Robocall Regulations
Santa Rosa City Code sections 10 32, 200 and 10-32.210 establish new campaign robocall regulations for City elections. For purposes of City elections, a robocall is defined as "any single recorded telephone message made in support of or opposition to a City Council candidate(s) or City ballot measure(s) and placed to 200 or more individuals or households within a 30-day period." It is important to note that the local robocall requirements listed below are triggered by the number of calls made, not by the amount expended. Specifically, the new regulations require:
The City's Local 48-hour Robocall Independent Expenditure Disclosure Report form (PDF) Opens a New Window. may be downloaded online.
Any resident who receives a robocall in support of or opposition to a City Council candidate or ballot measure and wishes to be removed from the call list should first contact the candidate or committee that paid for the call and request removal from the call list.
Residents who receive robocalls that do not provide any contact information or are otherwise not in compliance with the City's robocall regulations should report the robocall to the City Clerk's Office by email for investigation and possible enforcement action. Please complete and submit a Robocall Complaint Form (PDF) Opens a New Window. to the City Clerk.
For more information regarding state and federal robocall regulations and complaint procedures, please visit the following websites:
- Additional disclaimers on robocalls funded by independent expenditures (section 10 32, 200 (A))
- Filing a robocall disclosure report and transcript with the City Clerk's Office within 48 hours of placing robocalls funded by independent expenditures (section 10 32, 200 (B))
- An opt-out mechanism within each initial robocall (section 10-32.210 (A))
- Display of accurate caller identification information (section 10-32.210 (B))
Robocall Disclosure Form
The City's Local 48-hour Robocall Independent Expenditure Disclosure Report form (PDF) Opens a New Window. may be downloaded online.
Robocall Reports Filed 2020 District-based Election
Robocall Complaints
Any resident who receives a robocall in support of or opposition to a City Council candidate or ballot measure and wishes to be removed from the call list should first contact the candidate or committee that paid for the call and request removal from the call list.
Residents who receive robocalls that do not provide any contact information or are otherwise not in compliance with the City's robocall regulations should report the robocall to the City Clerk's Office by email for investigation and possible enforcement action. Please complete and submit a Robocall Complaint Form (PDF) Opens a New Window. to the City Clerk.
Helpful Resources
For more information regarding state and federal robocall regulations and complaint procedures, please visit the following websites:
- California Public Utilities Commission
- California Fair Political Practices Commission
- Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information
- Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Advisory - Political Robocalls
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City Clerk
Physical Address
100 Santa Rosa Avenue
Room 10
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: 707-543-3015Fax: 707-543-3030