Simi Valley council appoints Mayor Pro Tem Didi Kavanaugh as mayor; directs staff to begin District 1 appointment process

The Simi Valley City Council voted unanimously to appoint Mayor Pro Tem Didi Kavanaugh to the office of mayor and directed staff to begin an appointment process to fill the District 1 council seat created by that appointment.

The action followed a presentation from City Manager Samantha Argebai, who told the council that Government Code section 34902(a) requires the council to attempt an appointment to a mayoral vacancy within 60 days; if the council does not fill the vacancy within that period, a special election must be held on the next established election date at least 114 days later. Argebai said the estimated cost of a citywide special election would be approximately $1,200,000 and provided district‑level cost estimates if a district election were required.

Councilmember Mike Judge moved to appoint Kavanaugh and Councilmember Rocky Rhodes seconded. Judge said, “I move we appoint, Dede Kavanaugh as the mayor and move on with a criteria pick for the, council member seat.” The motion passed unanimously, 4‑0.

Why it matters: State law narrows the council’s options and imposes a 60‑day timeline for attempting an appointment before a special election is required. Council discussion emphasized minimizing disruption to future election cycles and maintaining institutional continuity.

Councilmembers discussed whether to appoint from the dais or from the community and considered the timing effect on future elections. Several councilmembers noted that appointing a councilmember to mayor would create a council vacancy tied to that member’s district; staff and council agreed that the forthcoming appointment to the District 1 vacancy must be a resident of District 1 and a registered voter.

Council directed staff to update and publish appointment criteria drawn from a 2018 template and to begin outreach. The items discussed for the District 1 appointment package include a resume (two pages maximum), an optional cover letter, a nomination paper signed by 20–30 registered voters from the district, a completed Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700), and an agreement to be sequestered during interview rounds (no access to meeting materials or phones while awaiting interviews). Councilmembers said staff should verify voter registration and district residence for nomination signers.

Staff reported that a previous citywide appointment cycle drew 22 applicants and 17 completed packets; councilmembers asked staff to review and update the 2018 criteria (for example, updating the reference election year used to verify registration). The council asked staff to return with the revised application materials and schedule for the District 1 appointment process.

Next steps: Staff will update the appointment criteria, publish the application packet and timeline, and return to the council with recommended next actions. If the council cannot fill the mayoral vacancy through appointment within the 60‑day statutory window, the city must move to a special election on the next available election date per state law.