"Author" means the Person whose name appears in italics after the text of a ballot argument in the voter information pamphlet, to signify that the ballot argument is attributed to that Person. There may be more than one Author for a single ballot argument.
"Committee" has the same meaning as set forth in the California Political Reform Act, California Government Code section 82013.
"Non-supporter" means any Person who, with respect to a measure:
(1) is a treasurer, officer, or member of a committee that has made or plans to make expenditures in opposition to a measure;
(2) has received or has been promised any compensation or thing of value from such a committee to perform consulting services for that committee; or
(3) has authorized his or her name or likeness to appear on campaign literature or in advertising that advocates for the defeat of a measure.
"Person" means any registered San Francisco voter, group of registered San Francisco voters, association or organization, or combination thereof. An association or organization must have at least one principal officer who is a registered San Francisco voter.
"Supporter" means any Person who, with respect to a measure:
(1) is a treasurer, officer, or member of a Committee that has made or plans to make expenditures in support of the measure;
(2) has received or has been promised any compensation or thing of value from such a Committee to perform consulting services for that Committee;
(3) has authorized his or her name or likeness to appear on campaign literature or in advertising that advocates for the adoption of the measure; or
(4) who, with respect to an initiative or referendum petition, is the official proponent of the initiative or referendum petition.
(b) Proponent's and Opponent's Arguments.
(1) Ballot arguments submitted for selection as the proponent's argument for or opponent's argument against a measure as provided in Section 545 must be submitted to the Director of Elections no later than noon of the eighty-second day prior to the election at which the measure is to be voted upon.
(2) Each Author of a ballot argument submitted for selection as the proponent's argument shall attest under penalty of perjury on a form provided by the Director of Elections that the Author is not a Non-supporter of the measure to which the ballot argument pertains. Each Author of a ballot argument submitted for selection as the opponent's argument shall attest under penalty of perjury on a form provided by the Director of Elections that the Author is not a Supporter of the measure to which the ballot argument pertains.
(3) No Person may submit more than one ballot argument per measure for selection as either the opponent's argument or proponent's argument.
(c) Rebuttal Arguments. Rebuttal arguments as provided for in Section 550 must be submitted to the Director of Elections no later than noon of the seventy-eighth day prior to the election at which the measure is to be voted upon.
(d) Paid Arguments. Ballot arguments submitted for publication as paid arguments for or against a measure as provided for in Section 560 must be submitted to the Director of Elections no later than noon of the seventy-eighth day prior to the election at which the measure is to be voted upon.
(e) Modification or Withdrawal of Submitted Arguments. Arguments may be changed or withdrawn by the Persons submitting them at any time up to and including the last day for submission. No Person may change an argument, except as provided in Subsection (f), and no Person may withdraw an argument, after the deadline for submission of the argument.
(f) Correction of Submitted Arguments. Grammatical, spelling and factual errors contained in a proponent's or opponent's argument may be corrected by any Author of the argument at any time up until noon of the eighty-first day prior to the election. Grammatical, spelling and factual errors contained in a rebuttal argument may be corrected by any Author of the argument at any time up until noon of the seventy-seventh day prior to the election. Grammatical, spelling and factual errors contained in a paid argument may be corrected by any Author of the argument at any time up until noon of the seventy-seventh day prior to the election. For purposes of this Subsection (f), the determination of what constitutes a grammatical, spelling or factual error shall be made by the Director of Elections. No Person may correct grammatical spelling or factual errors contained in an argument after the deadline specified in this Subsection.
(Added by Ord. 429-97, App. 11/17/97; amended by Ord. 183-03, File No. 030652, App. 7/25/2003; Ord. 223-04, File No. 040980, App. 8/25/2004; Ord. 291-06, File No. 061375, App. 11/29/2006; Ord. 102-14
, File No. 140341, App. 7/2/2014, Eff. 8/1/2014)