Public agencies play an important and ongoing role in contributing to the public’s information on important issues, including ballot measures.

When it comes to issues that either may be or are on the ballot, there are two areas of law that govern public agency communication activities:

• One is a body of case law that says what public agencies may and may not do to communicate their views on ballot measures with public resources.
• The other area of law relates to campaign restrictions and transparency requirements under the state’s Political Reform Act.

To help local governments navigate these laws, ILG has published updates to two relevant documents. Ballot Measure Activities and Public Resources provides a high-level overview of what public agencies can and cannot do related to ballot measures, while the Ballot Measures and Public Agencies FAQ provides a more in-depth analysis of some of the legal issues related to public involvement in ballot measures.