2016 Election Manual Revision

The Department has made updates on the 2016 Election Manual. The revisions are as follows:

Election Manual Revisions February 12, 2016:

Section VII. C. 3 (p 19):

Old Language:
3. Candidate Statements must be submitted in writing online and may not exceed the 1,000 characters limit (translations not included). Candidate statements are printed as submitted, with no editing. Additionally, a candidate may submit translated version(s) of the original statement, which must comply with all aforementioned criteria.

Revised Language:
Candidate Statements must be submitted in writing online and may not exceed the 1,000 characters limit, including translation. Candidate statements are printed as submitted, with no editing. Additionally, a candidate may submit translated version(s) of the original statement, which must comply with all aforementioned criteria.

Section XI.(p 15):

Old Language:
XI. Board Outreach after Candidates Are Certified – Once candidates are certified, if a Neighborhood Council releases a newsletter or conducts any outreach listing any existing board members, who are also candidates, the outreach materials must include the same information for all candidates, i.e. the non­Board member candidates. In this respect, the City Clerk recommends that promotional pieces that include the list of candidates be distributed after the Final List of Certified Candidates has been issued (45 days prior to Election Day).

Revised Language:
Board Outreach after Candidates Are Certified – Once the Final List of Certified Candidates has been issued by the City Clerk, if a Neighborhood Council releases a newsletter or conducts any outreach listing the names of any existing board members, who are also candidates, the outreach materials must include the same information for all candidates, i.e. the non-board member candidates.

Section XI. (p 9)

Old Language:
Candidate Forums – Each Neighborhood Council may present any number of Candidate Forums or arrange for forums sponsored by other organizations, such as a Chamber of Commerce or other regional Neighborhood Council organizations. Each forum, however, must ensure that each and every certified candidate is provided equal time and exposure. In this respect, the City Clerk recommends that promotional pieces that contain lists of certified candidates be distributed after the Final List of Certified Candidates has been issued (45 days prior to Election Day). Advertise your candidate forum to increase attendance.

Revised Language:
Candidate Forums – Each Neighborhood Council may present any number of Candidate Forums or arrange for forums sponsored by other organizations, such as a Chamber of Commerce or other regional Neighborhood Council organizations. Each forum, however, must ensure that each and every certified candidate is provided equal time and exposure.

Section XIII (p 15)

New:
An extension to the Candidate Filing Registration deadline of an election region will only be considered if it can be established that an error by EmpowerLA and/or City Clerk caused a delay that impeded the election region’s ability to field sufficient qualified candidates and that there is an outreach plan for the election region that will increase the number of candidate filings during the extended time frame.