Resolution No. 2025-032RESOLUTION NO. 2025-032
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON
REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 2024-024 AND ADOPTING
REGULATIONS REGARDING CANDIDATE STATEMENTS SUBMITTED
TO THE VOTERS IN ANY GENERAL MUNICIPAL OR SPECIAL
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
SECTION 1. Recitals.
A. Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California provides that the
governing body of any local agency shall adopt regulations pertaining to materials
prepared by any candidate for a municipal election, including costs of the candidate’s
statement.
B. On November 5, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-024 adopting
regulations for candidates for elective office pertaining to candidate statements submitted
to the voters at any general municipal or special municipal election.
C. The City Council desires to repeal Resolution No. 2024-024 and adopt updated
regulations regarding candidate statements submitted to the voters at any general
municipal or special municipal election.
D. Section 13307(b)(1) of the California Elections Code states the statement of each
candidate shall be printed in type of uniform size and darkness, and with uniform spacing.
E. The City Clerk is responsible for enforcing formatting requirements and wishes to
streamline the review process by imposing limits relating to the format of candidate
statements to block format, and prohibit bolding, capitalized words, italics, and
underlining. The City Clerk has final sign-off and approval of all candidate statements for
elected city offices in accordance with state and local law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Vernon finds and determines that the
above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 3. GENERAL PROVISIONS. That pursuant to Section 13307 of the
Elections Code of the State of California, each candidate for nonpartisan elective office
to be voted for in future elections to be held in the City of Vernon may prepare a
candidate’s statement on an appropriate form provided by the City Clerk. The statement
may include the name, age and occupation of the candidate and a brief description of
no more than 200 words of the candidate’s education and qualifications expressed by
the candidate himself or herself. The statement shall not include party affiliation of the
candidate, nor membership or activity in partisan political organizations. The statement
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shall be filed in typewritten form in the Office of the City Clerk at the time the candidate’s
nomination papers are filed. Except as provided in Elections Code Section 13309, the
statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing nomination
papers and until 5:00 p.m. of the next working day after the close of the nomination
period.
SECTION 4. FOREIGN LANGUAGE POLICY.
A. Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, the City is required to translate
candidate statements into Spanish and Korean.
B. The City Clerk shall:
1. Translations – have all candidate statements translated into the languages
specified in (A) above.
2. Printing –
(a) Print an English only voter pamphlet to be mailed to all voters.
(b) Print any translations of statements of candidates who so request
printing in the main voter pamphlet.
(c) Print all translations of all candidate statements pursuant to (A) above,
in facsimile voter pamphlets.
(d) Have all translations made available upon request in the Office of the
City Clerk.
SECTION 5. PAYMENT.
A. Translations.
1. The candidate shall not be required to pay for the cost of translating the
candidate’s statement into any required foreign language as specified in (A) of Section
4 above pursuant to Federal and/or State law.
2. The candidate shall not be required to pay for the cost of translating the
candidate’s statement into any foreign language that is not required as specified in (A)
of Section 4 above, pursuant to Federal and/or State law, but is requested as an option
by the candidate.
/ / /
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B. Printing.
1. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s
statement in English in the Official Sample Ballot Booklet.
2. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s
statement in Spanish in the Official Sample Ballot Booklet.
3. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s
statement in Korean in the Official Sample Ballot Booklet.
The City Clerk shall estimate the total cost of printing, handling, translating, and
mailing the candidate’s statement filed pursuant to this section, including costs incurred
as a result of complying with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (as amended), and require
each candidate who is filing a statement to pay in advance to the local agency his or her
estimated pro rata share as a condition of having his or her statement included in the
voter’s pamphlet. In the event the estimated payment is required, the estimate is just
an approximation of the actual cost that varies from one election to another election and
may be significantly more or less than the estimate, depending on the actual number of
candidates filing statements. Accordingly, the clerk is not bound by the estimate and
may, on a pro rata basis, bill the candidate for additional actual expense or refund any
excess paid depending on the final actual cost. In the event of underpayment, the clerk
may require the candidate to pay the balance of the cost incurred. In the event of the
overpayment, the clerk shall prorate the excess amount among the candidates and
refund the excess amount paid within 30 days of the election or upon receipt of County
invoices.
SECTION 6. MISCELLANEOUS.
A) All translations shall be provided by the County of Los Angeles.
B) The City Clerk shall allow standard formatting to the same extent and manner
as allowed in previous City elections.
C) The City Clerk shall comply with the recommendations and standards set forth
by the California Secretary of State regarding occupational designations and
other matters related to elections.
SECTION 7. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS.
No candidate will be permitted to include additional materials in the voter
information pamphlet.
SECTION 8. That this resolution shall apply at the next ensuing general
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municipal or special municipal election and at each general municipal or special
municipal election until repealed.
SECTION 9. All resolutions or parts of resolutions, specifically Resolution No.
2024-024, not consistent with or in conflict with this resolution are hereby repealed.
SECTION 10. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other
provisions or applications, and to this end, the provisions of this Resolution are declared
to be severable.
SECTION 11. The City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, shall certify the passage and
adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED November 18, 2025.
________________________
LETICIA LOPEZ, Mayor
ATTEST:
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH MOUSSA-MILWARD,
City Attorney
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CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF VERNON )
I do hereby certify that the attached is a true copy of Resolution No. 2025-032 that was
passed and adopted at the Regular Meeting held on November 18, 2025, by the following
vote:
AYES: Larios, Merlo, Rivera, Ybarra, Lopez
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date:November 18, 2025
From:Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Department:City Clerk
Submitted by:Sandra Dolson, Deputy City Clerk
Subject
April 14, 2026, General Municipal Election
Recommendation
A. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-031 calling and giving notice of an all-mail ballot General Municipal
Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for the election of one City Council Member as
required by the provisions of the Charter of the City of Vernon;
B. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-032 adopting regulations regarding candidate statements and
repealing Resolution No. 2024-024 and establishing Candidate Statement regulations; and
C. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-033 requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los
Angeles render specified services to the City relating to the conduct of a General Municipal
Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Background
Pursuant to Vernon Charter Chapter 5.1 and Municipal Code Section 2.28.020, the City’s General
Municipal Elections shall be held in the City on the second Tuesday of April in each year and the
City Council can direct staff to conduct the election wholly by mail as an all-mail ballot election.
Chapter 3.4 of the City Charter also specifies that the regular election of Council Members shall
be held on the second Tuesday of April in each year. The City Council is required to adopt various
resolutions to conduct the General Municipal Election.
Resolution Calling the Election
Resolution No. 2025-031 calls for the General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, April
14, 2026, for the election of one member to the City Council for a full five (5) year term.
Resolution Establishing Candidate Statement Regulations
On November 5, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-024, adopting regulations
regarding candidate statements submitted to the voters at any General Municipal or Special
Municipal Election to be held in the City. Staff is requesting that this resolution be repealed and
replaced with Resolution No. 2025-032 establishing Candidate Statement regulations.
Pursuant to Section 13307(b)(1) of the California Elections Code the statement of each candidate
shall be printed in type of uniform size and darkness and with uniform spacing. To streamline the
review process, the City Clerk prefers to limit candidate statements to block format and prohibit
bolding, capitalized words, italics, and underlining.
Pursuant to sections 13307 and 13308 of the California Elections Code, each candidate for
nonpartisan elective office in any local agency, including any city, county, city and county, or
district, may prepare a candidate statement on an appropriate form provided by the election’s
official. The statement may include the name, age, and occupation of the candidate and a brief
description, of no more than 200 words, the City Council may authorize an increase in the
limitations on words for the statement from 200 to 400 words, of the candidate’s education and
qualifications expressed by the candidate themselves. That statement shall not include the party
affiliation of the candidate, nor membership or activity in the partisan political organizations. The
statement shall be limited to a recitation of the candidate’s own personal background and
qualifications and shall not in any way make reference to other candidates for that office or to
another candidate’s qualifications, character, or activities.
Resolution Requesting County Services
Resolution No. 2025-033 requests that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorize
the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to render specified services
associated with the 2026 General Municipal Election such as: provide appropriate forms,
signature verification services, translation services, prepare, print, and mail official ballots and
ballot materials.
Ballot Drop-Off Locations
In previous elections, the City has provided an additional ballot drop-off location on election day.
Staff will evaluate the best options to ensure value for voters and will keep the public informed.
As in the past, City Hall will accept voted ballots during regular business hours for the
convenience of the community.
Nomination Period
The nomination period begins on Monday, December 22, 2025, candidates may schedule an
appointment beginning the week prior to obtain nomination papers and required filing materials
from the City Clerk Department. The last day to file nomination papers is Tuesday, January 20,
2026.
Approval from the City Council will result in the scheduling of the General Municipal Election on
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for one member of the City Council.
As the City’s Election Official, the City Clerk is to post or publish a public notice, which shall
contain the following:
(a) A list of the offices to be filled.
(b) Whether the city elections official has furnished nomination papers to the incumbent for
each open office.
(c) Whether, due to redistricting, there is no eligible incumbent for an open office.
(d) The location where nomination papers may be obtained.
(e) The location, dates, and hours of operation of the office where completed nomination
papers may be filed.
Items (b) and (c) noted above are not applicable to the notice for the 2026 General Municipal
Election as the incumbent for the Council Member seat has termed out and there is no
redistricting in Vernon.
Fiscal Impact
The cost estimate for the General Municipal Election is $24,000. The estimate provided above is
an estimate of election costs based on historical costs for comparable elections. The actual cost
may be higher or lower than the estimate provided due to changes in any election factors and
unanticipated increases in labor and/or operations costs. The final invoice with actual costs will
be provided by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk approximately 90 days
after the election. Sufficient funds are available in General Fund, City Clerk Department, Election
Account No. 011-010-125-529300 for the current fiscal year.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2025-031 – Calling and Giving Notice of Election
2. Resolution No. 2025-032 – Establishing Candidate Statement Regulations
3. Resolution No. 2025-033 – Requesting County Services