THE RESULTS ARE IN: CARLSBAD WILL CONTINUE TO ELECT CITY CLERK
Voters defeat effort to make position an appointed one
A ballot measure that would have switched Carlsbad’s city clerk position from an elected position to an appointed one has been defeated, according to certified election results released Thursday.
Final results for the June 7 primary election show Measure C received 16,586 no votes, or 51 percent of the total, compared with 15,701 yes votes, or 49 percent. The measure needed a simple majority to pass.
Only three of the 18 cities in San Diego County — Carlsbad, Oceanside and National City — elect their city clerks. Oceanside voters defeated a similar measure in 2020 that would have made both its city clerk and city treasurer positions appointed. About 80 percent of cities in the state appoint the position.
The Carlsbad City Council decided in March to put the measure on the ballot after former City Clerk Barbara Engleson stepped down to move outside the city. Since then, the duties have been filled by Faviola
Medina, city clerk services manager and formerly the senior deputy clerk. Engleson’s four-year term was set to expire at the end of this year.
The city clerk position is required by state law. The person with the job is responsible for publishing public notices of meetings, taking minutes, responding to requests for public records and a number of ceremonial and election-related duties.
State law requires elected city clerks to be at least 18 years old, a city resident and a registered voter in the city. Carlsbad also requires its city clerk to be certified by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and two years of full-time, salaried work in business administration or public administration. Proponents of the Carlsbad measure said having the city manager appoint someone to the position would allow the selection of someone with more experience and professional training. Opponents said an election provides more checks and balances and a higher level of public accountability.