SR-104-000-02 (4)The following information is provided to all Santa Monica residents by the City Clerk's Office of the City of
Santa Monica with the intent of clarifying the process for nominating candidates for City elective offices and
to answer the most frequently asked questions. Please note that any person soliciting signatures on a
nomination petition for an elective office must make this form available to any member of the public.
What kind of City elective offices are there?
There are two types of elective offices in the City of Santa Monica, the City Council and the City's Rent
Control Board. For the November 2002 election there will be three vacant seats on the City Council and
three vacant seats on the Rent Control Board.
Although the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and the Santa Monica College consolidate their
respective elections with the City of Santa Monica, these regulations do not apply to candidates for School
Board or the College Board seats.
Who can be a candidate for these offices?
Any resident who is a registered voter in the City of Santa Monica may run for a City Council or a Rent
Control Board seat.
How does a candidate get nominated? How does a candidate's name get placed on the ballot?
A candidate must obtain at least 100 valid signatures from Santa Monica registered voters on a nomination
petition. Either the candidate or any registered voter in the City may circulate a nomination petition. The
nomination petition must be filed with the City Clerk no earlier than the 113th day (July 15, 2002) and no
later than the 88th day (August 9, 2002) before the November 5, 2002, municipal election. Should an
incumbent not file by the filing deadline on the 88th day, the filing period shall be extended an additional five
days (August 14, 2002) for candidates other than the incumbent for the elective office.
How many nominations petitions may a voter sign?
A voter may sign as many petitions as there are vacant seats. For example, there will be three vacant City
Council seats for the November 2002 election. A voter may sign up to three different petitions for City
Council candidates. Additional signatures by the same voter will not be counted as valid. The signatures
on petitions will be considered in the order received by the City Clerk's Office.
What if I sign the petition but change my mind later and want to rescind my signature?
Any voter who has signed any petition, and who subsequently wishes his or her name withdrawn, may do
so by filing a written request for the withdrawal of the signature with the City Clerk's Office. This request
must be filed prior to the date the petition is filed with the City Clerk.
What other information can I obtain regarding the candidate or on running for office?
Printed on the back of this page are the related sections of the Santa Monica Municipal Code and the State
Elections Code. These regulations should be considered only as they apply to local elections. If you have
any other questions related to nomination of candidates for City elective offices or elections in general,
please call the City Clerk's Office at (310) 458-8211.
Santa Monica Municipal Code
Section 11.04.010: Nomination of candidates. Not earlier than the one hundred thirteenth
day nor later than the close of business on the eighty-eighth day before a municipal election, the
voters may nominate candidates for election by signing a nomination petition. If nomination
papers for an incumbent officer are not filed by the close of business on the eighty-eighth day
before the election, the voters shall have until the close of business on the eighty-third day
before the election to nominate candidates other than the incumbent for the elective office. Each
candidate shall be proposed by not less than one hundred voters, but only one candidate may be
named in any one nomination petition. Any person registered to vote at the election may
circulate a nomination petition. Where there are full terms and short terms to be filed, the term
shall be specified in the nomination petition. All nomination petitions must be filed with the City
Clerk.
California State Elections Code
Chapter 3. Nominations. 201. Eligibility to be elected of appointed. Unless otherwise
specifically provided, no person is eligible to be elected or appointed to an elective office unless
that person is a registered voter and otherwise qualified to vote for that office at the time that
nomination papers are issued to the person or at the time of the person's appointment.
Article 2. Nomination of Candidates.
10220. Method of nomination; nomination filing. Candidates may be nominated for any of
the elective offices of the city in the following manner:
Not earlier than the one hundred thirteenth day nor later than the eighty-eighth day before a
municipal election during normal office hours, as posted, the voters may nominate candidates for
election by signing a nomination paper. Only one candidate may be named in any one
nomination paper. No voter may sign more than one nomination paper for the same office, and
in the event the voter does so, that voter's signature shall count only on the first nomination
paper filed, which contains the voter's signature. Nomination papers subsequently filed and
containing that voter's signature shall be considered as though that signature does not appear
thereon. Each seat on the governing body is a separate office. Any person registered to vote at
the election may circulate a nomination paper. Where there are full terms and short terms to be
filled, the term shall be specified in the nomination paper.
10221. Signatures; nomination papers. The signatures to each nomination paper shall be
appended on the same sheet of paper, and each signer shall add his or her place of residence,
giving the street and number, if any, or other designation of his or her place of residence so as to
enable its location to be readily ascertained.
10222. Affidavit of circulator. Every nomination paper shall have annexed an affidavit of the
person who circulated it, to the effect that he or she saw written all the signatures appended
thereto, and knows that they are the signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be.
~o~ io2~