To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A CHARTER AMENDMENT RELATED TO AN INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING SYSTEM AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY’S MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT A VOTING METHOD IN MARCH 2025
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Redondo Beach held its General Municipal Election on March 7, 2023, conducted by an all-mail ballot. The electorate successfully voted (by 76.67%) for Measure CA5, adopted by Resolution No. CC-2303-033, amending the City Charter Section 18.4 (Majority vote: Instant runoff election), which replaces runoff elections for the elected offices of the City with an instant runoff voting system.
Staff is seeking Council’s direction to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), as it is the only instant runoff voting method that has election tabulation equipment certified by the California Secretary of State. If directed to do so, the City Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the City Clerk’s Office, will then prepare an ordinance detailing the RCV system process and present the item to Council in April 2024. Staff recommends that an ordinance be completed by September 1, 2024 to allow ample time to negotiate vendor contracts. Sample ordinances from the California cities of Albany, Berkeley, and Eureka are attached as examples of how other jurisdictions have implemented RCV.
The City Clerk’s Office will also prepare a voter education and outreach plan to present at a future City Council meeting. A sample Voter Outreach Plan from City and County of San Francisco is attached for Council reference.
BACKGROUND
At the Regular Meeting of November 9, 2021, City Council was presented with a demonstration of the RCV method. Before determining to move forward with RCV, Council directed staff to return with a demonstration and explanation of the STAR (Score-Then-Automatic-Runoff) voting method at the City Council meeting of January 11, 2022. At that meeting, Council was advised that the STAR voting method had not been used by any city in the state of California.
At the Regular Meeting of November 8, 2022, Council directed staff to return with a Charter amendment to allow for instant runoff voting and therefore, replace the current runoff system (separate elections), whereby submitting a Charter amendment to the voters to enact instant runoff voting.
As a result of the General Municipal Election on March 7, 2023, a majority of the voters voted in favor of Measure CA5, amending the City Charter Section 18.4 (Majority vote: Instant runoff election). With the favorable result, an ordinance amending the City’s Municipal Code will need to be prepared to implement an instant runoff voting method.
COORDINATION
This report was prepared in coordination with the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
SUBMITTED BY:
Eleanor Manzano, City Clerk
ATTACHMENTS
• City Charter Section 18.4- Majority Vote: Instant Runoff Election
• Sample RCV Ordinance - Albany, CA
• Sample RCV Ordinance - Berkeley, CA
• Sample RCV Ordinance - Eureka, CA
• Sample RCV Voter Outreach Plan: City and County of San Francisco, CA