Worried about sowing voter distrust, the City Council on Tuesday postponed placing a measure on the November ballot that would have made it easier to change key Boards and Commissions.

The proposed measure -- which was shelved on a 5 to 2 vote -- would have removed the Planning, Airport, and Recreation and Parks Commissions, as well as the Library and Personnel Boards from the City Charter.

By moving them to the Municipal Code, the ballot measure would have allowed the Council to make changes to those bodies without the need for voter approval required under the charter.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_15_2020_Council_Shelves_Ballot_Measure_Making_It_Easier_to_Change_Key_Commissions.html

With one swift vote, the Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday made history by appointing Kristin McCowan to fill a vacant Council seat.

The appointment of McCowan -- who will replace her high school friend Greg Morena -- marks the first time a Black woman sits on the Council and the second time women make up a majority on the dais.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_14_2020_Council_Appoints_Kristin_McCowan_to_Fill_Vacant_Seat.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/kristin-mccowan-appointed-to-city-council/194265

Santa Monica’s 2020 election season officially began Monday when Merviendo Andika became the first person to pull papers to run for City Council. In November, local voters will choose five councilmembers, two rent control commissioners, three school board members and three trustees for Santa Monica College. 

Read More: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/071420.pdf

City Hall will be playing small ball on July 14 with an agenda that focuses on budget approval for several programs and second readings of previously discussed rule changes.

Council will hold a digital meeting on July 14 with several budget items clustered on the consent calendar. While consent items can be passed as a group with little or no discussion, any councilmember can ask for a consent item to be given a full public hearing.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-hear-budgets-for-pier-downtown-and-smtt/194158

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT a General Municipal Election will be held in the City of Santa Monica on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, for the following officers: 

Read More on pg. 3: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/071120.pdf

On Saturday, Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) will interview two Black applicants vying for an open seat on the City Council, indicating one of them will be chosen by the Council Tuesday.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_10_2020_Council_Expected_to_Choose_Between_Two_Black_Applicants.html

The City's first Black Councilmember, the two top local NAACP officials, two Santa Monica police officers and a dozen activists, residents and service providers have been selected to serve on the City's new Public Safety Reform Advisory Committee.

The Committee -- whose 15 members were chosen by Interim City Manager Lane Dilg -- will review proposals and recommend public safety reforms "for both use of force and invest/divest strategies," City officials said.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_10_2020_Santa_Monica_Announces_Appointments_to_Police_Task_Force.html

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/07/10/santa-monica-establishes-15-member-public-safety-reform-advisory-committee

In a week the City Council will appoint a new Council person to replace the retired council member Greg Moreno. That nominee will fill Greg’s vacancy till November 3rd, 2020 when the seat will be up in the general election which features five vacancies (Hara, Davis, O Day, Winterer, Morena). Because of the large number of City Council vacancies, five out of seven, and because this is a presidential election with a large turnout expected, this could be an historic City election with many candidates vying for the open seats.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/07/wanted-a-new-city-councilperson/

A State Appeals Court on Thursday ruled that Santa Monica's at-large election system does not violate the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), a decision the Latino plaintiffs plan to appeal.

The ruling by the the 2nd District Court of Appeal overturns a trial court decision that found Santa Monica's system discriminates against Latinos and ordered the City to hold district elections.

In its ruling Thursday, the three judge panel wrote that it declined the plaintiffs' "invitation to take the unprecedented and unwise path it urges."

"In sum, the City did not act with a racially discriminatory purpose in 1946 or in 1992," the Court wrote referring to the City's decisions to reject district elections.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_09_2020_Santa_Monicas_Election_System_Does_Not_Violate_Latinos_Voting_%20Rights.html

AND: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2020/07/10/news/appeals-court-rules-santa-monica-can-keep-city-wide-elections-in-voting-rights-act-case/4756.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/city-wins-cvra-appeal/194038

Santa Monica candidates will need to gather fewer signatures to get on the November 3 ballot under a new emergency order issued by the City Wednesday.

The order -- the 21st issued since the coronavirus emergency was declared in mid-March -- requires that nominating papers be signed by at least 60 registered voters, instead of 100.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/July-2020/07_08_2020_Santa_Monica_Lowers_Threshold_for_Nominating_Signatures.html

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/07/08/candidate-nomination-period-begins-july-13-and-signature-requirement-is-reduced-in-response-to-covid-19