Memorandum
Date: July 12, 2022
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Anita L. Grant, County Counsel
Subject: (a) Discussion of Next Steps to Fill the Role of District 4 Supervisor, to be Vacated by Tina Scott July 31, 2022; (b) Consideration of a Resolution Setting an Election for District 4 Supervisor as Part of the November 8, 2022 Statewide General Election
Executive Summary:
As your Board is aware, on the morning of April 14, 2022, Lake County’s District 4 Supervisor, Tina Scott, announced her intent to resign from her office, effective July 31, 2022.
California Government Code Section 25060 directs, “Whenever a vacancy occurs in a board of supervisors, the Governor shall fill the vacancy. The appointee shall hold office until the election and qualification of his or her successor.” Pursuant to Government Code section 1770, this vacancy will legally occur July 31, the effective date of Supervisor Scott’s resignation.
California Government Code Section 25061 continues, “The election of a supervisor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term shall be held at the next general election, unless the term expires on the first Monday after January 1st succeeding the election.”
Because the period during which a candidate can provide appropriate documentation to appear on the June Primary Election ballot had elapsed prior to Supervisor Scott’s announcement (Elections Code Section 8020), a nomination process for a special election to fill a vacancy, as described in the Elections Code will be employed.
Further, while Lake County’s Supervisorial Districts were redrawn in December 2021, since Supervisor Scott was elected when previous boundaries were in use, eligibility to vote for District 4 Supervisor in November will be based on those old boundaries (Elections Code Section 21506).
Registrar of Voters, Maria Valadez, and County Counsel, Anita Grant, have conducted considerable research on next steps related to Lake County’s upcoming Supervisorial vacancy, and will be present to answer any technical questions you may have regarding this election process.
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Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
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☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action:
(a) Consideration of action to set a special election to fill a vacancy;
(b) Adopt the Resolution setting an Election for District 4 Supervisor as part of the November 8, 2022 Statewide General Election.