Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51920. Section 51920.
Reorganization proceedings pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to have commenced with the appointment of the charter commissioners by the county and largest city.
ARTICLE 3. Reorganization Proceedings [51920. - 51939.2.]
Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.
in effectCal. Government Code - GOV § 51921. Section 51921.
The charter commissioners shall propose a charter for the government of the City-County of Sacramento. The charter so prepared shall be signed by a majority of the charter commissioners and shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the largest city and in the office of the county clerk. The legislative body of the county shall, within 15 days after such filing, cause such charter to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published in the county and in each edition thereof, during the day of publication.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51922. Section 51922.
The legislative body of the county shall cause copies of the charter to be printed in convenient pamphlet form and in type of not less than 10-point and shall cause copies to be mailed to each of the qualified electors of the county and cities, and shall, until the day fixed for the election upon reorganization and adoption of the charter, advertise in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county a notice that copies may be had upon application therefor.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51923. Section 51923.
The proposed charter shall be submitted to the electors of the entire county (including all cities) at a date to be fixed by the charter commissioners before filing the proposed charter, either at a special election held not less than 60 days from the completion of the publication of such charter as provided in Section 51921, or at the general election next following the expiration of said 60 days.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51924. Section 51924.
In submitting any such charter, the charter commissioners may also submit separate propositions, whether alternative or conflicting, or one included within the other, at the same time to be voted on by the electors separately, and, as between those so related, if more than one receives a majority of the votes, the proposition receiving the largest number of votes shall control as to all matters in conflict.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51925. Section 51925.
The charter as adopted at the election by a majority of the electors of the entire county (including all cities) voting thereon and by a majority of the electors of the largest city voting thereon shall be the governing law of the reorganized city-county.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51926. Section 51926.
At the election, the questions of reorganization and adoption of a charter shall both be presented as provided in Section 51929. In addition, there shall also be presented to the voters of each of the other cities as a separate proposition, as provided in Section 51929.5, the question of whether the city should retain its existing local governmental structure under the reorganized government as set forth in the charter. This separate question shall follow on the ballot the propositions submitting the charter and separate charter proposals, if any.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51927. Section 51927.
The legislative body of the county shall cause notice of the election to be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published in the county, at least once a week for the four weeks prior to the election.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51928. Section 51928.
The notice shall:
(a)
State distinctly the proposition or propositions to be submitted.
(b)
State the names of the cities and the county proposed to be consolidated in a reorganized government.
(c)
State the date of the election.
(d)
Instruct the electors how to vote in the election.
(e)
Designate the voting precincts and places at which polls will be open.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51929. Section 51929.
Upon the ballots used at the election shall be printed the words: “Shall the city (or cities) of (naming them) and the County of Sacramento be reorganized and consolidated and shall the proposed Charter of the City-County of Sacramento be adopted as the governing law of the City-County of Sacramento?”
To the right of or below these words, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. Each proposition separately submitted shall also be similarly presented to the electors.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51929.5. Section 51929.5.
Upon the ballots used at the election within each of the other cities proposed to be reorganized and consolidated with the County of Sacramento shall also be printed the words as a separate question or proposition: “If the proposed Charter of the City-County of Sacramento is adopted as the governing law of the City-County of Sacramento, shall the City of ____ retain its local governmental structure?”
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51929.6. Section 51929.6.
The charter of the city-county adopted pursuant to this chapter shall contain provisions which recognize the right of the voters of the other cities to elect to retain their own local governmental structure within the governmental structure of the city-county.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51930. Section 51930.
If, voting on a proposition presented pursuant to Section 51929, an elector marks the voting target next to the word “Yes,” the elector’s vote shall be counted for reorganization and charter adoption, and if the elector marks the voting target next to the word “No,” the elector’s vote shall be counted against reorganization and charter adoption.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51931. Section 51931.
On each proposition separately submitted, including the proposition presented pursuant to Section 51929.5, if an elector marks the voting target next to the word “Yes,” the elector’s vote shall be counted for the adoption of the proposition, and if
the elector marks the voting target next to the word “No,” the elector’s vote shall be counted against the adoption of the proposition.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51932. Section 51932.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, the election, if a special election, shall be conducted as other special elections in the county or, if a general election, as other general elections in the county. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the analysis of the proposed charter, prepared pursuant to Section 9160 of the Elections Code, shall not exceed 1,500 words.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51933. Section 51933.
After performing their duties, the election officers shall deliver the ballots, tally sheets, and returns to the clerk of the county.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51934. Section 51934.
At its next regular meeting following the election, the legislative body of the county shall canvass the returns. The canvass shall be completed at the meeting if practicable, or as soon as possible thereafter, avoiding adjournments.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51935. Section 51935.
Immediately upon the completion of the canvass, the legislative body of the county shall declare the results and cause a record to be entered upon its minutes, stating the proposition or propositions submitted, the number of votes cast, and the number of votes cast for and against reorganization and the adoption of the charter and on each separately stated proposition. The votes cast for and against each question in each city shall also be stated.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51936. Section 51936.
If a majority of the votes cast in the largest city or if a majority of the votes in the county as a whole (including the largest city and the other cities) is against reorganization and charter adoption, reorganization shall not be accomplished, the charter shall not be adopted, and proceedings for the reorganization of the cities and county shall not be initiated within fifteen (15) days after the result of the election has been declared.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51937. Section 51937.
If a majority of the votes cast in both the largest city and in the county as a whole (including the largest city and the other cities) is for consolidation and charter adoption, reorganization shall be deemed approved and the charter adopted, and the clerk of the legislative body of the county shall forthwith prepare under seal, and deliver to the clerk of the legislative body of each of the cities and to the county clerk, a copy in duplicate of the record of the canvass, with a statement of the proposition or propositions submitted, at the election.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51938. Section 51938.
A copy of the record of the canvass, with a statement of the proposition or propositions submitted at the election shall be filed with the Secretary of State.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51939. Section 51939.
Upon the filing with the Secretary of State of the Charter of the consolidated City-County of Sacramento which has been approved by the Legislature pursuant to Section 3 of Article XI of the California Constitution, the reorganization is complete and the cities and counties are reorganized and consolidated into the City-County of Sacramento as provided in the charter and in accordance with Sections 51939.1 and 51940.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51939.1. Section 51939.1.
The provisions of Sections 51940 through 51947, inclusive, shall not apply to any of the other cities which has voted, pursuant to Section 51929.5, to retain its existing local governmental structure, or to any districts such as special assessment districts created by and governed by the legislative bodies of such other cities; provided, however, that the Charter of the City-County of Sacramento shall have effect throughout the entire county with respect to county government powers and jurisdiction.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51939.2. Section 51939.2.
The procedures set forth in this article shall have validity and effect and shall be followed only in the event that an amendment to the California Constitution is adopted by the voters of the state as proposed in Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 91 of the 1973 legislative session.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026