CHAPTER 2A
ELECTIONS
2A.1 General municipal election date.
All elective City offices shall be filled by the City electorate at a general municipal election to be held on the date of the statewide general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. (Ord. No. 2013-05, § 2.)
2A.02 City Council Districts Established.
Six City Council districts are hereby established in the City of Fairfield. The boundaries and identifying number of each district shall be as described on the official “Council District Map” on file in the Office of the City Clerk. (Ord. No. 2020-02, § 2.)
2A.03 Election of Members of the City Council by District.
A. Members of the City Council shall be elected “by District” as defined in California Government Code Section 34871. A person shall not be eligible to be elected to be a Member of the City Council unless he or she is otherwise qualified as required by law, resides in the geographical area making up the district from which he or she is nominated to be elected and is a registered voter of the City of Fairfield at the time nomination papers are issued to the candidate as provided in Section 10227 of the California Elections Code.
B. Registered voters signing nomination papers or voting for a Member of the City Council shall be residents of the geographical area making up the district from which the Member is to be elected.
C. Notwithstanding Subsections A. and B. above, the Mayor shall be elected by a city-wide election of eligible voters residing in the City of Fairfield.
D. The terms of the office of each Member elected to the City Council shall be four (4) years.
E. References in this Chapter to state statutes shall include any amendments thereto and any successor statutes. (Ord. No. 2020-02, § 2.)
2A.4 Commencement of District Elections.
Commencing with the general municipal election in November of 2020 and thereafter, the voters in Council Districts 2, 4, and 6 shall elect Members of the City Council by district for full four (4) year terms. For the purposes of transitioning from a five-member to a seven-member City Council and notwithstanding Subsection D of Section 2A.3, at the general municipal election in November of 2020, the voters in District 5 shall elect a Member of the City Council for a two (2) year term. At the general municipal election in 2022 and thereafter, the voters in Council Districts 1, 3 and 5 shall elect Members of the City Council by district for full four (4) year terms. No term of any Member of the City Council that commenced on or prior to the effective date of this Chapter shall be affected prior to its expiration date. (Ord. No. 2020-02, § 2.)
2A.5 Adjustment of Council District Boundaries.
A. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 21601 the City Council shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the districts following each decennial federal census. Using the census as a basis, the City Council shall adjust the boundaries so that the districts shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable and in compliance with all applicable provisions of law. Any adjustment of district boundaries shall be made by ordinance adopted by the City Council before the first day of November of the year following the year in which each decennial federal census is taken commencing with the 2020 federal census. As required by Elections Code Section 21607, the City Council shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposal to adjust boundaries of any or all districts prior to the public hearing at which the council votes to approve or defeat the proposal.
B. At the time of any annexation of territory to the City, the City Council shall designate, by resolution adopted by a vote of at least a majority of the City Council, the contiguous district to which the annexed territory shall be a part and shall amend the district boundaries if necessary in accordance with Elections Code Section 21603.
C. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 21606 the term of office of any council member who has been elected and whose term of office has not expired shall not be affected by any change in the boundaries of the district from which he or she was elected. At the first election for council following adjustment of the boundaries of the districts, a person meeting the requirements of Government Code Section 34882 shall be elected to the City Council for each district under the readjusted district plan that has the same district number as a district whose incumbent’s term on the council is due to expire. (Ord. No. 2020-02, § 2.)
2A.6 Electronic Filing of Campaign Statements.
A. Any elected officer, candidate, committee or other person required to file statements, reports or other documents required by Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 84100 of the Government Code), except an elected officer, candidate, committee or other person who receives contributions totaling less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) and makes expenditures totaling less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) in a calendar year, shall file those statements, reports or other documents online or electronically with the city clerk.
B. The city clerk shall issue an electronic confirmation that notifies the filer that the statement was received, and the notification shall include the date and the time that the statement was received and the method by which the filer may view and print the data received. The date of filing for a statement filed online shall be the day that it is received by the city clerk.
C. While electronic filing of statements will be mandated under this ordinance, the city clerk or designee, as the City’s filing officer, will have the right to accept a paper filing in lieu of an electronic filing at the city clerk’s discretion, under certain circumstances including when the city clerk’s electronic system is not capable of accepting a particular type of statement, report, or other document, and to accommodate an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) request. (Ord. No. 2022-02, § 1.)
2A.7 Campaign Contributions.
A. The limit for contributions to or received for elective City office shall be set by resolution of the City Council at its discretion.
B. Where the City Council does not set a limit for contributions to or received for elective City office, the limit shall be that provided for under California Government Code section 85301(d). Any violation of a campaign contribution limit set by resolution of the City Council shall be subject to enforcement and penalties pursuant to Chapter 1.7, General Penalty. All violations may be investigated and enforced by the District Attorney or their designated representative. (Ord. No. 2023-13, § 2.)