North Coast Advisory Council

The ad hoc election committee will be suggestion the following changes to the council and the election process at the January 28, 2010 meeting.  Please feel free to comment here or at the meeting on these changes. Because the suggestions require revision of the bylaws, no final decision will be made at this week’s meeting. Any changes approved by a majority of the council will become part of the resolution to revise the bylaws and will be up for discussion and approval at the February 2010 meeting.

NCAC Elections

Summary of Suggested Changes:

9 members and 3 alternates. One seat reserved for a San Simeon representative.  5 seats this year, 4 seats next year. Top 5 (or 4) vote-getters are seated as voting members. After all voting member seats are filled, next vote-getter is 1^st alternate and so on for alternates 2 and 3.  (One seat reserved for rural.)

Required to be a candidate: Live full-time in NCAC represented area, over 18, submit signatures of at least 10 residents by the end of the April meeting.

Requirements for voters: Over age 18 All residents, property owners, business licensees and nonprofit organizations located (or performing a significant part of their services) within the boundaries of NCAC. (Supervisor District 2 north of Villa Creek)

Elections: Voting will take place during the 2^nd and 3^rd weeks of May. Ballots will be available and people can vote at Farmer’s Market, online and ballots can be returned by mail or in person at the May NCAC meeting. Voting for San Simeon and rural representatives will be done by petition.

Draft of Bylaws changes.

Article III   Members

SECTION 1.      Council  Membership: The Community will be represented by at least 5 and no more than nine (9) regular members and three (3) alternate members.  Alternates shall sit as a regular voting member in the absence of a regular member.

SECTION 2.      A qualified candidate for election must be over 18 and reside in Cambria, San Simeon or the rural areas of County Supervisor’s District 2 north of Villa Creek

Diversity: The election committee shall make a deliberate effort to ensure that a diversity of ethnic, economic, and social interests are represented on the council.

The council shall have as a goal that at least one  member shall reside in each of the following areas:

San Simeon

the rural areas outside the SS and Cambria URLs

Lodge Hill

Park Hill

Business District

Park Hill

Happy Hill

However, if adhering to these criteria would prevent filling all seats,  the criteria may be waived.

i.        Elections. An election shall be held annually in  May and shall be governed by the Election Committee and NCAC election code.

SECTION 3.      Nomination of  Candidates for Election:  Any candidate eligible for election must submit a signed “Conditions of Service” form and an official letter of support with signatures of at least ten (10) eligible voters,  no later than the regular March meeting of an election year. The Council will accept the nominated candidates and approve the official ballot at the regular Council meeting in April and submit the names of the candidates in the Cambrian for publication the third week of April. Additional details of nominating process are in the election code.

SECTION 4.      The NCAC Council Chairperson shall receive the election results and provide for the seating of newly elected and appointed members, the election of new officers, and the naming of new subcommittee chairpersons as the last items of business at the June meeting. The out-going Chairperson shall be responsible for a smooth transition of information to the new Council.

SECTION 5.      Terms of Office. Terms of office for elected regular members are two years. Alternate members serve terms of one year.

SECTION 6.      Commitment of  Council members:   Members of the council volunteer their time to achieving the mission of the council. All members of NCAC, by virtue of their commitment to NCAC and the acceptance of the responsibility of representing their constituents, agree to:

i.        reading, understanding and abiding by the NCAC bylaws, policies and procedures,  Rosenberg’s Rules of Order and the San Luis Obispo County Community Advisory Council handbook.

ii.      serve as an officer (if elected) or committee member during their tenure in office

iii.    take advantage of the annual community advisory council training provided by San Luis Obispo County at least once, if feasible.

iv.     regularly attending  meetings prepared to do business.

SECTION 7.      Recall of an elected Council member may be held by eligible voters.  Upon validation of a petition bearing the signature of at least 75 of the registered voters  requesting the recall, the Council shall schedule a special election. This special election will determine if that representative shall be recalled. This recall election shall be within sixty (60) days of validation of the petition/s. Council will determine form and procedure appropriate at the time. If a Council member is successfully recalled, the ranking alternate shall serve the remainder of the original term.

SECTION 8.      Any elected Council member or alternate may be removed from office by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the NCAC for  non-compliance with the signed “Condition of Service” or for any conduct that is deemed inappropriate.

Elections

SECTION 1.                 

1.    To oversee the election, the North Coast Advisory Council (herein after referred to as “NCAC”) shall appoint a committee of volunteers to be known as: Community Election Committee (herein after referred to as “CEC”). No one whose name appears on the NCAC official ballot may serve on the CEC.

2.    The purpose of the CEC is to conduct the NCAC election in a fair, impartial and orderly manner and encourage broad representation, including members from San Simeon and the rural areas.  Members of the CEC shall conduct the election according to NCAC’s Election Procedure outline, attached

Distribution

1. The voting members of the advisory council shall include at least one member  representing San Simeon and one (1) representing rural/agricultural interests. All other members shall serve at-large.

SECTION 2.                  Eligible Candidates

Any current resident of Cambria and San Simeon and the surrounding rural areas  over the age of 18 may seek office (Article 3 section 2)

To have their name placed on the official ballot, prospective members must collect at least ten (10) signatures from people eligible to vote in the NCAC election and sign a letter of interest and conditions of service form.

SECTION 3.        Eligible Voters.

All residents, property owners, business licensees and nonprofit organizations located (or performing a significant part of their services) within the boundaries of NCAC  as defined in Article of these bylaws, regardless of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, income, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

Section 2 Any qualified resident may vote for any candidate on the official ballot.

SECTION 4.                 Voting and Election Procedures (At Large Members)

1. Voters may vote for up to 4 candidates in even years and 3 candidates in odd years.  Ballots where more than the number of vacant seats are selected will be disqualified.
2. The CEC chair shall conduct a lottery to determine the randomly selected ballot position for each candidate. In addition, all election proceedings shall be supervised by the CEC Chair.
3. There shall be no proxies or write-ins.
4. If the number of declared candidates received is fewer than the number of elected positions to be filled, then those candidates shall be acclaimed and no election shall be held. Also, the alternate positions shall remain unfilled. Acclaimed candidates shall have the same standing as elected candidates.
5. In the event there are fewer than seven members, voting members shall seek out and appoint members to ensure seven member minimum at the first opportunity.

Voting In Person

1. Voters may be issued and/or cast a ballot on the 2^nd and 3^rd Fridays in May between 1:00pm and 5:30pm at the Veterans Hall and the 3^rd Wednesday at the NCAC regular May meeting.
2. No campaigning shall be allowed within 300 feet of a polling place.
3. Voters shall print their full-time residence addresses and sign their names on the voters’ sign-in sheet, affirming that they meet the age and full-time residency requirements specified in the NCAC Bylaws. Each voter shall be asked to verify full-time residence address by one of the following: a driver’s license, voter registration card, or other photo ID. Voter registration sheets shall include the voter’s contact preference (phone, email, address, none)  The sign-in process shall not in any way connect a specific voter with a specific ballot.

4. Ballots may be returned to the NCAC by US mail or in person at the polling place. Mailed ballots must be RECEIVED in PO Box 533 no later than 5:00 PM on the 3^rd Friday of May.

5. The CEC chair shall take care to secure all ballots  collected  in person in a tamperproof box and no counting shall be done until the deadline for voting has passed.

6.    After 5:30 on the 3^rd Friday in May, mailed in ballots and other collected ballots shall be counted in a  private area by only members of the CEC.  Ballots shall be disqualified if they are wrongly or illegally marked, or, if they are not official ballots. A majority of the CEC present must agree in order to disqualify a ballot. Disqualified ballots shall be marked as such and held separately.

7.    Upon completion of the count, the CEC Chair shall give the summary of the election results, including count of disqualified ballots, to the Vice Chair of the CEC.  The Vice Chair shall dismiss the CEC members and post the results . The Vice Chair shall forward the election results to the Chair of the NCAC. The NCAC Chair, or CEC Chair, shall notify the candidates and the news media of the results in a timely manner.

8.    The NCAC Chair shall store all ballots in sealed envelopes

9.    Voter registration sheets shall be stored in sealed envelopes. Sealing of the envelopes shall be verified by the signatures of at least two NCAC members, across the back envelope flap. The stored materials shall be presented to Council Chair at the next regular meeting. No one shall have access to these materials until that time.

10. Challenges to the election results (including requests for recount), shall be heard at  the next regular Council meeting. Neither the Chair, nor Vice Chair, nor any CEC member shall accept such challenges at the time the results are posted.

11. Voter Registration Sheets shall be held for a minimum of three months following the election date, after which they may be destroyed.

12. In transition year 2010, (x 5) regular members and (x 3) alternates will be chosen. In subsequent odd number years (x 3) seats will be open, in even years (x 4) will be elected.  Thereby, some experienced council members will provide  continuity for the Council each year.

13.  At least one seat shall be reserved for a representative from San Simeon and one seat for a representative of the rural areas. To serve as the representative for San Simeon or rural areas, a candidate must be eligible to serve and provide signatures of at least 10 residents of San Simeon or rural areas. In the event there is more than one interested, qualified candidate, the candidate with the most verifiable signatures shall serve as the voting member and all San Simeon candidates will be included on the ballot for the at large positions. Every effort shall be made to ensure San Simeon and the rural communities are represented.

14. The Community Election Committee Chairperson shall present the election results to the Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting following the election.

15. The three alternates shall be ranked on the basis of the number of votes each received and shall substitute in rank order whenever feasible.   No regular voting privileges are to be bestowed upon alternates unless sitting as a substitute for a voting  member.  In the event of a vacancy caused by the loss of a regular elected member, the senior alternate will fill the vacancy. The first alternate vacancy is filled by the second alternate and second by third, if not already vacant. The remaining alternate vacancy remains unfilled until the next election. In the event there are not enough qualified candidates to fill the alternate positions such positions will remain vacant until the next election.

SECTION 5.                  Time line and Minimum Media requirements

Announce upcoming elections:  1^st week March (submit to Cambrian 4^th week February)

Candidates must submit declaration and signatures : Before April meeting adjourns

Finalize ballot and provide list of qualified candidates to Cambrian & publish online: 4^th week April

Printed Ballots available online and at selected locations: Monday of 2^nd week of May through Friday of 3^rd week of May 5:30pm

Sample ballot describing residency and sample “Conditions of  Service ” form with a section for Citizen endorsements is needed.