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Capitola council opts to fill vacant seat by appointment; opens application May 27–June 3
Summary
The Capitola City Council voted May 22 to use the same appointment process it used earlier this year to fill the council vacancy left by Vice Mayor Alexander Peterson, setting an application window, ranked‑choice selection and a conditional residency verification step.
On May 22, 2025, the Capitola City Council voted to fill the council vacancy left by Vice Mayor Alexander Peterson by appointment rather than calling a special election, setting an application period from May 27 through June 3 and directing staff to contact prior applicants and use ranked‑choice voting to select a successor.
The decision matters because state law gives councils 60 days to choose between a special election and appointment; the council’s deadline for this vacancy is July 7. Council members were briefed that a special election would likely cost the city roughly $49,000 to $56,000 and that the appointed term would run through December 2026.
City staff opened the item with background on the…
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