Fairfax council sets Nov. 4 special election date for recall

The Fairfax Town Council voted on Aug. 6 to receive a certificate of sufficiency for local recall petitions and to call a special municipal election for Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. The motion was moved and seconded during the council meeting and passed on a roll call vote.

Town Attorney Janet Colson told the council that the county registrar of voters had strongly recommended the Nov. 4 date and that the registrar had estimated the cost of a special election at roughly $9–$10 per registered voter if Fairfax holds the election on that date. Colson said the registrar requires a formal resolution from Fairfax asking Marin County to render election services. The council directed staff to turn the signed resolutions in promptly so the registrar could proceed.

The staff report listed other possible special‑election dates if the council delayed, including mid‑November and December dates; the registrar preferred Nov. 4 because it already had scheduled work that day. Staff estimated the special election would cost between about $53,000 and $59,000 based on the town’s registered‑voter count, and said if the statewide election were held the same day costs could fall closer to $2.75 per voter in an ideal scenario.

Members of the public addressed the council during public comment, urging the Nov. 4 date and asking the council to move quickly to reduce costs and end what several speakers described as divisiveness in town. Several speakers also urged the council to ensure the registrar receives the council’s resolutions by Aug. 8 to preserve the Nov. 4 date.

The council’s formal action was recorded on the meeting minutes: the council received and filed the certificate of sufficiency and adopted resolutions calling a special municipal election for Nov. 4, 2025, and requesting Marin County to provide election services. The motion passed on a roll call vote with all council members present voting in favor.