23550-23566
GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 23550-23566
23550. Upon receiving the commission's determinations, the board of
supervisors of each affected county shall order and give
proclamation and notice of an election to be held in their respective
affected county, the election to be held in each affected county on
the same specified day which shall be the next established election
date in the principal county not less than 74 days after receipt of
the commission's determinations, for the purpose of determining
whether the affected counties shall be established and organized as a
consolidated county.
23551. The proclamation and notice of election to determine whether
a consolidated county should be organized shall be published at
least once a week for three weeks commencing not less than 70 days
prior to the date of the election in a newspaper of general
circulation in each affected county.
23552. At the same time that the board of supervisors of each
affected county issues a proclamation and notice of election for the
purpose of determining whether the proposed consolidated county shall
be organized, the boards shall issue a proclamation and notice of an
election to be held on the same day in each affected county, with
the same election officers, for the election of officers and the
location of the county seat of the proposed consolidated county if
the vote at the election is in favor of organizing the proposed
consolidated county.
23553. The notice of election shall:
(a) State distinctly the propositions to be submitted.
(b) State the names of the counties proposed to be consolidated.
(c) State the date of the election.
(d) Designate the election precincts and places at which the polls
will be open as established by the board of each affected county.
(e) Instruct the electors how to vote in the election.
(f) Request the submission of written arguments for and written
arguments against the proposed county consolidation.
(g) A statement that the board of supervisors of an affected
county or any member or members of such board authorized by the
board, any city council or a city within an affected county or any
member or members of such council authorized by the council, any
qualified elector entitled to vote at the election, any bona fide
association of citizens, or any combination of qualified electors and
associations may submit and file written arguments with the clerk of
the principal county for printing and distribution in the ballot
pamphlet, not later than 54 days prior to the date of the election.
(h) A statement that only one argument for and one argument
against shall be selected and printed in the ballot.
(i) A statement that arguments shall not exceed 500 words in
length and shall be accompanied by at least one and not more than
three signatures.
23554. All qualified electors of each affected county who have been
registered electors of the county 30 days prior to the date of the
election are entitled to vote at the election. Registration and
transfers of registration shall be made and shall close in the manner
and at the times provided by law for registration and transfers of
registration for a general election in the state.
23555. Ballots at the election shall contain the words:
(a) "For consolidation Yes," and "For
consolidation No."
Each voter shall stamp a cross (+) opposite the
words "Yes," or
"No."
(b) "For_________________________________________
(name of county seat as determined by
commission)
as county seat
Yes"
and "For________________________________________
(name of county seat as determined by
commission)
as county seat
No".
Each voter shall stamp a cross (+) opposite the
words "Yes," or
"No."
23556. Candidates for elective offices of the consolidated county
shall file nomination papers at the same time and in the same manner
as candidates for the governing body of general law counties.
23557. The election shall be governed and controlled by the general
election laws of the state so far as applicable, except as otherwise
provided in this article.
23558. If more than one argument for or more than one argument
against the proposed consolidation is filed with the clerk of the
principal county the clerk shall select one of the arguments for and
one of the arguments against the proposed consolidation for printing
and distribution to the electors.
In selecting arguments, the clerk shall give preference and
priority in the order specified to arguments submitted by the
following:
(a) The board of supervisors of an affected county, or any member
or members of such board authorized by it.
(b) The city council of any city located within an affected
county, or any member or members of such council authorized by it.
(c) Qualified electors or bona fide associations of citizens, or
combinations of electors and associations.
23559. The elections official of the principal county shall cause a
ballot pamphlet concerning the proposed consolidation to be printed
and mailed to each qualified elector of each affected county.
The ballot pamphlet shall contain the following in the order
prescribed:
(a) An impartial analysis of the proposed consolidation prepared
by the commission.
(b) A summary of the commission's report on fiscal impact of the
proposed consolidation.
(c) A summary of the commission's terms and conditions.
(d) The names of the persons to be voted for to fill the county
offices designated by the commission.
(e) The argument for consolidation.
(f) The argument against consolidation.
The elections official shall mail a ballot pamphlet to each
qualified elector at least 10 days prior to the date of the election.
The ballot pamphlet is "official matter" within the meaning of
Section 13303 of the Elections Code.
23560. The clerk shall also prepare and mail to the qualified
electors of each affected county a sample ballot. The sample ballot
shall be mailed with and at the same time as the ballot pamphlet.
23561. The law relating to the preparation, printing, and
distribution of sample ballots and primary elections does not apply
to any election held pursuant to this article.
23562. Except as otherwise provided by this article, the election
shall be conducted as other elections in the principal county.
23563. The board of each affected county shall appoint as election
officers three representatives who reside in the affected county
represented.
23564. Immediately on the closing of the polls the election
officers shall, in connection with the affected county they
represent:
(a) Canvass the ballots.
(b) Make up and certify the tally sheets of the ballots cast.
(c) Seal up the ballots.
(d) Attach a statement, signed by each election officer, to the
tally sheets showing the number of votes cast and the number of votes
cast for and against each of the propositions submitted to the
electors.
(e) Seal up the tally sheets.
23565. The clerk of each affected county shall upon the completion
of a canvass of the vote, in the county the clerk represents, forward
to the board of that affected county, a certified copy of the
results of the canvass, giving the number of votes cast in that
affected county for each of the propositions submitted to the
electors and the number of votes cast in that affected county against
each of the propositions submitted to the electors.
23566. All costs of the election on county consolidation shall be
borne by the consolidated county if the county consolidation is
effected. If the county consolidation is not effected, the costs of
the election shall be borne by all the affected counties on an equal
basis.