HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC-7 - 26-298 - 3. Candidate Statements - 6/2/2026 ATTACHMENT 3
Resolution No. 2026-xx Page 1
CITY OF COSTA MESA
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-xx
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA,
ADOPTING REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE PERTAINING TO
CANDIDATES’ STATEMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS AT AN ELECTION TO BE
HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026
WHEREAS, Section 13307 of the Elections Code of the State of California provides that the
governing body of any local agency may adopt regulations pertaining to materials prepared by
any candidate for a municipal election, including costs of the candidate’s statement.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA,
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS. That pursuant to sections 13307 and 13308 of the
Elections Code of the State of California, each candidate for elective office to be voted for at an
Election to be held in the City of Costa Mesa on Tuesday November 3, 2026 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. In addition, 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. The statement shall be filed in typewritten form and electronic format (as specified by
the City Clerk) in the office of the City Clerk at the time the candidate’s nomination papers are
filed. The candidate’s statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing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.
These general provisions will also apply to electronic candidate statements, those statements that
will not be printed in the voter information guide but will be posted on the Registrar of Voters
website.
SECTION 2: FOREIGN LANGUAGE POLICY.
A. Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, candidates’ statements will be translated into all
languages required by the County of Orange. The County is required to translate candidates’
statements into the following languages: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
B. The County will mail separate voter information guides and candidates’ statements in
Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese to only those voters who are on the County voter
file as having requested a voter information guide in a particular language. The County will
make the voter information guides and candidates’ statements in the required languages
available at all vote centers, on the County’s website, and in the Election Official’s office.
ATTACHMENT 3
Resolution No. 2026-xx Page 2
SECTION 3: PAYMENT.
A. Translations:
1. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of translating the candidate’s statement
into any required foreign language as specified in (A) and/or (B) of Section 2 above
pursuant to Federal and/or State law.
2. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of translating the candidate’s statement
into any foreign language which is not required as specified in (A) and/or (B) of Section 2
above, pursuant to Federal and/or State law, but which is requested as an option by the
candidate.
B. Printing:
1. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in
English in the main voter pamphlet.
2. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in
a foreign language required in (A) of Section 2 above, in the main voter pamphlet.
3. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in
a foreign language requested by the candidate per (B) of Section 2 above, in the main
voter pamphlet.
4. The candidate shall be required to pay for the cost of printing the candidate’s statement in
a foreign language required by (A) of Section 2 above, in the facsimile voter pamphlet.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters has estimated the total cost of printing, handling,
translating, and mailing the candidates’ statements 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 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 candidates 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 overpayment, the clerk shall prorate the excess amount among the candidates and
refund the excess amount paid.
SECTION 4: ADDITIONAL MATERIALS. No candidate will be permitted to include additional
materials in the voter information guide.
SECTION 5: That the City Clerk shall provide each candidate or the candidate’s representative a
copy of this Resolution at the time nominating petitions are issued.
SECTION 6: That all previous resolutions establishing council policy on payment for candidates’
ATTACHMENT 3
Resolution No. 2026-xx Page 3
statements are repealed.
SECTION 7: That this Resolution shall apply only to the General Municipal Election on
November 3, 2026 and shall then expire without further action by the City Council.
SECTION 8: That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and
enter it into the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of June, 2026.
____________________________
John Stephens, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________ __________________________________
Brenda Green, City Clerk, Elections Official Kimberly Hall Barlow, City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF COSTA MESA )
I, BRENDA GREEN, City Clerk of the City of Costa Mesa, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that
foregoing Resolution No. 2026-xx was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City
of Costa Mesa at a regular meeting held on the 2nd day of June, 2026, by the following roll call
vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereby set my hand and affixed the seal of the
City of Costa Mesa this 3rd day of June, 2026.
____________________________
BRENDA GREEN, CITY CLERK, ELECTIONS OFFICIAL