Swearing-In of New Mayor on April 9, 2019 and Open Council Seat
On January 22, 2019, Councilmember Anthony Kuo added an agenda item to amend the City’s municipal code to ensure that a vacant mayoral seat would automatically be filled with the sitting mayor pro tem. The amendment passed 5-0.
As a result, on April 3, 2019, Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea will become Irvine’s next Mayor until 2020. Shea will be officially sworn in at a special City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 9th.
What’s Next?
On April 9, 2019, the city council will have to decide on Agenda Item 5.1:
5.1 DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING CITY COUNCIL VACANCY
Discuss, review, and provide direction to the City Clerk regarding the process for filling the City Council vacancy, including the petition process, the application and appointment process, the election process, and associated time frames.
Perspectives
- Appointment – Some argue the vacant city council seat should go to Carrie O’Malley since she received the 3rd highest number of votes in the 2018 General Election. However, with that logic, our next mayor should have been Ed Pope and not Christina Shea.
- Special Elections – A Special Election is estimated to cost approximately $820,659 – $905,141. Since our city is going through budget cuts, some argue we should save taxpayer dollars and appoint our next councilmember. However, some also argue we have enough in our rainy day fund and the decision is important enough that it should not be made by four people.
- Democracy – A representative government requires that we hear from the voters. This election is different than the 2018 General Election and some argue the decision should go to the voters regardless.
- Candidates – Who are the candidates likely to run? Early predictions are that Carrie O’Malley, Mike Carroll, and Lauren Johnson-Norris will throw their hat into the ring should there be a Special Election.
We hope you can attend the important Swearing-In Ceremony and Special Council Meeting on April 9, 2019.
