SECTIONS 9280-9287 - California Statutes

ELECTIONS CODE

SECTION 9280-9287

9280. Whenever any city measure qualifies for a place on the
ballot, the governing body may direct the city elections official to
transmit a copy of the measure to the city attorney, unless the
organization or salaries of the office of the city attorney are
affected. The city attorney shall prepare an impartial analysis of
the measure showing the effect of the measure on the existing law and
the operation of the measure. If the measure affects the
organization or salaries of the office of the city attorney, the
governing board may direct the city elections official to prepare the
impartial analysis. The analysis shall be printed preceding the
arguments for and against the measure. The analysis shall not exceed
500 words in length.
In the event the entire text of the measure is not printed on the
ballot, nor in the voter information portion of the sample ballot,
there shall be printed immediately below the impartial analysis, in
no less than 10-point bold type, a legend substantially as follows:
"The above statement is an impartial analysis of Ordinance or
Measure ____. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure,
please call the elections official's office at (insert telephone
number) and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you."

9281. If no other method is provided by general law, or, in the
case of a chartered city, by the charter or by city ordinance,
arguments for and against any city measure may be submitted to the
qualified voters of the city pursuant to this article. If a method is
otherwise provided by general law, or, in the case of a chartered
city, by charter or city ordinance, for submitting arguments as to a
particular kind of city measure, that method shall control.

9282. (a) For measures placed on the ballot by petition, the
persons filing an initiative petition pursuant to this article may
file a written argument in favor of the ordinance, and the
legislative body may submit an argument against the ordinance.
(b) For measures placed on the ballot by the legislative body, the
legislative body, or any member or members of the legislative body
authorized by that body, or any individual voter who is eligible to
vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or any
combination of voters and associations, may file a written argument
for or against any city measure.
(c) No argument shall exceed 300 words in length.
(d) The city elections official shall include the following
statement on the front cover, or if none, on the heading of the first
page, of the printed arguments:
"Arguments in support or opposition of the proposed laws are the
opinions of the authors."
(e) The city elections official shall enclose a printed copy of
both arguments with each sample ballot; provided, that only those
arguments filed pursuant to this section shall be printed and
enclosed with the sample ballot. The printed arguments are "official
matter" within the meaning of Section 13303.
(f) Printed arguments submitted to voters in accordance with this
section shall be titled either "Argument In Favor Of Measure ____" or
"Argument Against Measure ____," accordingly, the blank spaces being
filled in only with the letter or number, if any, designating the
measure. At the discretion of the elections official, the word
"Proposition" may be substituted for the word "Measure" in these
titles.

9283. A ballot argument may not be accepted under this article
unless accompanied by the printed name and signature or printed names
and signatures of the author or authors submitting it, or, if
submitted on behalf of an organization, the name of the organization
and the printed name and signature of at least one of its principal
officers who is the author of the argument.
No more than five signatures shall appear with any argument
submitted under this article. In case any argument is signed by more
than five authors, the signatures of the first five shall be printed.

9285. (a) (1) When an elections official receives an argument
relating to a city measure that will be printed in the ballot
pamphlet, the elections official shall send a copy of an argument in
favor of the proposition to the authors of any argument against the
measure and a copy of an argument against the measure to the authors
of any argument in favor of the measure immediately upon receiving
the arguments.
(2) The author or a majority of the authors of an argument
relating to a city measure may prepare and submit a rebuttal argument
or may authorize in writing any other person or persons to prepare,
submit, or sign the rebuttal argument.
(3) No rebuttal argument may exceed 250 words.
(4) A rebuttal argument relating to a city measure shall be filed
with the elections official no later than 10 days after the final
filing date for primary arguments.
(5) A rebuttal argument relating to a city measure may not be
signed by more than five persons and shall be printed in the same
manner as a direct argument and shall immediately follow the direct
argument which it seeks to rebut.
(b) Subdivision (a) applies only if, not later than the day on
which the legislative body calls an election, the legislative body
adopts its provisions by majority vote, in which case subdivision (a)
applies at the next ensuing municipal election and at each municipal
election thereafter, unless later repealed by the legislative body
in accordance with the procedures of this subdivision.

9286. (a) Based on the time reasonably necessary to prepare and
print the arguments and sample ballots and to permit the
10-calendar-day public examination as provided in Article 6
(commencing with Section 9295) for the particular election, the city
elections official shall fix a date 14 days from the calling of the
election as a deadline, after which no arguments for or against any
city measure may be submitted for printing and distribution to the
voters, as provided in this article. Arguments may be changed or
withdrawn by their proponents until and including the date fixed by
the city elections official during the normal business hours of the
elections official's office, as posted.
(b) The requirement in subdivision (a) that the period for
submitting arguments for inclusion with the sample ballot materials
must be 14 days from the calling of the election is not applicable
when the election is consolidated with another election pursuant to
Part 3 (commencing with Section 10400) of Division 10.

9287. If more than one argument for or more than one argument
against any city measure is submitted to the city elections official
within the time prescribed, he or she shall select one of the
arguments in favor and one of the arguments against the measure for
printing and distribution to the voters. In selecting the argument
the city elections official shall give preference and priority, in
the order named, to the arguments of the following:
(a) The legislative body, or member or members of the legislative
body authorized by that body.
(b) The individual voter, or bona fide association of citizens, or
combination of voters and associations, who are the bona fide
sponsors or proponents of the measure.
(c) Bona fide associations of citizens.
(d) Individual voters who are eligible to vote on the measure.