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TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS •; T .
COSTA
FROM: John Sweeten,County Administrator COUNTY
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DATE: August 5,2003
SUBJECT: Legislation to Reduce California Counties' Costs for the Gubernatorial Recall Election
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION(S):
SUPPORT legislation to reimburse California counties for the cost of the gubernatorial recall or to reduce the
local costs of conducting the recall election, as recommended by the Clerk-Recorder
BACKGROUNDMASON(S).FOR RECOMMENDATION(S):
The County's 2003 adopted Legislative Platform includes the following policy position:
Oppose any efforts to increase the County;s share of cost, maintenance of effort requirements or other
financing responsibilities for ,Mate-mandated programs absent new revenues sufficient to meet current
and future program needs.
On July 24, 2003, Cruz Bustamante, Lieutenant Governor of the State of California, ordered a special statewide
election for October 7, 2003, to determine whether Governor Gray Davis will be recalled and, if so, to elect a
successor.
Under current State law, counties will bear the burden of conducting this statewide election, estimated at$45-60
million. In Contra Costa County,the estimated cost is$1.45 million.
Recognizing the financial burden to counties, some legislators have expressed interest in providing for local
reimbursement of the cost of the recall election.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: ; 4v—`-,
=RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR—RECOMMENDATION OARD COMMITTEE
-APPROVE r OTHER
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SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BO U O , APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
f
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HERESY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT II ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: _ ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact:Sara Koffman,335-1090ATTESTEDhVmt 5, 20303
cc: CAO JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF
County Lobbyist THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Steve Weir,Clerk-Recorder AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Legislative Delegation(via CAO)
Deputy
BACKGROUND/REASOMS)FOR RECOMMENDATION,(cont'd):
In addition, there is some discussion of changing election regulations for this recall election only, to reduce its
cost. Election officials are recommending that no sample ballot or recall grounds and answer statements need to
be included in the County mailing, since this will already be included in the State pamphlet. Local election
departments then would only have to mail each voter a notification of polling place and absentee ballot
application, which could be handled in a fold over postcard. Election officials would then publish the list of
candidates in local newspapers and the State pamphlet would include the list of candidates.
Steve Weir, County Clerk-Recorder, believes that this change in law regarding conducting this particular special
election would help reduce costs. The only downside might be that voters would have to read their ballot at the
polls to find the desired candidate, since the ballot order must rotate by Assembly district. This could take the
voter some time if there are a large number of successor candidates for the Governor's post.