Manhattan Beach Council considers change in election, extension of terms
The City Council last week deliberated changing future municipal elections back to March, a change that would require extending the terms of two sitting council members by a year.
The possible change was agendized by Councilperson Richard Montgomery, who was elected last March and whose term would not be one of those extended. Mayor Amy Howorth and Councilperson David Lesser, whose terms both end next March, could potentially see their terms extended.
At issue are local control and the unintended consequences of complying with a state law, AB 415, intended to increase voter turnout by aligning municipal elections with statewide elections. The council in 2016 complied with the state’s requirement that cities consolidate their elections to coincide either with November general elections or June primaries and that the changes be completed by 2022.
But Montgomery noted that cities are fighting back, including Redondo Beach and Beverly Hills.
“The idea is the state shouldn’t tell cities when to hold elections,” Montgomery said. “Whether you agree with the state or not or the election data is not the point. Cities have the own right to decide their fate, not to be decided by the state of California.”
The council in 2016 moved to shorten the terms of those elected in March 2017 and March 2019 to three years and eight months and then subsequently voted to begin holding municipal elections in November of even-numbered years, starting in 2020, which will be a presidential election.
Turnout during the last three presidential elections held in November was between 81 and 90 percent locally. The city has historically held its election in March of odd years, with turnout ranging from 19 to 28 percent over the last five elections.
Lesser said that increased turnout does not necessarily equate with voters giving municipal matters adequate attention.
“My biggest concern is that aligning our municipal elections with the presidential election is a big challenge for our city,” said Lesser. “And however we get there to change it is something I would like to explore because I think our local issues would get lost in the presidential election. Imagine what the upcoming presidential election will be about…. As one who is not interested in extending a term, particularly my own, that is the fundamental issue behind it.”
“I know there is a great deal of cynicism in looking at this, and I understand that,” said Howorth. “But I really am trying to take a look at this as to what is best for Manhattan Beach, because I really disagree that we are going to be in a better place or get better and more informed voters participating [in November elections], and like you said, we are tossing in with the judges and the water districts at the very bottom of the ballot. You have to really search us out. If you saw this last ballot, how many people running for Senate and governor — it makes it difficult. And I really would like to see if we can get this to March.”
Staff identified two options to address the matter. The first would be to move the city election scheduled for next March to November and shorten the terms to three years, meaning those terms would come up for reelection in November 2022; this would require extending Howorth and Lesser by eight months. The second option would be to move the city election from next March to March 2020, extending Lesser and Howorth’s term by a year, and then shortening the terms of those elected in 2020 to two years and eight months to coincide with the November 2022 election.
Former councilperson Wayne Powell said the issue “comes under the category of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He said the cities suing over the state over election dates are not like Manhattan Beach.
“Practically all of the cities that are suing are charter cities. And they are suing for an entirely different reason,” Powell said. “We are a general law city. Their basis or their lawsuit is that they are regulated by the charter and in their charters, it dictates when the elections are held. We can’t make that argument because we are not a charter city.”
Councilperson Steve Napolitano said that he also preferred March elections, and noted that November elections because they are so politicized, would make local elections more partisan.
“I would prefer March because I think that it still is a more localized, more focused electorate at that time,” he said.
But both Napolitano and Lesser also argued that no decision should be made until more community feedback was available.
“I’m looking at the chamber,” Lesser said. “Not that many people are here. Not many people are even aware of what we are talking about.”
The council tabled the matter without action and will revisit it at an upcoming meeting.