Filling the Vacancy: Watch Four Potential City Council Candidates
On April 9, we heard from several public speakers in a packed Chamber regarding appointment v. special election to fill the fifth city council seat. The speakers included four potential candidates for the vacancy. Here are their public comments (listed in order of appearance):
Carrie O’Malley
“The election of November 2018 was just a few months ago… among the 12 candidates running for city council in November, I was the first runner up with over 19,000 votes, just 1% behind the elected position.”
“Measure A, adopted in 1991 by the Irvine voters, which is now our city law, states that if a council member in an unexpired term is elected to the office mayor, the candidate with third highest number of votes in that election shall fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the term.”
“Since the passage of Measure A in 1991, there have been three instances in 2000, 2004, and 2008, where the candidate coming in third has become the council member to fill the vacancy.”
Lauren Johnson-Norris
“The easiest way to steal an election is to not have one at all.”
“We know that a leader who is elected is accountable to the electorate, but a leader appointed by you is only accountable to you.”
“What is at stake is the legitimacy of this city’s government which would be greatly undermined should you act carelessly as custodians of that power.”
“I think we’d all like to know who [choice voting] was crafted by, was it Martin Chapman or some special interest?”
Mike Carroll
“We’ve heard some interesting choice phrases over the last few days, yes in this room tonight: special interest, hand picked, backroom deal making, smoky political backroom deals, voting scheme… and just a few minutes ago: illegal, rigged, intoxication, and steal an election.”
” ‘We are not sure who the author and the sponsor of this selection process that was recommended is?’ Well, I decided to find out. I placed a telephone call… to the assistant city clerk and asked him where he got this choice voting system from… and he pointed me to Martin & Chapman Election Handbook that provides instructions to carry out a successful city council vacancy appointment.”
“Martin & Chapman was established in 1956… leader in the election industry… [serves] almost all of the 482 cities in the state of California… is the go-to guide. Smokey, political, back room deals? I don’t think so. This is not a scheme, it’s been used all over the state.”
John Park
“What is at stake is the nearly million dollars… for a seat that will only sit for approximately 12 months. That is nearly $100k per month we would spend to put this person in this seat.”
“Listening here today, this conversation has been strictly down party lines.”
“This is supposed to be a nonpartisan seat, the seat is supposed to be an advocate of all of Irvine, all of its citizens, and if we are thinking about all of our citizens, we certainly should not be entertaining the expenditure of almost a million dollars at a time when our city is facing a deficit.”
“This is a difficult decision, a difficult decision you must make to appoint, because if we don’t do this we’ll be making even more difficult decisions a few months from now when we have to decide what services we have to cut. “
Apply for the Vacant City Council Seat
The City Council is accepting applications for the vacant city council seat. Click HERE for the application, which is due May 5 at 5pm. If the City Council cannot come to a consensus, we will have a special election.
Want a Special Election?
Click HERE for a copy of the petition that is circulating if you want sign or help gather signatures to ensure a special election. If enough signatures are gathered by May 3, it will guarantee a special election.
What are your thoughts?
2 Comments
nancyfrye
April 16, 2019 at 9:40 amOn April 9th, the Irvine City Council met to discuss how to fill the vacant council position caused by Christina Shea filling the vacant Mayor ‘s Position.
A motion was accepted by the council to fill the vacant position by a majority vote of its members rather than holding a special election.
Speakers in favor of this motion said that they trusted the currently elected council members to make this decision.
However, I do not trust the current city council. Of the current four members, I only voted for two of them and one of the two, I no longer trust. Only one of the four council members has not taken campaign contributions from developer, builder and real estate agent PACs.
Another reason given for avoiding a special election is that the cost of a special election is estimated at $820K – $905K. It is a large expense, considering that the position will be up for election in 2020. The city has a tight budget and cannot afford the cost. How did the City get to position where it cannot afford this expense?
Of course, there are many reasons for a tight budget and a tight budget is a good thing. For years the City has not charged an annual business license fee. With so many new businesses coming and going from across this growing city no fees were collected. Also, the city has not raised building fees for years and years. With thousands of square feet of new shopping centers, office buildings and homes the City Council has not increased the cost of fees for years, an outright gift to builders.
Of course, a special election can be avoided but, in my opinion, it is the right thing to do. Incumbents always have an advantage in an election. An appointee that the citizens did not select will have an advantage over other candidates for elections to come. Citizens never voted for Christina Shea to be mayor, yet now she is.
Scott Hansen
April 27, 2019 at 10:38 amThank you for your thoughtful post, nancyfrye. I’m working through these things, too.
On one point, my feeling is the Council should appoint someone who publicly pledges not to run in 2020. Then they can devote their full attention to serving the people of Irvine. And then nobody would have an incumbent advantage. And the City would save $900,000.
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