A. When the city clerk has selected the arguments for and against a measure appearing on the ballot at a municipal election pursuant to California Elections Code Section 9287, the clerk shall send copies of the argument in favor of the measure to the authors of the argument against, and copies of the argument against to the authors of the argument in favor. The authors may prepare and submit rebuttal argument not exceeding two hundred fifty (250) words. The rebuttal arguments must be filed with the city clerk not more than ten (10) calendar days after the final date for filing direct arguments. Rebuttal arguments shall be printed in the same manner as direct arguments. Each rebuttal argument shall immediately follow the direct argument that it seeks to rebut. Notwithstanding the provisions of California Elections Code Section 9295 to the contrary, the city clerk shall make available for public examination in the clerk's office all arguments filed pursuant to this section not less than ten (10) calendar days before arguments are submitted for printing. For arguments, the period during which any person named in Section 9295 may seek a writ of mandate or an injunction pursuant to Section 9295 shall be during the ten (10) day examination period.
B. For initiative measures placed on the ballot, the person(s) filing the initiative petition, along with anyone eligible to vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or any combination of voters and associations, may file a written argument in favor of the measure. The city council, or any council member(s) authorized by the city council, or charter officer, or department director, or any individual eligible to vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or any combination of voters and associations, may submit an argument against the measure. If more than one argument is submitted against the measure, the city elections official shall select one of the arguments and give preference and priority to the arguments in the same order established under California Elections Code Section 9287 and this code. If the city council, or any council member(s) authorized by the city council, submits a written argument against an initiative measure, only one authorized member's signature is necessary to afford the legislative body priority in argument selection.
C. For city council measures placed on the ballot, the city council, or any council member(s) authorized by the city council, or anyone eligible to vote on the measure, or charter officer, or department director, or bona fide association of citizens, or any combination of voters and associations, may file a written argument for or against the measure. If the city council, or any council member(s) authorized by the city council, submits a written argument in favor of or against a measure, only one authorized member's signature is necessary to afford the legislative body priority in argument selection pursuant to California Elections Code Section 9287.
D. Charter officers and department directors who submit ballot arguments pursuant to subsections B and C of this section do not have priority over the legislative body, or members of the legislative body authorized by that body, but have priority in argument selection before the individual voter, or bona fide association of citizens, or combinations of voters and associations, who are the bona fide sponsors or proponents of the measure.
E. Except as provided otherwise in this section, the procedures set forth in Elections Code Section 9282 shall apply. (Ord. 2014-0024 § 1; Ord. 2010-004 § 1; Ord. 2002-016; prior code § 62.01.007)