17,792 / 55.0% Yes votes ...... 14,581 / 45.0% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

• Official WWW Site

Written Pros & Cons from the League of Women Voters

Click on "Ballot Measure Pros & Cons" under the heading "Non- partisan information for Alameda County voters" Scroll down to page 4 of the document.

Berkeley Daily Planet

• Berkeley Votes on Voting Changes - February 27, 2004

• Berkeley eyes election changes - February 16, 2004

• Change in voting procedures goes to voters in Berkeley - February 16, 2004

Currently, if no candidate wins more than 45% of the vote in an election for mayor, auditor, or city council, the top two finishers must face each other in a runoff election only 28 days later. Measure H will fix the resulting problems by moving the runoff election to early February and reducing the threshold required to win outright to 40%. 

• Measure H prevents an election meltdown. Under the current system, Berkeley must print and mail ballots for a runoff election only a few days after the general election + before final election results are known. In a close race, the City may put the wrong candidates on the runoff ballot or call an election that is not needed. Measure H will prevent this nightmare scenario by providing election officials time to make informed decisions.

• Measure H saves the City money. Under the current system, Berkeley must spend up to $300,000 on election materials to prepare for a runoff election regardless of whether a runoff is even necessary. By moving the runoff to February and reducing the threshold to win to 40%, Measure H will save taxpayer dollars by eliminating preparations for unnecessary runoff elections and by reducing the total number of runoffs.

• Measure H brings Berkeley into compliance with State election law. With only 28 days between the general election and the runoff, the City is in violation of State requirements for mailing election information to voters. Measure H will fix that problem and provide voters more time to learn about the issues and candidates before casting their ballots.

s/TOM BATES, Mayor

s/GORDON WOZNIAK, Councilmember

s/MAXWELL ANDERSON, Chair, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

s/DARRYL MOORE, Trustee, Peralta Community College District

s/JANE SCANTLEBURY, Librarian, SEIU 535 Berkeley Chapter

(No arguments against Measure H were submitted)

Section 1 - Votes to Trigger Runoff

Article V, Section 9, the fourteenth paragraph shall be amended to read as follows:

The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for the offices, respectively, of mayor, auditor, and councilmembers of the City shall be elected to such offices, provided that such candidate receives at least 40% of the votes cast for each such office.  In the event that no candidate for mayor, auditor, and councilmember for one or more council offices receives at least 40% of the votes cast for that office, then there shall be a runoff election between the two candidates receiving the most votes, which runoff election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in February of the odd numbered year following the initial election.  No other issues shall appear on the ballot of any runoff election.  The successful candidate in any runoff election shall assume office on March 1, after the election results have been declared by the council.

Section 2 - Declaration of Results

Article III, Section 5(10) shall be amended to read as follows:

(10) Canvass of returns and declaration of results. The city council shall meet at its usual place of meeting as soon as practicable after the election, including any runoff election, to receive the certification of results prepared by the city clerk.  The city clerk shall canvass the results of the election in accordance with procedures established in the State of California Elections Code.  The persons having the number of votes required by this charter for each elective office shall be declared elected.