8/8/20: Update regarding the case of Ascencion v. Board of Supervisors

The City of Oxnard has petitioned the Ventura Superior Court in the case of Ascencion v. Board of Supervisors to correct a materially misleading title attached to one of the signatures submitted with arguments regarding ballot measures for the upcoming election.

State law requires that all signatories to a ballot argument be named if a person or individual wishes to challenge any aspect of a ballot argument, including the designation of the people signing that ballot argument. 

The City Clerk is only seeking to change the ballot designation of one of the signatures, JoAnn Olivares, who signed as a Director of the Oxnard Peace Officers Foundation. 

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Foundation is not allowed to take any position in any election. In addition, the Foundation Board did not authorize Ms. Olivares or any individual to take a position on any ballot measure in the November election.

Upon completion of the litigation, neither the City Clerk nor the City will seek damages or attorneys’ fees from any of the five signatories of the ballot measures.

The sole purpose of this litigation is to ensure the ballot arguments, including the ballot designations, are not misleading.  

The current paperwork filed with the Ventura Superior Court is available here.