Pass: 12,570 / 78.29% Yes votes ...... 3,485 / 21.71% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

     NO

Section 602 of the Sunnyvale City Charter allows a Councilmember to serve for two successive four-year terms and then requires a wait of four years before the person can run again for election to the Council. A person serving two successive four-year Council terms is able to serve eight years in a twelve-year period.

Under the current Charter, a person serving one four-year Council term and is then either not re-elected or decides not to run for re-election could run again two years after his or her last term. If elected, the current Charter allows that person to serve two successive terms, which would be ten years in a twelve-year period.

The proposed Charter Amendment would allow a person to serve eight years on the Council in any twelve-year period whether the person serves two successive terms or serves two non-successive terms in the twelve-year period. The proposed Charter Amendment would eliminate the different treatment in the current Charter allowing Councilmembers not serving two successive terms to serve two more years in a twelve-year period than Councilmembers serving two successive terms.

Appointment to an unexpired term of less than two years is not counted in the eight-year limit as a councilmember in a twelve-year period.

A "Yes" vote is a vote to amend Sunnyvale Charter Section 602 to limit a Councilmember to serving eight years in any twelve-year period, not including appointment to an unexpired term of less than two years.

A "No" vote is a vote not to amend Sunnyvale Charter Section 602.

You may access the full text of the measure on the City's website at the following website address: http://www.BallotMeasures.inSunnyvale.com.

/s/ David Kahn
    City Attorney

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure C. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the elections official's office: Office of the City Clerk, telephone (408) 730-7483, located at 603 All America Way, Sunnyvale, California and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Sunnyvale City Charter and Muncipal Code

Sunnyvale Times

Measure C does NOT allow any change to the two four-year term limits. Measure C eliminates any special treatment on successive terms. The Charter currently prohibits a councilmember who serves two four-year terms (eight years total) from running for re-election for at least four years. This Measure will prohibit a councilmember who serves only one four-year term, and is either not re-elected or does not seek re-election in the next election, from serving another two successive four-year terms (totaling ten years) in any twelve-year period.

We strongly favor this amendment to permit a Councilmember to serve two regular terms, for a total of eight years in a twelve-year period, whether he/she has served two successive terms or had a break between their first and second terms.

Join us in supporting Measure C.

/s/ Otto Lee
    Mayor, City of Sunnyvale

/s/ Laura J. Babcock
    Vice Chair, Charter Review Committee

/s/ Patricia E. Castillo
    Former Mayor, City of Sunnyvale & Charter Review Committee Member

/s/ Richard Napier
    Vice Chair, Charter Review Committee & Former Mayor of Sunnyvale

If Measure _____ carries, the City Charter of the City of Sunnyvale, shall be amended by amending Section 602, of Article VI (The Council), to read as follows:

Section 602. Qualifications. No person shall be eligible to hold office as a member of the City Council unless he/she shall be a registered voter of the City at the time of his/her nomination or appointment.

No person shall be a candidate for more than one elective office.

No incumbent member of the Council shall be a candidate for a Council seat other than the one which that person then holds.

No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Council for more than two (2) successive four-year elective terms. Any person who has served two (2) successive four-year elective terms shall not serve again until at least four (4) years have passed since that person last held office. Any person who fills an unexpired term of not more than two years in length shall, however, be eligible to serve two (2) successive four-year terms after the expiration of the unexpired term which he/she filled. Any person who serves a four (4) year elective term and is either not re-elected or does not run for re-election for a second successive term is eligible to serve after two (2) years have passed since that person last held office as a councilmember but is not eligible to run for a second successive term. Any person may serve as a councilmember for eight (8) years in any twelve (12) year period, unless appointed to serve an unexpired term of less than two (2) years in length as provided in this section.