In order to hold municipal elections this November, the City Council needs to adopt a resolution and request consolidation with the County Registrar of Voters.

The City’s General Municipal Election will be consolidated with the following jurisdictions on November 4, 2003: Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, Sunnyvale Elementary School District and Cupertino Union School District.

An election calendar highlighting dates of interest to candidates and the public is included as Attachment A. The resolution specifies the County’s responsibility throughout the filing and election process (Attachment B).

Staff recommends:

• Council adoption of the resolution in Attachment B, Calling the General Municipal Election for the Purpose of Filling Council Seat Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 for November 4, 2003 and requesting consolidation of election services by the Registrar of Voters

Section 1400 of the Sunnyvale City Charter requires that the General Municipal Election to fill City elective offices be held in odd-numbered years on the date established for election of elementary school district board members. This year the date is Tuesday, November 4, 2003.

The nomination period for the 2003 General Municipal Election opens on Monday July 14 and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Friday August 8, except if an eligible incumbent does not file within the period, the voters shall have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13 to nominate candidates other than incumbents.

Council seats to be filled at this General Municipal Election are Seat Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Councilmembers Walker, Seat No. 4, Councilmember Valerio, Seat No. 5 and Councilmember Vorreiter, Seat No. 6 have served two full terms and in accordance with Sunnyvale City Charter Section 602/Qualifications, are ineligible to run. Council Seat No. 7, Vice Mayor Risch, has served one term and therefore is eligible for re-election (Charter Section 601).

If the consolidation of election services with the County Registrar of Voters is approved, the City’s responsibilities would include: the receipt and processing of candidate nomination papers and statements; forwarding of candidates’ statements to the County for printing, translation and mailing to the voters; forwarding any absentee voter applications and write-in declarations received by the City Clerk’s Office to the Registrar of Voters; publication of notices of election, nominees and polling places; publication of list of persons contributing $100 or more to any candidate’s campaign; and distribution and receipt of Fair Political Practices Commission documents.

The County Registrar of Voters estimates the cost of candidate statements at approximately $1,769. However, the Sunnyvale Municipal Code (Chapter 2.28) allows for the fee to be waived if the candidate submits 250 valid signatures, and prorated if less valid signatures are submitted.

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk’s Office.