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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5.14 General Municipal Election – November 3, 2026 Agenda Item 5.14 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 3 DATE: June 16, 2026 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager SUBJECT: General Municipal Election – November 3, 2026 Prepared by: Marsha Moore, MMC, City Clerk EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider requesting the Alameda County Board of Supervisors consolidate the City of Dublin Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election. The City Council will determine whether the statement of qualifications each candidate is allowed to place in the sample ballot should be a maximum of 200 or 400 words and whether the City or each candidate should pay the costs associated with printing their candidate statement. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Take the following actions: 1) adopt the Resolution Calling for a General Municipal Election To Be Held in the City of Dublin on November 3, 2026, Requesting the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Consolidate the City of Dublin General Municipal Election With the Statewide General Election, Authorize Certain Procedural Matters, and Adopting Regulations for Candidates for Elective Office Pertaining to Candidate’s Statement and the Costs Thereof; and 2) affirm Resolution No. 85-10 Encouraging Candidates to Use the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Sufficient funds to pay for the election are included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget. DESCRIPTION: The City Council adopted Ordinance 11-84 to change the date of the City’s general municipal elections from the second Tuesday in April of even numbered years to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years to consolidate election cycles with the statewide general election cycle. On August 19, 1986, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved the City’s consolidation with the statewide general election held in November of each even -numbered 1661 Page 2 of 3 year. The City Council is required to adopt a resolution calling and ordering a gener al municipal election to be held in the City of Dublin on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Offices to be voted on are one Mayor, one Councilmember – District 2, and one Councilmember – District 4. The Mayor serves a two-year term, and Councilmembers serve four-year terms. The first day candidates may file nomination papers will be Monday, July 1 3, 2026. The last day to file the nomination papers will be Friday, August 7, 2026. If an incumbent, eligible to run, does not file papers, the nomination period for that particular seat will be extended for five calendar days, or until August 12, 2026. The City Council may determine whether the statement of qualifications which each candidat e can place in the sample ballot should be a maximum of 200 or 400 words. Staff recommends that the City Council adhere to past practices and allow a maximum of 200 words. The Alameda County Registrar of Voters also recommends a 200 -word maximum in order to maintain uniformity. The City Council may also determine whether the City or each candidate should pay for the costs associated with typesetting and printing the candidate statements. Based on the last two elections, the average cost to a candidate for publishing his or her statement of qualifications was $851.24. In the 2022 and 2024 elections, with a single exception, City Council and Mayoral candidates' actual costs exceeded the $500 deposit, and those candidates were invoiced for the balance after the election. The population-based required translation of candidate statements shall include Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Therefore, Staff is recommending increasing the deposit, and that $750 be paid in advance by each candidate to cover publishing costs, based on a 200-word statement, and additional language translation costs. Any difference would either be refunded to the candidate or recovered after the election. The draft resolution (Attachment 1) calls for the City to decide a tie vote by lot by placing the name of each candidate involved in the tie in an unmarked, sealed envelope, drawing the envelope, and reading the name of the winning candidate . Staff will issue materials to candidates in electronic format, with a folder of select documents in hard copy, during a scheduled appointment with the City Clerk during the nomination period . The materials will include information such as:  Date of, timeline for, and offices up for election  Nomination Form and information regarding circulating the Nomination Form  Candidate Statement information and estimated cost(s)  Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Campaign Disclosure Information Forms and Due Dates  City of Dublin Campaign Contribution Limitations and Forms  Code of Fair Campaign Practices  Ballot Designation Worksheet and City of Dublin Adopted Ballot Designation Guidelines 1662 Page 3 of 3  City of Dublin Non-Commercial Temporary Sign Regulations and Associated Forms Staff scheduled a pre-candidate informational meeting on June 18, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. for Dublin residents interested in becoming a candidate. The presentation will provide the items outlined above, general information about the City, and any issue(s) identified by the City Manager. Code Enforcement will also make a presentation regarding the updated sign regulations. As part of the Candidate Binder, potential candidates are provided with a copy of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. The California State Legislature established the Code of Fair Campaign Practices (Division 20, Chapter 5, Elections Code) to give the voters guidelines in determining fair play and to encourage candidates to discuss issues fairly and openly. State law requires that the Code be given to candidates, but it is optional as to whether a candidate must sign and return as part of his/her nomination papers. In 2010, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 85-10 encouraging candidates to abide by the Code of Fair Campaign practice and is now being asked to affirm the resolution. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution Calling for a General Municipal Election To Be Held in the City of Dublin on November 3, 2026, Requesting the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Consolidate the City of Dublin General Municipal Election With the Statewide General Election, Authorize Certain Procedural Matters, and Adopting Regulations for Candidates for Elective Office Pertaining to Candidate’s Statement and the Costs Thereof 2) Resolution No. 85-10 Encouraging Candidates to Use the Code of Fair Campaign Practices 1663 Attachment 1 Reso. No. XX-26, Item X.X, Adopted XX/XX/2026 Page 1 of 3 RESOLUTION NO. XX - 26 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN CALLING FOR A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF DUBLIN ON NOVEMBER 3, 2026, REQUESTING THE ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONSOLIDATE THE CITY OF DUBLIN GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION, AUTHORIZE CERTAIN PROCEDURAL MATTERS, AND ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE PERTAINING TO CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT AND THE COSTS THEREOF WHEREAS, a General Municipal Election to be consolidated with the Statewide General Election is to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in and for the City of Dublin; and WHEREAS, certain actions are required in connection with said election; and WHEREAS, Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California specifies that the local agency for that election shall determine whether a charge shall be levied against the candidate for the Candidate's Statement and whether or not the limitation on words for such statement shall b e increased from 200 to 400 words; and WHEREAS, Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California further provides that a written statement of the regulations with respect to charges for handling, packaging and mailing shall be provided to each candidate or his/her representative at the time the nomination papers are received. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Dublin that the General Municipal Election to be held in the City of Dublin on November 3, 2026, is hereby called. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as follows: 1. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors is requested to consolidate the City of Dublin Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election. 2. That within the City the precincts and polling places (vote centers), and their hours of the two elections be the same. 3. The Registrar of Voters of Alameda County is requested to perform services in connection with said election at the request of the City Clerk, including the canvass of returns of the General Municipal Election. 4. The City of Dublin shall pay to the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County its pro -rata share of the expenses for said election as jointly determined by the City of Dublin and the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County in accordance with the provisions of the Elections Code of the State of California. 5. The offices to be voted upon shall be: One Mayor 1664 Reso. No. XX-26, Item X.X, Adopted XX/XX/2026 Page 2 of 3 One Councilmember – District 2 One Councilmember – District 4 Terms of office shall be: Mayor – 2 years One Councilmember – District 2 – 4 years One Councilmember – District 4 – 4 years 6. The City Clerk is hereby directed to cause the posting, publication and printing of all notices or other election materials pursuant to the requirements of the Government Code and Elections Code of the State of California. 7. The City Clerk is hereby directed to obtain printing, supplies and services as required. 8. The City Clerk is hereby authorized to provide such other services and supplies in connection with said election as may be required by the statu tes of the State of California. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby adopt the following regulations pertaining to the General Municipal Election to be held in the City of Dublin on November 3, 2026: Section 1. Pursuant to Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California, each candidate for elective office to be voted for at the General Municipal Election to be held in the City of Dublin on November 3, 2026, may prepare a candidate's statement on an appropriate form provided by the City Clerk. Such statement may include the name, age and occupation of the candidate and a brief description of no more than 200 words, of the candidate's education and qualifications, expressed by the candidate. Such statement shall not include the party affiliation of the candidate nor membership or activity in partisan political organizations. Such statement shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk at the time the candidate's nomination papers are filed. Such statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing nomination papers and until 5:00 p.m., of the next working day after the close of the nomination period. Section 2. Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese Language. In compliance with 1992 amendments to the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public Law 54 -73, August 6, 1975), as applied to Alameda County, a Spanish, a Chinese, a Tagalog, and a Vietnamese translation of the candidate's statement shall be made available to anyone requesting the translations. Section 3. Payment. The City Clerk shall estimate the total cost of printing, handling, translating and mailing the candidate's statement filed pursuant to the Elections Code, and require each candidate filing a statement to pay in advance his/her prorated share as a condition of having his/her statement included in the voter's pamphlet. The City Clerk shall bill each candidate for any cost in excess of the deposit and shall refund any unused portion of any deposit. Section 4. In accordance with Election Code provisions, a tie vote shall be determined by lot. Candidates who received an equal number of votes would appear before the City Clerk at a time and place designated by the City Clerk. Each candidate’s name would be placed in an unmarked, sealed envelope, and the City Clerk would draw an envelope and read the name of the winning candidate. Section 5. The City Clerk shall provide each candidate or the candidate's representative with a copy of this Resolution at the time nomination petitions are issued. 1665 Reso. No. XX-26, Item X.X, Adopted XX/XX/2026 Page 3 of 3 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of June 2026, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: _ _____ Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk 1666 Attachment 2 1667 1668 1669