed to prepare the Impartial Analysis for inclusion in the ballot. STRATEGIC PLAN L• Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations March 6, 2018 Page 5 of 7 Approval of this item allows us to meet Goal #5. Community Health, Livability, Engagement & Sustainability, Priority #1, Establish a comprehensive community engagement initiative to expand access to information and create opportunities for stakeholders to play an active role in discussing public policy and setting priorities. FISCAL IMPACT Estimated cost to place matter on the Statewide Primary Election in June of 2018 is between $159,115 and $202,148. An appropriation adjustment will recognize and appropriate prior year General Fund Unallocated Fund Balance in the amount of $202,148 and facilitate an inter -fund budgetary expenditure transfer as follows: / Account Number Description Revenue Expenditure 01102002-50001 Prior Year Carry Forward $202,148 01107031-62300 Clerk of the Council — Contract Services $202,148 i Mara D. Huizar, Clerk of the Council APPROVED AS TO FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS: Francisco Gutierrez Executive Director Finance & Management Services Agency Exhibits: 1. Resolution Calling fo,the Election 2. Resolution on Setting Language of Charter Amendment 3. Resolution Authorizing filing of Arguments and Rebuttals 4. Tentative Timeline: Filing of Arguments and Rebuttals for the June 5, 2018 Special Election L• RESOLUTION NO. 2018-XXXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA?=GIVING,NOTICE' OF A'`.SPECIAL MONI,,CIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ON JUNE 5, 2018 FOR SUBMISSION TO THE VOTERS OF THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD AND ONLY BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY THE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ORANGE COUNTY TO CONSOLIDATE THE CITY'S SPECIAL ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. Changing from at -large City Councilmember elections to ward -based City Councilmember elections requires a Charter amendment approved by the voters. B. The City Council has considered the issue of changing from at -large City Councilmember elections to ward -based City Councilmember elections and has determined that the voters of the City of Santa Ana should decide whether City Councilmembers should be elected using the by -ward voting method rather than the at -large voting method. C. A special election of the City of Santa Ana will be held on June 5, 2018, for the purpose of voting on the following proposed amendment to the City Charter which shall be submitted to the voters: Resolution 2018 -XXX Page 1 of 4 55394.00002\30632580.1 EXHIBIT / 65B-7 Measure: YES Shall City of Santa Ana Charter section 400 be amended requiring City Councilmember election from his or her residency ward and only by registered voters of that ward, instead of City Councilmember elections by registered voters of the entire City? NO D. There will be a statewide special election on June 5, 2018. E. It is desirable that said special election of the City of Santa Ana be consolidated with the statewide primary election to be held on the same date and; that within the City of Santa Ana, the precincts, polling places and charter amendment be the same, and that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange canvass the returns of both elections, in all respects as if there were only one election. F. That the text of the Charter amendment to Charter Section 400 submitted to the voters is attached as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference. G. That the vote requirement for the measure to pass is a majority (50% + 1) of the votes cast. H. That the Clerk of Council is authorized, instructed and directed to give further notice of the election, in time, form and manner as required by law. Section 2: That pursuant to the requirement of Section 10403 of the Elections Code of the State of California, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange is hereby requested to consent to and order consolidation of the June 5, 2018 special election of the City of Santa Ana for the purpose of voting on a ballot measure related to the proposed Charter amendment with the statewide primary election to be held on the same date. The election will be held and conducted in accordance with the provisions of law regulation the statewide election. Section 3: The Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange is hereby authorized to canvass the returns of said special municipal election pursuant to Section 10411 of the Elections Code of the State of California. 55394.00002N30632580.1 \l w • Resolution 2018 -XXX Page 2 of 4 Section 4: The City of Santa Ana recognizes the additional costs will be incurred by the County by reason of this consolidation and agrees to reimburse the County of Orange for any such costs. Section 5: The Clerk of Council is hereby directed to file a certified copy of this Resolution with the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange and a certified copy of this Resolution with the Registrar of Voters of the County of Orange. Section 6: This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adopting by the City Council, and the Clerk of Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. ADOPTED this day of March, 2018. APPROVED AS TO FORM: "1Gt � • �lXl:�, Sonia R. Carvalho City Attorney AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: NOT PRESENT: Resolution 2018 -XXX Page 3 of 4 55394.00002\30632580.1 Councilmembers Councilmembers Councilmembers Councilmembers L; Miguel A. Pulido Mayor CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2018-_ to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on March _, 2018. Date: Ff}L�f[QQ�DYatDL?Ylii�al 65B-10 Clerk of the Council City of Santa Ana Resolution 2018 -XXX Page 4 of 4 Exhibit A -City of Santa Ana Charter Section 400 (Deleted language is stricken and new language is in red) Sec. 400. - Number, selection and terms of members. The City Council shall consist of seven (7) members elected at the times and in the manner provided in this charter, each of whom, except for the mayor, shall serve a term of four (4) years. The term of each member shall begin at 6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of December following certification of election results, and each shall serve except as otherwise provided for in this charter, until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Each office of councilmember shall be a separate office and one (1) of such offices shall be assigned to each of the wards of the City. Councilmembers shall be residents of their respective wards, and nominated and elected only by the voters of their respective wards. The Mayor shall be elected from the City at large. Gandidates 55394.00002\30632997.1 65B-11 65B-12 RESOLUTION NO. 2018 -XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA SETTING„ FORTH THE=LAI�GIIAGE `OF -A BALLOT TITLE FORA CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT REGARDING WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD AND ONLY BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY TO BE INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT FOR THE 2018 SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON JUNE 5, 2018 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. By Resolution No. 2018 -XXX, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana has called for a its special election to be held on June 5, 2018 and submitted to the voters an amendment to sections of the Santa Ana City Charter. Section 2. The California Elections Code directs that the City Council approve the form of the ballot question to be submitted to the voters and the City Council of the City of Santa Ana desires, on its own motion, to submit to the voters of the City a question relating to whether City of Santa Ana Charter section 400 shall be amended requiring City Councilmember election from his or her residency ward and only by registered voters of that ward, instead of City Councilmember elections by registered voters of the entire City, to be submitted to the voters at the Special Election to be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. Section 3. The amendment called for in Resolution No. 2018 -XXX shall be proposed as follows, with identification as determined in accordance with the California Elections Code: Measure _ .... YES Shall City of Santa Ana Charter section 400 be amended requiring City Councilmember election from his or her residency ward and only by registered voters of that ward, instead of City Councilmember electionsNO by registered voters of the entire City? EXHIBIT 2 55394.00002130632551.1 Resolution No. 2018 -XXX Page 1 of 2 65B-1 3 Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. Section 5. The City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of the measure set forth in Section 3 above to the City Attorney, who shall prepare an impartial analysis of the measure in accordance with Section 9280 of the Elections Code. The impartial analysis shall include a statement indicating whether the measure was placed on the ballot by a petition signed by the requisite number of voters or by the City Council. In addition, the Clerk of the Council is directed to fix a deadline for submission of arguments and rebuttals for or against the measure pursuant to Sections 9223 and 9285 of the Elections Code, the provisions of which are hereby adopted by the City Council. ADOPTED this day of March, 2018. APPROVED AS TO FORM: By: Jawta A, �Zl tiny .Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney AYES: Councilmembers: NOES: Councilmembers: ABSTAIN: NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers: Councilmembers: Miguel A. Pulido Mayor CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attestto and certify thatthe attached Resolution No. 2018 -XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on March _, 2018. Date: Maria D. Huizar, Clerk of the Council Resolution No. 2018 -XXX 65B-14 Page 2 of 2 RESOLUTION NO. 2018 -XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AUTHORIZING^WRITTENLARGUMJENTS`FOR REGARDING WHETHER CITY CHARTER SECTION 400 SHALL BE AMENDED REQUIRING CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION FROM HIS OR HER RESIDENCY WARD AND ONLY BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THAT WARD, INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER ELECTION BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. A special election of the City of Santa Ana will be held on June 5, 2018, at which there will be submitted to the qualified electors of the City a Charter Amendment measure related to whether the City of Santa Ana Charter section 400 shall be amended requiring City Councilmember election from his or her residency ward and only by registered voters of that ward instead of City Councilmember election by registered voters of the entire City. B. That pursuant to the requirements at Section 9282 of the Elections Code of the State of California, the legislative body may authorize any member(s) of the City Council to write arguments for or against any measure. Section 2: The City Council, as the legislative body of the City of Santa Ana, hereby authorizes the Clerk of the Council to give preference and priority to any member or members of the City Council (up to five members), then to voters as set forth in California Elections Code section 9287, to file a written argument for or against the City measures set forth above, and to change said argument until and including the date fixed by the Clerk of the Council after which no arguments for or against said City measure may be submitted. EXHIBIT 3 MIDT9mn1001ITxr�ne1 Resolution. 2018 -XXX.. - - Page 1 of 2 65B-1 5 Section 3: This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. ADOPTED this _ day of March, 2018. Miguel A. Pulido Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: By: 0.u" A, • t5(9 l lti l Sonia R. Carvalho City Attorney AYES: Councilmembers: NOES: Councilmembers: ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers: CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify that the attached Resolution No. 2018 -XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on Date: 65B-16 Maria D. Huizar, Clerk of the Council Resolution 2018 -XXX Page 2 of 2 EXHIBIT 4 TENTATIVE TIMELINE: FILING OF ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALS FOR JUNE 5, 2018 SPECIAL ELECTION DATE DESCRIPTIONOF ACTION City Council to Approve resolution calling for a Special Election • Calling for Election regarding proposed Charter Amendment (§9280, Mar -6 9282)' • Authorizing filing of direct Arguments; and Authorizing City Attorney to prepare Impartial Analysis and fiscal impact (if applicable), 500 word max. (§ 9280) Mar -9 Deadline to Submit Resolutions to County by 5 p.m. Clerk sets deadline for Arguments and Posts (publication is optional) Mar -7 §9286 & Gov. Code §6061 Last day for City Attorney to submit Impartial Analysis and Fiscal Mar -9 Impact if applicable) (maximum of 500 words). (§9280 Filing period to file direct Arguments in favor and against proposed Mar -7 - Mar -13 Charter Amendment, (300 words maximum) (§9286 & 9282) Public Review period for Arguments (10 days) During this period, any voter of the jurisdiction or the county elections official may seek a writ of mandate or an injunction requiring any or all of the materials to be amended or deleted. (§9380) Mar -20 Last day"to file Rebuttal Arguments 250 word max 9220) Public Review period for Rebuttal Arguments (10 days) (§9295) The elections official shall make a copy of the ordinance available for public examination in the elections official's office for a period of 10 calendar days immediately following the filing deadline for submission of those materials. During this time any voter of the jurisdiction may seek a writ of mandate or an injunction requiring any or all of the materials to be amended or deleted. Only Rebuttal Arguments are subject to legal action during the public review period. Mar -12 Last day to withdraw Measures from the ballot. Last Day to Register to Vote: Last day to register to vote in the Statewide Direct Primary Election. The Voter Registration Form shall be mailed (postmarked by this date) or delivered to the county elections May -21 official by this date and is effective upon receipt. The Voter Registration Form may also be submitted by this date to the Department of Motor Vehicles or any National Voter Registration Act designated agency. 65B-17 M- • DATE DESCRIPTION OF •1 Last day for military or overseas voters to register to vote, to request a vote by -mail ballot, and to send it to the county elections official. ELECTION DAY: Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Ballots Jun -5 will be centrally counted at the Registrar of Voters' office. Certificate of Election Results: Approximately on this date, the elections official shall make and deliver to each person elected or Jul -5 nominated under its jurisdiction, a certificate of election or nomination, signed by the elections i 65B-19 65B-20