Las Vegas council directs staff to pursue appointment process for Ward 2 vacancy, asks appointee not to run

The Las Vegas City Council voted on Sept. 3 to direct staff to pursue an appointment process to fill the Ward 2 council vacancy, rather than call a special election, and to include a written acknowledgement in applications asking finalists to state publicly they will not run in the 2026 municipal election.

City Clerk Dr. Lou Anne Holmes told the council the city charter requires the council to fill the vacancy by majority vote within 30 days or declare a special election under Nevada law (NRS 268.325). Holmes and elections staff laid out two options: appoint an eligible resident to serve until the 2026 election, or call a special election. Election staff estimated a one-ward, mail-ballot special election would cost about $467,000 and take roughly 90 days to complete.

The council chose the appointment route and directed Human Resources Director Vince Zamora to publish a two-day application window, Sept. 3–5, with finalists forwarded to the council for selection at the Sept. 17 meeting. According to Zamora, the process will require each council member to rank their top three candidates by Sept. 7; HR will forward the finalists to the city clerk for the Sept. 17 agenda, where finalists will have up to three minutes to present before the council votes.

Council members debated whether the council should ask the appointee to pledge not to run in 2026. City Attorney Jeff Dorczyk said such a pledge would be unenforceable but could be placed on the public record. “Our request that a candidate stipulate ... that he or she will not run is an unenforceable promise,” Dorczyk said. The council asked staff to include a supplemental question and a written acknowledgement in the application that the appointment is temporary and that the appointee will agree not to seek election in 2026.

Several council members cited fiscal constraints and representation needs as factors in the decision. Council members noted Ward 2 represents more than 120,000 residents and emphasized the importance of full representation on policy and budget matters. The motion directing the appointment process and the application requirements passed on a council vote.

Zamora said the application will require proof of Ward 2 residency and the ability to register to vote, a driver’s license to verify address, and answers to five supplemental questions drawn from council input. The tentative schedule calls for finalists to be identified by Sept. 8 for inclusion on the Sept. 17 council meeting; the newly appointed interim council member would be briefed before participating in the Sept. 30 strategic planning session.

The council also discussed the option of asking nominees not to endorse candidates in the 2026 race; Dorczyk said the city could request such a pledge but, like the “not to run” promise, it would be unenforceable and would rely on the nominee’s public commitment. The council instructed staff to include the language in the application package.

The council’s action sets a compressed timetable: application posted Sept. 3, application deadline Sept. 5, council rankings due to HR Sept. 7, finalists listed Sept. 17, and appointment at the Sept. 17 council meeting.

Meeting materials and all application documents will be public record, the council was told.