CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA PACKET 5-5-26

if updated ownership or owner mailing address can be determined. The redelivered ballot will be marked to identify it as a redelivered ballot. 8. An assessment ballot proceeding is not an election or voting for purposes of Article II of the California Constitution or of the Elections Code. 9. An assessment ballot is a disclosable “public record” as that phrase is defined by Government Code Section 6252, during and after tabulation of the ballots. 10. The California Government Code requires that assessment ballots be signed by property owners. However, property owner names and corresponding votes will remain strictly confidential, except as necessary to count the votes or as disclosure is required by California law. 11. To complete an assessment ballot, the owner of the parcel or his, her, or their authorized representative must (1) mark the appropriate oval supporting or opposing the proposed assessment and (2) sign, under penalty of perjury, the statement on the ballot that the person completing the ballot is the owner of the parcel or the owner's authorized representative. Only one oval may be stamped or marked on each ballot. All incomplete or improperly marked ballots shall be disqualified from balloting. The Tabulator will retain all such invalid ballots. 12. After returning an assessment ballot to the City, the person who signed the ballot may withdraw the ballot by submitting a written statement to the City directing the City to withdraw the ballot. Such statement must be received by the City or the Tabulator prior to the close of the public input portion of the public hearing. When ballots are tabulated, the Tabulator will segregate withdrawn ballots from all other returned ballots and will indicate on the face of such withdrawn ballots that they have been withdrawn. 13. In order to change the contents of a ballot that has been submitted, the person who signed that ballot may: (1) request that such ballot be withdrawn; (2) request that a replacement ballot be issued; and (3) return the replacement ballot fully completed. Each of these steps must be completed according to the procedures set forth above. E. Tabulating Ballots. The following guidelines shall apply to tabulating assessment ballots: 1. Assessment ballots shall remain sealed until tabulation commences. 2. The Tabulator shall tabulate the assessment ballots. The Tabulator shall follow the rules and procedures of the laws of the State of California, this resolution, and any other rules and procedures of the City Council. If the Tabulator needs clarification, the City Council is the final arbiter. All ballots shall be accepted as valid except those in the following categories: a. A photocopy of a ballot, a letter or other form of a ballot that is not an official ballot provided by the District or the Assessment Engineer on behalf of the District; b. An unsigned ballot, or ballot signed by an unauthorized individual; Page 106 of 248