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CC- CONSENT ITEM: Approval of Proposed Ballot Measure and Ballot Question Language to Amend the City Charter to Lower the Voting Age to 16 for Culver City Municipal Elections and Culver City Board of Education Elections for Placement on the November 2022 Election Ballot.
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Meeting Date: June 6, 2022
Contact Person/Dept: Jeremy Bocchino/City Clerk’s Office
Lisa Vidra/City Attorney’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-5851/(310) 253-5660
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/01/2022);
Department Approval: John M. Nachbar, City Manager (06/01/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the ballot measure and ballot question language to amend the City Charter to lower the voting age to 16 for Culver City municipal elections and Culver City Board of Education elections for placement on the November 8, 2022 election ballot.
BACKGROUND
On March 28, 2022, the City Council approved a request from Vote 16 Culver City to lower the age to 16 for Culver City municipal elections and directed staff to include a measure to be placed on the November 8, 2022 General Municipal Election ballot. In addition, the City Council authorized staff to work with the Ad Hoc Voting Related Ballot Measures Subcommittee (“Subcommittee”), consisting of Mayor Lee and Council Member Fisch, to draft the language and bring the ballot measure back to the full City Council for approval.
DISCUSSION
Subsequent to the March 28, 2022 City Council direction on this ballot measure, Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) officials contacted the City to inquire about the Vote 16 issue, and to discuss the City Charter provision that states that Board of Education elections are held pursuant to state law. Following state law requires CCUSD to follow the state voting age of 18.
In order to explore lowering the age of voters for Board of Education elections, which would involve the City including CCUSD on the ballot measure, CCUSD staff placed an item on the CCUSD regular meeting agenda on May 10, 2022. At that meeting, the superintendent was given direction to work with the City on the Vote 16 ballot measure to include CCUSD elections. The City Attorney’s office and City Clerk have had several meetings with the School District attorneys, and the superintendent intends to place the matter on the CCUSD June 28, 2022 regular meeting agenda to adopt a resolution of support, contingent on City Council approving the ballot question and ballot measure language at the June 6, 2022 City Council meeting.
Because the California Constitution provides for the City Charter to govern School Board elections, the CCUSD Board of Education does not need to put it to a separate vote of the electorate during its election as long as the boundaries of the school district jurisdiction are not outside of (i.e., larger than) the City boundaries.
Proposed Ballot Measure Language
The proposed draft ballot measure question and draft Charter amendment text (Attachment 1) was carefully crafted by the City Attorney’s office and City Clerk in consultation with the Subcommittee. The language allows for elections to occur only when and if the appropriate and necessary systems are in place to allow for and implement youth voting. Concerns for maintaining the privacy of minors, equipment needs and budgetary considerations will need to be addressed.
The proposed language also allows for the Board of Education to separately determine when an election of voters under 18 could take place.
Practicalities
Currently, according to the Los Angeles County Records Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, their office is unable to provide assistance with an election of those under the age of 18 as they must follow the California Government Code. However, the County staff stated they are aware of trends to change/expand which individuals have the right to vote as the County prepares to update its current election management system. Should the measure be adopted by the City’s voters in November 2022, the first election where the Charter amendment lowering the voting age could be implemented is 2024. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors would need to agree to run the election and determine the costs, and produce a separate ballot for distribution to only those 16- and 17-years-old in the local jurisdiction while addressing privacy concerns.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The cost to place the measure on the ballot will be approximately $20,000; there are also costs associated with consulting with specialized election law counsel, as the City has done during past election cycles. No additional funding is necessary to include the Board of Education in the election.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2022-06-06_ATT_ Draft Ballot Measure Question and Draft Charter Text to Lower the Voting Age to 16.
MOTION
That the City Council:
Approve the Ballot Measure Language to Amend the City Charter to Lower the Voting Age to 16 for Culver City Municipal Elections and Culver City Board of Education for Placement on the November 2022 Election Ballot.