City Clerk Administrative Guidelines City of San Diego Diana J.S. Fuentes, City Clerk History Table Found at the end of the CCAG

City of San Diego City Clerk Administrative Guidelines ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 – ELECTION PROVISIONS ................................................................. - 1 - 100. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... - 1 - 101. Cancellation of an Election ....................................................................................................................... - 1 - 102. Electronic Format of Ballot Materials ............................................................................................... - 1 - 103.

City Clerk Duty Regarding Ballot Materials .................................................................................. - 1 - 104. Formatting of Ballot Materials .............................................................................................................. - 2 - 105. Word Count .......................................................................................................................................................... - 2 -

SECTION 2 – NOMINATION PAPERS .................................................................. - 4 - 200. General Provisions .......................................................................................................................................... - 4 - 201. Form of Nomination Petition .................................................................................................................. - 4 - 202. Declaration of Candidacy ........................................................................................................................... - 6 - 203.

Ballot Designation of Title .......................................................................................................................... - 7 - 203.1 Acceptable Designations of Title ........................................................................................................ - 9 - 203.2. Examples of Unacceptable Designations of Title ................................................................. - 9 - 203.3. Service Of Legal Process Regarding Designations of Title .......................................... - 10 - 204.

Statement of Qualifications ................................................................................................................. - 10 - 204.1. Statement of Qualifications Supporting Documentation ........................................... - 12 - 204.2. Unacceptable Content in Statement of Qualifications ................................................. - 13 - 205. Candidate’s Photograph .......................................................................................................................... - 15 -

SECTION 3 – RECALL PETITIONS ....................................................................... - 16 - 300. General Provisions ....................................................................................................................................... - 16 - 301. Recall Petition ................................................................................................................................................. - 17 - 302. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Recall Petition ............................................................. - 18 - 303.

Form of Affidavit of Authenticity for Recall Petition San Diego Municipal Code §27.2713 ............................................................................................................................................................................ - 19 - 304. Newspaper Publication ............................................................................................................................ - 19 -

SECTION 4 - REFERENDUM PETITIONS ............................................................ - 20 - 400. General Provisions ....................................................................................................................................... - 20 - 401. Contents of Referendary Petition ..................................................................................................... - 20 -

City of San Diego City Clerk Administrative Guidelines iii 402. Form of Referendary Petition .............................................................................................................. - 21 - 403. Form of Statement of Reasons for Referendary Petition ................................................ - 22 - 404. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Referendary Petition ............................................. - 22 - 405. Circulator’s Affidavit of Authenticity for Referendary Petition ................................. - 23 -

SECTION 5 - INITIATIVE PETITIONS ................................................................. - 24 - 500. General Provisions ....................................................................................................................................... - 24 - 501. Contents of Initiative Petition............................................................................................................. - 24 - 502. Form of Initiative Petition ...................................................................................................................... - 25 - 503.

Form of Statement of Reasons for Initiative Petition........................................................ - 25 - 504. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Initiative Petition ..................................................... - 26 - 505. Circulator’s Affidavit of Authenticity for Initiative Petition ......................................... - 27 - 506.

Public Outreach Regarding Electronic Publication of ......................................................... - 27 - Ballot Language .......................................................................................................................................................... - 27 - 507. Electronic Format Specifications ....................................................................................................... - 27 - 508.

Newspaper Publication ............................................................................................................................ - 28 - SEC TION 6 – RECORDS DISPOSITION .............................................................. - 29 - 600. General Provisions ....................................................................................................................................... - 29 - 601. Records Coordinator .................................................................................................................................... - 29 - 602. Master Records

Schedule ........................................................................................................................ - 30 - 603. Records Center ............................................................................................................................................... - 30 - 604. Archival Materials ........................................................................................................................................ - 31 - 605.

Vital Records ..................................................................................................................................................... - 31 - 606. Records ................................................................................................................................................................. - 32 - 607. Trusted Document Management System ................................................................................... - 32 -

- 1 - C ITY CL ER K ADMIN ISTRAT IVE GU ID EL IN ES

SECTION 1 – ELECTION PROVISIONS 100. Introduction The purpose of these guidelines is to provide procedures, specifications, and clarification regarding election matters that cut across all election types and procedures. Defined terms appear in italics and have the same meaning as in San Diego Municipal Code (Municipal Code)

section 27.0103. The guidelines set forth here shall apply only to elections held for elective offices in the City of San Diego. Whenever the word "should” is used in these guidelines, it is recommended, not mandatory. The use of “Designation of Title” (DOT) has the same meaning as a candidate’s designation of a principal profession, vocation, or occupation. 101.

Cancellation of an Election “Cancellation of an Election if Office Becomes Vacant ”, per Municipal Code sections 27.2727 and 27.3011; though technically possible if cancelled prior to 88 days before an election; it may result in the election still going forward but the ballots may not be tabulated or certified. The City of San Diego may still be partially or wholly financially responsible for the election, depending on how close to the deadline the election is cancelled by the Council. There are many logistical factors that start well before the legally required date to submit materials to the Registrar. 102 .

Electronic Format of Ballot Material s All materials proposed to be printed in the voter pamphlet are required to be submitted in electronic format. Approved format is a Word or Adobe document. The candidate photograph file must be submitted in TIFF, JPEG, JPG, or PNG file format. 103 . City Clerk Duty Regarding Ballot Materia ls All ballot materials proposed to be printed in the voter pamphlet will be printed as submitted to the City Clerk. It is up to the proponent, candidate, write-in candidate, author, or authorized representative to check their document(

s) before submi ttal for typos, grammar, and punctuation errors. The City Clerk will only make required format changes or strike prohibited language under

Article 2,

Chapter 7 of the Municipal Code.

- 2 - 104 . Formatting of Ballot Material s The guidelines intend uniformity of appearance in the v oter pamphlet. The use of tables, special formatting as described below, and all other characters and symbols are not allowed. (

a) Unless otherwise specified, the following formatting and punctuation are not allowed: Examples: Tables Extra exclamation points (!!!) Multiple punctuation (!?!?) Asterisk (*) Non-standard bullets () Graphics (, , ) Italics Underlines Bold ALL CAPITAL LETTERS (

b) Only ballot materials related to ballot measures may use strikethrough font, underlines, bold, and subheadings in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. 105 . Word Count The following guidelines for computing word count s are applicable for all election related matters (i.e. Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), Designation of Title, Ballot Arguments, Fiscal Impact Analysis, Ballot and Title

Summary, Impartial Analysis): Dictionary means a reference dictionary in the English language, which was published in the United States at any time within the 10 calendar years immediately preceding the election for which the words are counted; including, a generally available standard reference dictionary published online. (

a) Candidate name - 1 word (

b) Punctuation - ‘free’

- 3 - (

c) Dictionary words - 1 word (

d) Geographical areas and names of places - 1 word

(1) Examples include “San Diego”; “City of San Diego”; “Cardiff by the Sea”; “District 8” (

e) Abbreviations and acronyms - 1 word

(1) Examples: NAACP; UCLA; U.S.A.; PTA; PhD; SD (

f) Whole numbers in digits (e.g. “1” or “10” or “1,000”) - 1 word (

g) Spelled out numbers - 1 word for each word

(1) Examples include “One” – 1 word; “One hundred thousand” – 3 words (

h) Numeric combinations (e.g. “2024” or “13-1/2” or “2023-2025” or “5%”) - 1 word (

i) Dates in all digits (e.g. “4/10/25”) - 1 word (

j) Dates in words and digits (e.g. “April 10, 2025”) - 1 word (

k) Monetary amounts in numbers (e.g. “$1,000,000” or “$1.50”) - 1 word (

l) Monetary amounts spelled out –1 word for each word

(1) Example: One million dollars - 3 words (

m) Telephone numbers [e.g. “(619) 555-1212”] - 1 word (

n) Website addresses (e.g. “www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk”) - 1 word (

o) Email addresses (e.g. cityclerk@sandiego.gov) – 1 word (

p) Hyphenated words that appear in a dictionary as one word count – 1 word

(1) If not, each part of the hyphenated word shall count as a separate word. Examples include “full-time” - 1 word; “close-call” - 2 words (not in dictionary) (

q) Ampersand (&) – 1 word

(1) The use of the ampersand character when referencing a name of a business which has the character in the name (&) or replacing the word “and” is allowed and counts as 1 word.

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SECTION 2 – NOMINATION PAPERS 200. General Provisions (

a) The purpose of these guidelines is to provide procedures and specifications of nomination papers pursuant to

Chapter 2,

Article 7, Divisions 2, 3, 8 and 9 of the Municipal Code including the nomination petition, the candidate’s designation of principal profession, vocation or occupation; statement of qualifications; and photograph. (

b) The City Clerk shall apply and interpret the provisions of the Municipal Code and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

c) The guidelines set forth here shall apply only to nomination petitions and papers being circulated and submitted to the City Clerk for elective offices in the City of San Diego. (

d) Forms required for write-in candidates and applicants to fill a vacancy for elective office will be substantially similar to those for candidates during the candidate nomination process. Only applicable forms will be issued to the se write-in candidates and applicants. 201. Form of Nomination Petition The nomination petition shall be issued by the City Clerk and consist of sheets of white paper uniform in size with dimensions of 8–1/2 by 11 inches in size. Each nomination petition shall contain the following: (

a) A statement which includes the name of the candidate or write-in candidate, the office for which they seek nomination, and the date of the municipal election for which the candidate seeks nomination; and (

b) Space for signing voter information pursuant to Municipal Code

section 27.0206; and (

c) A circulator’s affidavit of authenticity. The nomination petition shall be substantially in the following form:

- 5 - NOMINATING PETITION AND SIGNATURES IN LIEU OF FILING FEE [If applicable, write-in candidacy will be addressed here] We, the undersigned voters of the: City of San Diego [District number if applicable] hereby nominate: Candidate Name for the office of: [Office name] of the City (NOTE: Nominating papers for Mayor and City Attorney may be signed at large throughout the City and must contain the signatures of at least 240 qualified voters.

Nominating petitions for members of the City Council may be signed only by voters residing within the home district of the candidate and must contain the signatures of at least 120 qualified voters. Nominating petitions for appointment to City elective offices require the signatures of at least 50 % of the required signatures of candidates and write- in candidates. It is unlawful for any voter to sign more than one nominating petition for any given office. ) Voter Name and Signature Voter Residence Address (No P.O. Boxes) Date of Signature Official Use Only 1. Print: Sign: 2. Print: Sign: 3.

Print: Sign: AFFIDAVIT OF THE CIRCULATOR I, _________________, under the penalty of perjury solemnly swear (or affirm) all of the following: 1. That I am 18 years of age or older and a United States Citizen. 2. That my residence address, including street and number, is ____________________________________________________________________________________ [If no street or number exists, a designation of my residence adequate to readily ascertain its location is ____________________________________________________________________________________] 3.

That the signatures on this nomination petition were obtained between _______, 20___, and ________, 20___; that I circulated this petition and I saw the signatures on this

section of the nomination petition being written; and that, to the best of my information and belief, each signature is the genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be. Executed by me on ____________. Signature _____________________________

- 6 - 202 . Declaration of Candidacy The Declaration of Candidacy shall state the name of the candidate or write-in candidate, their current residence at which they are registered to vote for, the elective office for which they seek nomination, a written acceptance of the nomination and acceptance of the office if they are elected, and the manner in which the candidate wishes their name to appear on the ballot and, if applicable, their designation of title.

The Declaration of Candidacy shall be substantially in the following form; except for changes required by the Registrar or legislative changes the City Clerk aligns to: DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY I hereby declare myself a candidate for nomination to the office of __________________,[District number if applicable] to be voted for at the municipal election to be held _________, 20__, and declare the following to be true: My name is __________________________________.

I want my name and designation of my principal profession, vocation or occupation to appear on the ballot as follows: ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ I reside at: _______________________________________________________ in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California. I affirm that I am a resident and registered voter of the district for which I seek nomination and shall have been such for at least thirty calendar days immediately preceding the submission of my nominating petition for filing.

I meet the statutory and constitutional qualifications for this office . If nominated, I will accept the nomination, and if elected, I will accept the office. Signature _____________________________ On the same page, the Oath or Affirmation in

Section 3 of

Article XX of the Constitution.

- 7 - 203 . Ballot Designation of Title A candidate may designate a principal profession, vocation, or occupation under their name on the ballot. Example: The City Clerk shall apply and interpret the provisions of Municipal Code

Chapter 2,

Article 2, Division 6 and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

a) Candidates are not required to use a designation of a principal profession, vocation, or occupation and may opt to leave the space for such a designation on the ballot blank. However, candidates must file a des ignation of principal p rofession, vocation or occupation form provided by the City Clerk at the same time the candidate submits all other nomination papers. On this form, the candidate will either note the proposed ballot designation being submitted or indicate that they do not wish to submit one. (

b) The Designation of Title form shall be substantially in the following form; except for changes required by the Registrar or legislative changes the City Clerk aligns to: DESIGNATION OF TITLE WORKSHEET After the filing deadline, this form and supporting documents will be a public document. Candidate Name:____________________________________ Office: __________________________________ Mailing Address:_______________________________________________________________________________ Phone Number:_____________________________ Email:____________________________________________ Preferred method of contact for violation notifications under Municipal Code

section 27.0608: ☐ Telephone Call ☐ Email ☐Certified Mail Attorney Name (or other person authorized to act on your behalf related to your designation of title: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________________ Email:___________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________________________________________________

- 8 - Proposed Designation(

s) of Title:_______________________________________________________________ Alternate Designation(

s) of Title 1:______________________________________________________________ Alternate Designation(

s) of Title 2:______________________________________________________________ Optional: Gender specific translations will default to the masculine form for uniformity in translation unless you specify otherwise: ☐ Masculine ☐ Feminine Justification of Proposed DOT: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Current or most recent job title: ________________________ Start Date: __________ End Date:________ Employer or Business Name:___________________________________________________________________ Person who can verify this information: Name:_________________________ Phone Number: ___________________ Email:_____________________ Justification of 1st Alternate DOT: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Current or most recent job title: ________________________ Start Date: __________ End Date:________ Employer or Business Name:___________________________________________________________________ Person who can verify this information: Name:_________________________ Phone Number: ___________________ Email:_____________________ Justification of 2nd Alternate DOT: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Current or most recent job title: ________________________ Start Date: __________ End Date:________ Employer or Business Name:___________________________________________________________________ Person who can verify this information: Name:_________________________ Phone Number: ___________________ Email:_____________________ Candidate’s Signature ___________________________________ Date Signed: _______________________

- 9 - 203 .1. Acceptable Designations of Title (

a) T he terms principal "profession,” “vocation,” or “occupation,” as those terms are used in Municipal Code

section 27.0103, have the following examples: PROFESSION VOCATION OCCUPATION Attorney Minister Police Safety Officer Physician Priest Executive Assistant Accountant Mother Construction Worker Architect Father Military Pilot Teacher Plumber Retail Salesperson Legislator Homemaker Health Care Manager (

b) Candidates m ay use a retired principal profession, vocation , or occupation if the requirements are met for the use of “retired” under the Municipal Code. 203.2 . Examples of Unacceptable Designations of Title The following are examples of unacceptable ballot designations. Unacceptable DOT Reason Incumbent Mayor “Incumbent” must be used by itself; cannot include the name of the office. Prominent Businessman “Prominent” is a status Ex-Military Cannot use “former” or “ex” Veteran “Veteran” is a status Army General, Ret. “Retired” must appear before the PVO and not abbreviated Advocate “Advocate” is a status

- 10 - UCSD Professor Cannot use specific company or organization names Retired Military/Teacher Teacher is an intervening principal profession, vocation or occupation. 203.3 . Service Of Legal Process Regarding Designations of Title (

a) In t he event a candidate or other interested party files a petition for the issuance of an extraordinary writ with the court or other legal action pertaining to a candidate's ballot designation, the summons and any other legal process shall be served upon the City Clerk of the City of San Diego, 202 “C” Street, Lobby, San Diego, California 92101. (

b) Telephone notice pertaining to any ex -parte applications filed with the court by any candidate or other interested party will be directed to the attention of the San Diego City Attorney at (619) 236-6220. 204 . S tatement of Qualifications (

a) The City Clerk shall apply and interpret the provisions of Municipal Code

Chapter 2,

Article 7, Divisions 1 – 4, 6 - 7, and 9 and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose. (

b) Candidates are not required to submit a statement of qualifications. If a candidate opts not to submit a candidate statement, the candidate must file the form provided by the City Clerk stating that there will be no candidate statement at the same time that the candidate submits all other nomination papers. (continued next page)

- 11 - (

c) Voter Pamphlet example of the optional photograph and statement of qualifications: CITY OF SAN DIEGO Member of the City Council District No. 3 CANDIDATE NAME Occupation Here CANDIDATE NAME Occupation Here This is where the 200-word candidate statement of qualifications will be printed. The guidelines intend uniformity of appearance of the candidate statements. If you use the number 200 as used in the first sentence, it counts as one word. If you were to spe ll out two hundred then it counts as two words. More details on the word count can be found in

section 101. Statements are required to be typed, single spaced, and in justified blocked paragraphs such as this one. There are limited uses of characters and symbols and only allowable if grammatically correct. You can use a dollar sign when referencing currency ($) or an at sign (@) when referencing an email. Italics , underlines, bold , and ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are not allowed. Underlines cannot be used in websites. • Standard bullet points are allowed. The statements will be printed as submitted, including grammatical errors or typos. Please ensure you proofread. All statements must be factual.

This is where the 200-word candidate statement of qualifications will be printed. The guidelines intend uniformity of appearance of the candidate statements. If you use the number 200 as used in the first sentence, it counts as one word. If you were to spell out two hundred then it counts as two words. More details on the word count can be found in

section 101. Statements are required to be typed, single spaced, and in justified blocked paragraphs such as this one. There are limited uses of characters and symbols and only allowable if grammatically correct. You can use a dollar sign when referencing currency ($) or an at sign (@) when referencing an email. Italics , underlines, bold , and ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are not allowed. Underlines cannot be used in websites. • Standard bullet points are allowed. The statements will be printed as submitted, including grammatical errors or typos. Please ensure you proofread. All statements must be factual. (

d) The Candidate Statement of Qualifications form shall be substantially in the following form; except for changes required by the Registrar or legislative changes the City Clerk aligns to: Jurisdiction: City of San Diego Office Sought: ___________________________________ District (if applicable):________ Candidate Name: _______________________________________________________________ Occupation:____________________________________________________________________ The occupation does not have to match the principal profession, vocation, or occupation on the ballot. This occupation can have more than four words.

- 12 - [Text box for statement] ☐ I do not wish to file a statement Candidate Signature:________________________________ Date:_______________ ☐ I do wish to file a statement Candidate Signature:________________________________ Date:_______________ (

e) Submission: Candidates are required to TYPE their statement SINGLE SPACED in JUSTIFIED BLOCK PARAGRAPHS. By preparing a candidate statement of qualifications in accordance with the guidelines, each statement will be uniformly printed and allowed the same amount of space in the Voter Pamphlet . This maintains uniform printing for all candidates. Candidates are required to submit their statement via email on the same day the candidate files their nomination papers at the Office of the City Clerk.

The City Clerk will print out the document for the candidate or the candidate’s representative to review and sign when all nomination papers are filed. Please note the statement is CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL THE FILING DEADLINE of 88 days before the election date, or deadline set per the special election and runoff special election calendars, at which point they are submitted for publishing to the Registrar. 204 .1. Statement of Qualifications Supporting Documentation The purpose of this

section is to provide the candidate with instructions on what is included as part of the candidate’s statement of qualifications. If a candidate does not file supporting documentation or an authorization letter with the City Clerk , the City Clerk will strike the reference from the statement of qualifications. The City Clerk will not make any additional edits, including grammar or punctuation, due to the strikethrough. The statement may include the names of family members.

- 13 - Past examples include: Scenario Requirement SOQ referenced a Senate Bill by the name of the Author, a senator: Authorization letter from the Senator for the Senator’s name to remain in the SOQ. SOQ said candidate was appointed to a Board by a County Supervisor, listed by name: Authorization letter from the Supervisor required for the official’s name to remain in the SOQ. SOQ said candidate was appointed by a legislative body to a board: No authorization letter required. The matter was available on the public record and no individual was listed.

SOQ referenced the name of a family (not his own) based on work done to author a Senate bill in memory of the individual. The candidate provided a newspaper

article to support the use of the name. The

article did not reference the support of the candidate in the family’s name: Authorization letter required from the family because the

article did not sufficiently substantiate the text as written in the SOQ. SOQ supporting documentation was a press release from the candidate’s office including a quote from a third-party: Authorization letter required. 204 .2. Unacceptable Content in Statement of Qualifications A proposed statement of qualifications shall be subject to the following provisions: (

a) The statement of qualifications shall not refer, either directly by name, or indirectly by title or description to any other candidate or officeholder or to any other candidate’s or officeholder’s qualifications, character or activities, unless such reference is authorized.

- 14 - (

b) The statement of qualifications shall not refer, either directly by name, or indirectly by title or description to any City employee or to a City employee’s character or activities unless such reference is authorized. Examples of terms the City Clerk will not allow that reference City employees/City officeholders: • Reference to the “City” (capital

C) is not allowed. In most circumstances it must be a lower case “c“ or the word “city” must be removed. Further examples include: • Elected Officials/Bodies • City Officials • City/Government employees • City Hall • Council • “City” representatives (City will not be capitalized) • Any reference to past or current city employees (including elected individuals) where individual identification is possible • Police, firefighters, lifeguards support . . . (alternatives might include: Public Safety, law enforcement, or officers) • Referring to specific city Departments (Development Services Department, Public Works, etc.) (

c) The statement of qualifications shall not include the party affiliation of the candidate or membership or activity in partisan political organizations. Please note: No reference to any political party is acceptable as this is a nonpartisan election process. Past examples include the following: Use of “independent” in the SOQ within the following statement: • “Elect a fiscally responsible ‘independent’ to City Council.” The word “independent”, in this context, could be interpreted as the partisan party “American Independent” Party. Candidate was offered the opportunity to re-word the statement so the word “independent” is not used as a noun. The acceptable sentence was:

- 15 - • “Elect an ‘independent’, fiscally responsible leader to City Council.” Another candidate used the word “independent” in the SOQ, in the following manner: • “Independent, Nonpartisan, Free from Improper Influence.” This use of “independent” did require re-writing. Since the word is followed by nonpartisan, etc. it clearly denotes the meaning of “independent” and not a reference to the political party. (

d) The statement of qualifications shall not contain matter that is unrelated to the candidate. 205. Candidate’s Photograph If the candidate desires to have their photograph appear with the statement of qualifications, the candidate shall submit an electronic photograph. All photographs in the voter pamphlet containing candidates’ statements of qualifications shall be as nearly uniform in size as possible, except for size reductions necessitated by a candidate’s format for their statement of qualifications. (

a) Only the head and shoulders portion of the photograph shall be reproduced on the statement. The candidate shall blur or crop out other images appearing in the submitted photograph to render them unidentifiable. (

b) The photo shall be front facing and no use of uniforms is allowed. (

c) Photo size is to be no smaller than 1 ½ x 2 inches and 300 dpi. (

d) Photo should be Black & White/grey scale - not color. (

e) Photo file format: High Quality TIFF, JPG, and PNG. If the photo does not meet these requirements the photo may not be reproduced for the voter pamphlet or any other publications.

- 16 -

SECTION 3 – RECALL PETITIONS 300. General Provisions (

a) The purpose of these guidelines is to provide procedures and specifications of Recall Petitions circulated by proponents for submission to the City Clerk. (

b) The City Clerk shall, at all times, apply and interpret the provisions of San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC) and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

c) The guidelines set forth here shall apply only to Recall Petitions being circulated for elective offices in the City of San Diego. (

d) Whenever the word "should” is used in these guidelines, it is recommended, not mandatory.

- 17 - 301. Recall Petition The recall petition shall cons ist of sheets of white paper un iform in size with dimensions no smaller than 8–1/2 by 11 inches and no g reater than 8–1/2 by 14 inches. If the recall petition contains more than one sheet of paper, it shall be fastened together secu rely. The recall pe tition shall be in the following form containing the name and office of the person whose recall is sought, a copy of the notice of intention to circulate a recall petition and its accompanying statement, and if an answer has been filed, a copy of the answer.

If no answer has been filed, the petition shall so state. RECALL PETITION PETITION FOR THE RECALL OF ____________________________ FROM THE OFFICE OF ____________________________________ (The title in the form prescribed above with the blank spaces filled in must be set forth in full at the top of each page of the petition.) We, the undersigned registered voters of (The City of San Diego, California) (Council District ____) demand the recall of ____________________ from the office of ___________________.

The following are the reasons for demanding such recall: (Insert a copy of the published notice of intention, statement and answer here. If the officer did not answer, insert a statement to that effect here.) _______________________________ _________________________ ________ _______________________________ _________________________ ________ _______________________________ _________________________ ________ _______________________________ _________________________ ________ _______________________________ __________________________ ________ Signature of Proponents Residence Date

- 18 - 302. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Recall Petition (

a) On the right-hand side of each voter signature sheet, a space at least one inch wide shall be left blank for the City Clerk’s use in verifying the validity or invalidity of the signatures. Voter signature sheets shall be arranged and lined to provide space for each voter’s signature, each voter’s printed name, place of each voter’s residence, and date of each voter’s signature. (

b) Above the signature portion of each voter signature sheet, the following language shall appear in clear, readable type no smaller than 12-point in size: “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THIS PETITION MAY BE CIRCULATED BY A PAID SIGNATURE GATHERER OR BY A VOLUNTEER. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK.” (

c) The signature portion of the sheet shall be in substantially the following form: (NOTE: Recall Petitions for Mayor and City Attorney may be signed by any voter of the City. Recall Pe titions for Councilmembers who were elected by district vote may be signed only by voters residing within the district represented by the Councilmember.)

- 19 - 303. Form of Affidavit of Authenticity for Recall Petition San Diego Municipal Code §27.2713 (

a) The circulator’s affidavit of authenticity shall have the form as specified in Municipal Code

section 27.2713. (

b) The circulator's affidavit of authenticity must be signed by the circulator in order for the signatures on that petition

section to be considered valid. 304. Newspaper Publication (

a) Municipal Code

section 27.2706 requires the proponent to publish a notice of intention to circulate a recall petition once in a newspaper of general circulation twenty-one (21) days prior to circulating the petition. (

b) The proponent must provide a copy of the notice of intention to circulate as published and provide an affidavit of publication to the City Clerk. (

c) The notice of intention to circulate must include the name and office of the person sought to be recalled and the statement of reasons. (

d) A newspaper is a newspaper of general circulation if it meets the definition provided under California Government Code

Section 6008. (

e) The proponent is responsible for verifying that a newspaper is a newspaper of general circulation and providing sufficient proof upon request.

- 20 -

SECTION 4 - REFERENDUM PETITIONS 400. General Provisions (

a) The purpose of these guidelines is to provide procedures and specifications of Referendum Petitions circulated by proponents for submission to the City Clerk. (

b) The City Clerk shall, at all times, apply and interpret the provisions of the San Diego Municipal Code and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

c) The guidelines set forth here shall apply only to Referendum Petitions being circulated for the City of San Diego. (

d) Whenever, the word "should” is used in these guidelines, it is recommended, not mandatory. 401. Contents of Referendary Petition (

a) Referendary petition forms shall be furnished by the proponent. (

b) The referendary petition shall consist of sheets of white paper uniform in size with dimensions no smaller than 8-1/2 by 11 inches and no greater than 8-1/2 by 14 inches. (

c) The referendary petition may consist of any number of sections. Each

section shall contain items specified in

Section 401(c)(1) through 401(c)(4) in the order specified:

(1) One or more sheets setting forth the questioned legislative act in full, prepared in accordance with

Section 402.

(2) A statement of reasons for the petition, prepared in accordance with

Section 403.

(3) One or more voter signature sheets, prepared in accordance with

Section 404. Any number of voter signature sheets may be incorporated into a petition section.

(4) A circulator’s affidavit of authenticity, prepared and signed in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1112.

- 21 - (

d) The sheets comprising each referendary petition

section shall be fastened together securely and remain so during circulation for signatures and submittal to the City Clerk. 402. Form of Referendary Petition Any referendary petition shall be in substantially the following form, and printed in clear, readable type no smaller than 10-point in size: REFERENDARY PETITION REFERENDUM AGAINST A LEGISLATIVE ACT ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.

TO THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO: We, the undersigned registered voters of The City of San Diego, California, hereby present this petition to the City Council of The City of San Diego, California, and ask that the City Council repeal, or submit to the registered voters of the City for their adoption or rejection that legislative act adopted by the City Council, on the ___________ day of __________, of which the following is a full and correct copy: (NOTE: Here insert full title and text of the legislative act to be referred, the statement of reasons prepared in accordance with

Section 4 03 and SDMC

Section 27. 1108; the voter signature sheets prepared in accordance with

Section 404; and the circulator’s affidavit of authenticity prepared in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1112)

- 22 - 403. Form of Statement of Reasons for Referendary Petition The statement of reasons shall set forth the reasons for the referendary petition. It shall contain no more than 300 words. The statement of reasons shall be printed in clear, readable type no smaller than 10-point in size. It shall be signed by the individual proposing the petition or, if the proponent is an organization, by two officers of the organization. The individual or officers signing the statement shall also affix the date of signing, and a residence, business , or mailing address at which the proponent may be reached. 404. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Referendary Petition (

a) On the right hand side of each voter signature sheet, a space at least one inch wide shall be left blank for the City Clerk’s use in verifying the validity or invalidity of the signatures. Voter signature sheets shall be arranged and lined to provide space for each voter’s signature, each voter’s printed name, place of each voter’s residence, and date of each voter’s signature. (

b) Above the signature portion of each voter signature sheet, the following language shall appear in clear, readable type no smaller than 12-point in size: “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THIS PETITION MAY BE CIRCULATED BY A PAID SIGNATURE GATHERER OR BY A VOLUNTEER. INFORMATION REGARDING PERSONS AND ENTITIES FINANCING THIS PETITION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO IS ASKED TO SIGN THIS PETITION. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK. THE MOST UP-TO-DATE DISCLOSURE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY CLERK’S WEBSITE PAGE AT WWW.SANDIEGO.GOV/CITY-CLERK.” (

c) The signature portion of the sheet shall be in substantially the following form:

- 23 - 405. Circulator’s Affidavit of Authenticity for Referendary Petition (

a) Each referendary petition

section shall have attached to it an affidavit of authenticity of the circulator, signed by the circulator under California perjury laws. (

b) The circulator’s affidavit of authenticity shall have the form as specified in Municipal Code

section 27.1112. (

c) The circulator's affidavit of authenticity must be signed by the circulator in order for the signatures on that petition

section to be considered valid.

- 24 -

SECTION 5 - INITIATIVE PETITIONS 500. General Provisions (

a) The purpose of these guidelines is to provide procedures and specifications of Initiative Petitions circulated by proponents for submission to the City Clerk. (

b) The City Clerk shall, at all times, apply and interpret the provisions of the San Diego Municipal Code and the guidelines included here in a manner consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

c) The guidelines set forth here shall apply only to Initiative Petitions being circulated for the City of San Diego. (

d) Whenever the word "should” is used in these guidelines, it is recommended, not mandatory. 501. Contents of Initiative Petition (

a) Initiative petition forms shall be furnished by the proponent. (

b) The initiative petition shall consist of sheets of white paper uniform in size with dimensions no smaller than 8-1/2 by 11 inches and no greater than 8-1/2 by 14 inches; the petition orientation shall be in portrait and not landscape. (

c) The initiative petition may consist of any number of sections. Each

section shall contain items

Section 501(c)(1) through 501(c)(4) in the order specified:

(1) One or more sheets setting forth the proposed legislative act in full, prepared in accordance with City Clerk Administrative Guidelines.

(2) A statement of reasons for the petition, prepared in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1010.

(3) One or more voter signature sheets, prepared in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1011(a). Any number of voter signature sheets may be incorporated into a petition section.

(4) A circulator’s affidavit of authenticity, prepared and signed in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1013.

- 25 - (

d) The sheets comprising each initiative petition

section shall be fastened together securely and remain so during circulation for signatures and submission to the City Clerk. 502.

Form of Initiative Petition Any petition initiating a proposed legislative act shall be in substantially the following form, and printed in clear, readable type no smaller than 10-point in size: INITIATIVE PETITION To the Honorable City Council of The City of San Diego: We, the undersigned registered voters of The City of San Diego, California, by this petition hereby respectfully propose the following legislative act be adopted by the City Council or submitted to the registered voters of The City of San Diego for their adoption or rejection: (NOTE: Here insert a copy of the published notice of intention containing the proposed legislative act in full and the statement of reasons prepared in accordance with

Section 503 and Municipal Code

section 27.1010; the voter signature sheets prepared in accordance with

Section 504; and the circulator’s affidavit of authenticity prepared in accordance with Municipal Code

section 27.1013.) 503. Form of Statement of Reasons for Initiative Petition The statement of reasons shall set forth the reasons for the initiative petition. It shall contain no more than 300 words. The statement of reasons shall be printed in clear, readable type no smaller than 10 -point in size. It shall be signed by the individual initiating the proposed legislative act or, if the proponent is an organization, by two officers of the organization. The individual or officers signing the statement shall also affix the date of signing, and a residence, business or mailing address at which the proponent may be reached.

- 26 - 504. Form of Voter Signature Sheets for Initiative Petition (

a) On the right hand of each voter signature sheet, a space at least one inch wide shall be left blank for the City Clerk’s use in verifying the validity or invalidity of the signatures. Voter signature sheets shall be arranged and lined to provide space for each voter’s signature, each voter’s printed name, place of each voter’s residence, and date of each voter’s signature. (

b) Above the signature portion of each voter signature sheet, the following language shall appear in clear, readable type no smaller than 12-point in size: “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THIS PETITION MAY BE CIRCULATED BY A PAID SIGNATURE GATHERER OR BY A VOLUNTEER. INFORMATION REGARDING PERSONS AND ENTITIES FINANCING THIS PETITION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO IS ASKED TO SIGN THIS PETITION. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK. THE MOST UP-TO-DATE DISCLOSURE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY CLERK’S WEBSITE PAGE AT WWW.SANDIEGO.GOV/CITY-CLERK.” (

c) The signature portion of the sheet shall be in substantially the following form:

- 27 - 505. Circulator’s Affidavit of Authenticity for Initiative Petition (

a) Each initiative petition

section shall have attached to it an affidavit of authenticity of the circulator, signed by the circulator under California perjury laws. (

b) The circulator’s affidavit of authenticity shall have the form as specified in Municipal Code

section 27.1013. (

c) The circulator's affidavit of authenticity must be signed by the circulator in order for the signatures on that petition

section to be considered valid. 506. Public Outreach Regarding Electronic Publication of Ballot Language The City Clerk will take steps to ensure outreach to community groups reaching a diverse group of voters and residents through dispersal of information to community groups, announcements, media, etc. to spread the word to the public about how to access ba llot measure language which has been electronically published. 507. Electronic Format Specifications (

a) The proponent shall provide to the City Clerk the entire petition language as circulated in an electronic format. (

b) The proponent shall sign and affirm that the electronic format is the exact language of the petition as circulated and filed with the City Clerk. (

c) Any person or entity submitting an argument for or against a measure shall provide to the City Clerk the entire argument in electronic format. (

d) The person or entity submitting an argument for or against a measure shalll sign and affirm that the electronic format is the exact language of the argument filed with the City Clerk. (

e) The electronic format must be in either: a. Microsoft Word b. In Design

- 28 - 508. N ewspaper Publication (

a) Municipal Code

section 27.1002 requires the proponent to publish a notice of intention to circulate an initiative petition once in a newspaper of general circulation twenty-one (21) days prior to circulating the petition. (

b) The proponent must provide a copy of the notice of intention to circulate as published and provide an affidavit of publication to the City Clerk. (

c) The notice of intention to circulate must include the initiative text and the statement of reasons. (

d) A newspaper is a newspaper of general circulation if it meets the definition provided under California Government Code

Section 6008. (

e) The proponent is responsible for verifying that a newspaper is a newspaper of general circulation.

- 29 -

SECTION 6 – RECORDS DISPOSITION 600. General Provisions (

a) The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the accurate and proper disposition of records and archival materials. (

b) The City Clerk shall, at all times, apply and interpret the provisions of San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC)

Chapter 2,

Article 2, Division 26; Council Policy 000-25; and Administrative Regulations 85.10 and 85.30. The guidelines included in this

Section 6 are consistent with the regulatory purpose of these guidelines. (

c) The guidelines set forth in this

Section 6 shall apply to every City department or program of the City, including the City Council District offices, that creates a record. Whenever the word "should” is used in these guidelines, it is recommended, not mandatory. 601. Records Coordinator Every Department Director shall appoint a Records Coordinator for their department: Records Coordinator acts as the contact for their department for all records -related communication and training in order to implement best practices for the management of City records. Additionally, they assist with the following: 1. Develop an office file plan. 2.

Standardize filing procedure. 3. Initiate Records Transfers. 4. Coordinate requests for access to records in the Records Center and ensure accurate tracking by all requestors including the proper return to storage. 5. Work with department management to ensure compliance with the Master Records Schedule. 6. Educate department staff about compliance with the Master Records

Schedule and records retention.

- 30 - 7. Ensure that vital records are identified and coordinated with Department Directors to ensure that vital records are preserved off-site. 8. Complete trainings as provided by the Office of the City Clerk and maintain a certificate of completion within their personnel file. 602. Master Records

Schedule (

a) The Department Director via their Records Coordinator will inform the City Clerk within 30 days if they believe any new functions have been established that may require a new record series to be created. (

b) Department Director must retain and dispose any record under their charge in accordance with the Master Records Series. (

c) The City Attorney, or designee, shall provide legal review of all revisions and additions to the Master Records

Schedule and provide assistance with identifying legal codes. 603. Records Center The Records Center, under SDMC §22.2603(5), shall be operated by the City Clerk and subject to the following provisions: (

a) The records center is provided to facilitate the storage of City of San Diego inactive records. (

b) Based on available storage that meets environmental records management standards, any City department may request inactive records with a retention of at least five (5) years to be stored at the Records Center. (

c) Department records stored in the Records Center may be requested for check-out by utilizing the CC -1590 Record Request Form: (https://sandiego.seamlessdocs.com/f/my0ls6jptcq9). Record Requests can be filled out online and sent to recordsmanagement@sandiego.gov. (

d) The City Clerk will notify Departments when Records held by the Records Center are eligible for destruction for Department Directors to take required steps for their disposition.

- 31 - (

e) As a citywide resource, the effective management of the Records Center is dependent on the resources and space available. 604. A rchival Materials Retention and preservation of archival materials and historical records under SDMC §22.2603(6) shall be subject to the following provisions and process: (

a) The City Clerk shall review all department transfer list submittals and destruction eligible lists for potential archival materials and historical records. 1. Records deemed archival/historical will be flagged for the Department Director and requested to be transferred to the City Clerk Archives for permanent storage. They will no longer be the responsibility of the originating department. (

b) Archival Materials/Historical Records should be kept in a cold vault to be preserved and maintained in a humidity and temperature -controlled environment with a waterless suppression system in the event of a fire. 605. V ital Records Retention and preservation of Vital Records as defined in SDMC §22.2602 and AR 85.30 shall be subject to the following provisions and process: (

a) Vital Records are records necessary to reconstruct and continue the City’s operations in the event of a disaster or emergency. 1.

Vital records include, but are not limited to the San Diego Charter; the San Diego Municipal Code; meeting minutes, ordinances or resolutions of the City Council; published City Attorney Memoranda or Opinions; deeds; leases; certificates of annexations; the annual budget adopted by the City of San Diego; vital statistics; land and tax records; license registers and articles of incorporation; records necessary to conduct emergency operations; records necessary to re-establish normal functions and protect the rights of the City and its citizens; and records necessary to protect the interests of government. (

b) Record Coordinators are responsible for identifying records series that are vital.

- 32 - (

c) A copy of each department’s Vital Record Protection plan will be kept in the Office of the City Clerk. (

d) Vital Records are reviewed, updated or revised every three (3) years, unless the department is a new or restructured department. (

e) Please refer to AR 85.30 for further information on how to determine if a record is a vital record and the responsibilities of the Department Direct or and City Clerk. 606. Records Under SDMC §22.2606 shall be subject to the following provisions: (

a) If personal accounts and devices are used to conduct City business, those writings, including emails and text messages that relate substantively to the conduct of City business, are potential City records and may be subject to disclosure under the CPRA. This extends to all personal electronic devices, including personal cell phones, tablets, and computers. 607. T rusted Document Management System Under SDMC §22.2606(

d) shall be subject to the following provisions: (

a) Users and systems designers must consult the City Clerk and the City's established retention requirements set forth in the Master Records Schedule, AR 85.10, and governing authority within the San Diego Municipal Code. (

b) Any system being implemented should ensure that the system is able to retrieve the information throughout the required document life cycle. The storage media and its life expectancy rating must be considered, hardware and software obsolescence issues must be evaluated, and a sound migration strategy must be developed to ensure access. (

c) A trusted document management system ensures that all electronically stored information can be considered to be a true and accurate copy of the original information received , regardless of the original format. The trusted document management system must ensure that at least two separate copies of the electronically stored information are created , meeting, at a minimum, all of the following criteria:

- 33 - 1. The trusted document management system must utilize both hardware and media storage methodologies to prevent unauthorized additions during the approved lifecycle of the stored information; and 2. The trusted document management system must be verifiable through independent audit processes , ensuring that there is no plausible way for electronically stored information to be modified, altered, or deleted during the approved information life cycle; and 3.

The trusted document management system must write at least one copy of the electronic document or record into electronic media that does not permit unauthorized additions, deletions, or to the original document and that is to be stored and maintained in a safe and separate location. (

d) It is important to note that trusted document management systems incorporate not only technology, but also require adherence to organizational policies ensuring proper electronic document or record handling, processing as required by the organization (typi cally documented in the Master Records Schedule) and electronic document management software or application components. (

e) Each Department head shall coordinate with the City’s IT department and the City Clerk to ensure their Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) or Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) or Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) meets the requirements of a trusted system. (

f) This

Section 607 applies to all documents that are identified to be official records that are stored in an EDMS, ERMS or ECMS with the intent of destroying the original hardcopy.

- 34 - HISTORY TABLE Amended on 12-8-2015 by R-310146 (as companion item for O-20591 and O-20593) Amended on 6-6-2017 by R-311167 Amended on 10-31-2017 by R-311382 Amended on 6-19-2018 by R-311820 Amended on 4-9-2019 by R-312283 (as a companion item for O-21063) Amended on 6-2-2020 by R-313061 Amended on 9-21-2022 by R-314313 Amended on 6-12-2023 by R-314938 Amended on 4-22-2024 by R-315448 (as a companion item for O-21795) Amended on 12-12-2025 by R-316531