Adopt resolution authorizing the Elections Office to not list the proponents and opponents of local measures on county ballots for all future elections. (No general fund impact) (Salinas)

Adopt resolution authorizing the Elections Office to not list the proponents and opponents of local measures on county ballots for all future elections.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1416 was passed by the State Legislature in 2022 with an effective date of January 1, 2023. AB 1416 adds a requirement for statewide measures that a listing of the supporters and opponents of measures be listed on the ballot label or that a similar description be provided on the ballot. The bill gives counties the option of printing the list of supporters and opponents of local measures on the ballot. The list could include associations, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals taken from the signers of the text of the argument in favor of or against the measure printed in the county voter information guide. The list of proponents and opponents are each limited to a maximum of 125 characters each.

Opting into additional printing will: result in cost increases for ballot production and printing; require additional ballot space to be used for each local measure printed on the ballot, which potentially increases the number of ballot cards; and increase the possibility for electioneering and promotion of candidates who may be on the ballot and are also signers of the measure. The requirement would also put the Elections Office in the position of accepting or denying abbreviations of supporters/opponents that may not be clear due to the maximum character limit, and in turn may result in challenges to perceived unfair determinations.

Elections Code section 9170 does allow a mechanism to opt out of printing proponents and opponents of local measures as set forth in subsection (d). The subsection states as follows:
 

At least 30 days before the deadline for submitting arguments for or against county measures, a county board of supervisors may elect not to list supporters and opponents for county, city, district and school measures on the county ballot and future county ballots;

The proposed action would allow the Elections Office to not list proponents and opponents of local measures in all future county ballots in accordance with Elections Code section 9170.

None.