<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>We can likely help you with the charter commission election - some expertise with me and CELDF on this. <br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>On Nov 30, 2014, at 9:56 AM, "<a href="mailto:bodhirobin@pacific.net">bodhirobin@pacific.net</a>" <<a href="mailto:bodhirobin@pacific.net">bodhirobin@pacific.net</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><!-- begin sanitized html -->
<pre><font face="Arial">Also, I spoke to Norm DeVall. <br>He said when
he was a county supervisor, that he wanted to get a charter <br>going
but couldn't recruit enough support from others, but it never got off the
ground. <br>Norm said that he had communicated with the people who had
been involved with <br>the previous charter effort back in the '50's.
It lost by 1 vote. <br><br>Norm said the "Big 4" always
oppose it. <br>1) The North Coast Builders Exchange<br>2) The
Employers Council<br>3) Farm Bureau<br>4) Board of Realtors<br><br>Norm said they asked for an "Economic Impact Report" before
putting a charter on <br>the ballot. He suggests we find out if we will
need one, or that was an obstacle <br>invented by the Big 4. <br><br>Norm wants to have a dinner at his house in Elk with 6 advocates of a
county charter.<br>He also wants to know more about the public bank. He
asked who could tell him more. <br>I said I could but I think he needs
to hear it from someone more authoritative than me. <br>Maybe Marc
Armstrong? Locally, no one knows more about it than me, Ellen or
Agnes.<br><br>It looks like the CA Government Code states that 2
things go on the <br>ballot together. One is the charter question
stated in GC34453, and <br>the other are the individuals who are running
for election to the <br>Charter Commission. <br><br>Each person
running for the Charter Commission has to get on the ballot<br>the same
way I got on the ballot to run for Assessor, with a petition <br>of
voters' signatures. If the charter question fails, it doesn't matter<br>who got elected to the Commission. But if the charter question
passes<br>with 50% +1 votes, then the 15 best voted candidates become
Commissioners. <br><br>Sounds like a bonanza of fees to the county,
having a ballot measure and <br>15+ candidates all paying fees to run
for election. The statute does say<br>that the government has to foot
the bill for the election.</font> <br><font face="Arial"><br>It keeps
saying "for a city or a city and county." Nothing here <br>mentions a county alone. I wonder if these are the wrong statues?
</font> <br><br><font face="Arial">In Peace, Robin</font><br><br><br>34450. Any city or city and county may enact, amend, or repeal a
<br>charter for its own government according to this article or <br>Article 3 (commencing with Section 9255) of Chapter 3 of <br>Division
9 of the Elections Code. 34451. The charter may be <br>proposed by a
charter commission chosen by the voters of the city <br>or city and
county, at any general or special election, but no <br>person shall be
eligible as a candidate for the commission unless <br>he or she is a
registered voter of the city or city and county. <br><br>34452. (a)
An election for choosing charter commissioners may be <br>called by a
majority vote of the governing body of a city or city <br>and county, or
on presentation of <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 153);">a
petition signed by not less <br>than 15 percent of the registered voters
of the city or city and <br>county. </span>The petition shall be
verified by the authority having charge<br> of the registration
records of the city or city and county and the <br>expenses of the
verification shall be provided by the governing body <br>thereof. The
governing body shall call an election pursuant to <br>Sections 1000 and
10403 of the Elections Code. <br>(b) If any vacancy arises in a
charter commission established for a <br>city or city and county
pursuant to this chapter, the vacancy shall <br>be filled by an
appointment by the mayor of the city or city and <br>county. <br><br>34453. At an election the voters shall vote first on the question <br>"Shall a charter commission be elected to propose a new
charter?" and, <br>secondly, for the candidates of the office of
charter commissioner. <br>If the first question receives a majority of
the votes of the qualified <br>voters voting thereon at the election,
the 15 candidates for the office <br>of charter commissioner receiving
the highest number of votes shall <br>forthwith organize as a charter
commission. However, if the first <br>question receives less than a
majority of the votes of the qualified <br>voters voting thereon at the
election no charter commission shall be <br>deemed to have been elected.
<br><br>34454. Candidates for the office of charter commissioner
shall be <br>nominated either in the same manner provided for the
nomination of <br>officers of the municipal or city and county
government, or by <br>petition substantially in the same manner provided
by general laws <br>for the nomination by petition of candidates for
public offices to <br>be voted for at general elections.</pre>
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