(a) Except as required by Section 57379 of the Government Code, and except as provided in subdivision (b), a general municipal election shall be held on an established election date pursuant to Section 1000.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a city council may enact an ordinance, pursuant to Division 10 (commencing with Section 10000), requiring its general municipal election to be held on the day of the statewide direct primary election, the day of the statewide general election, the day of school district elections as set forth in Section 1302, the first Tuesday after the first Monday of March in each odd-numbered year, or the second Tuesday of April in each year. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall become operative upon approval by the county board of supervisors.
(2) In the event of consolidation, the general municipal election shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable procedural requirements of this code pertaining to that primary, general, or school district election, and shall thereafter occur in consolidation with that election.
(c) If a city adopts an ordinance described in subdivision (b), the municipal election following the adoption of the ordinance and each municipal election thereafter shall be conducted on the date specified by the city council, in accordance with subdivision (b), unless the ordinance in question is later repealed by the city council.
(d) If the date of a general municipal election is changed pursuant to subdivision (b), at least one election shall be held before the ordinance, as approved by the county board of supervisors, may be subsequently repealed or amended.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 83. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)