In its effort to protect public health in the age of the corona virus, the City Council adopted a temporary ordinance aimed at maintaining social distancing and reducing the spread of the disease. Ordinance 2020-02 will now enable City Council and Mayoral candidates in the upcoming General Election to skip the process of obtaining 20 signatures from registered voters in order to be placed on the ballot. The move gives candidates the option of paying a $25 processing fee in lieu of signatures. Interested candidates should familiarize themselves with the ordinance as provided below. Citizens interested in running for public office may begin the process on June 22. 

Jacksonville City Council

Agenda Item Summary

Ordinance No. O2020-002 – An Ordinance Authorizing a Temporary

Amendment to the Nomination Requirements for City Council and

Mayoral Elections for the 2020 General Election and Declaring an

Emergency

Date: May 12, 2020 City Council Meeting: May 19, 2020

From: Jeff Alvis, City Administrator Agenda Item: 5e

Synopsis:

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council is being asked to consider an ordinance to

temporarily amend Section 33 of the Jacksonville City Charter which contains the nomination

requirements and processes for candidates for City Council and Mayoral elections. The proposed

amendment reflects changes necessary to comply with social distancing requirements.

The proposed amendment would temporarily modify the requirements for the November 2020

General Election. Currently Section 33 requires all prospective candidates to gather signatures of

20 electors as a requirement of candidacy. The proposed temporary amendment would allow a

prospective candidate to pay a filing fee of $25.00 in lieu of signature gathering requirements in

order to enable candidates to comply with social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19

pandemic, although, signature gathering would remain an option for candidates.

The proposed amendment would be in effect until January 1, 2021, and its repeal would be

automatic on such date without further Council action.

Council is requested to adopt this ordinance and declare an emergency, because the proposed

amendment is intended to protect the public health of nominees and electors of the City by

complying with social distancing requirements. As these requirements affect the nomination and

election process, it is necessary to approve the updated requirements before election packets are

made available to potential nominees for this year’s election cycle.

ORS 249.056 sets the filing fees for candidates, such as U.S. Senator, Governor, District Attorney,

and State Senator or Representative. The filing fee for a State Senator or Representative is $25.00.

Fiscal Impact:

For the 2020 election, an increase of $25.00 would be received from each prospective candidate

who opted to pay the fee in lieu of signatures.

Recommendations:

Staff recommends approval of the first reading of Ordinance No. O2020-002 with the second

reading and adoption by title only.

Exhibits:

Exhibit A –Ordinance No. O2020-002

Pg. 1 Ordinance No. O2020-002 (05/19/2020)

ORDINANCE NO. O2020-002

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A TEMPORARY AMENDMENT TO THE

NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CITY COUNCIL AND MAYORAL

ELECTIONS FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION AND DECLARING AN

EMERGENCY

Recitals:

  1. Jacksonville Charter Section 33 provides that nomination for city

elective positions shall be by a petition signed by not less than twenty

electors of the city.

  1. In 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic

caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus. Coronaviruses can cause respiratory

disease, with the potential to cause serious illness or loss of life for

individuals with underlying health conditions. In March, Governor Kate

Brown declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak in

Oregon (Executive Order No. 20-03), finding that COVID-19 has created a

threat to public health and safety constituting a statewide emergency.

Executive Order 20-12 enacted a public health law called “Stay Home, Save

Lives” including restrictions of limitations on individual travel, social

distancing requirements and enforcement measures for non-compliance.

Said order is in place indefinitely.

  1. Electronic signatures for elections purposes are only permitted by state

law at the present time for initiative, referendum, or recall purposes but not

petitions for candidacy.

  1. D. The City desires to abide by the Governor’s order and do what it can to

protect the health and safety of its residents.

  1. The City finds that requirements to collect original signatures during the

COVID pandemic may unnecessarily increase health risks to its residents

through increased personal contact.

  1. In order to ensure that this temporary modification is adopted prior to the

opening of elections on June 22, 2020, and that potential candidates have

adequate information as to the process for candidacy prior to that date, the

City finds that a Declaration of Emergency is necessary.

Pg. 2 Ordinance No. O2020-002 (05/19/2020)

THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Jacksonville Charter Section 33 is hereby temporarily amended to allow

alternate procedures for nomination to elective city positions as provided in the

attached Exhibit “A”.

Section 2. This change to Section 33 of the Charter shall be repealed without

further Council action effective January 1, 2021.

Section 3. EMERGENCY. This ordinance is necessary for the immediate

preservation of the health, and safety of our citizens and potential candidates due

to the limited time frame and limited meeting schedule during this pandemic. This

ordinance shall be in full force and effective on the date of its passage.

Signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this 19th day

of May, 2020.

__________________________

Mayor Paul Becker

ATTEST:

_____________________________

City Recorder