Elections.

(1) Under existing law, ordinances may be enacted by any county and a proposed ordinance may be submitted by the county board of supervisors to the voters within a county. Existing law also permits the voters in a county to submit a proposed ordinance or a proposal to enact, amend, or otherwise revise a county charter to the board of supervisors for that county. The board of supervisors may also submit to the voters, without a petition, an ordinance for the repeal, amendment, or enactment of any ordinance. Under existing law, when a county measure qualifies for a place on the ballot, arguments for or against the county measure may be submitted to the voters of the county. An argument for or against a county measure may be submitted by the board of supervisors, any member of the board of supervisors who is authorized by the board to submit an argument, an individual who is eligible to vote on the measure, or a bona fide association of citizens. This bill would delete the requirement that a member of the board of supervisors be authorized by the board to submit an argument for or against a county measure. The bill would instead provide that an argument for or against a county measure may be submitted by the board of supervisors, any member of the board of supervisors, an individual who is eligible to vote on the measure, or a bona fide association of citizens. (2) Existing law specifies deadlines for submitting arguments for printing in the sample ballot and sets a time limit for public examination of the ballot materials. The law provides an exemption for a consolidated city election. This bill provides that the exemption for a consolidated city election applies to the time limitation for submitting ballot arguments. (3) Existing law sets forth procedures for municipal elections and requires that all nomination papers be filed with the city elections official during regular business hours, as posted, no later than the 88th day before the election and specifies procedures if by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the election, no one or only one person has been nominated for an office or the number of nominated persons is less than the number of at-large offices to be filled. This bill would revise these provisions, changing the 5 p.m. deadline to the close of regular business hours, as posted.