Lancaster council votes to keep proposed charter amendment off the ballot
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Summary
The Lancaster City Council voted unanimously to disapprove a resolution that would have placed a charter amendment on the April ballot to increase council membership from four to five, add a vice mayor, and switch to district-based elections.
The Lancaster City Council voted unanimously Jan. 13 to disapprove a resolution that would have placed a charter amendment on the April ballot to increase the size of the council and shift election method.
The resolution (MB1) sought to amend section 2.01 of the Lancaster City Charter to authorize increasing council members from four to five, add an office of vice mayor and transition the five council member seats from at-large to district-based elections, while keeping the mayor and vice mayor as at-large offices. City staff said the proposal was advanced in consideration of the California Voting Rights Act and has been discussed at two public meetings in recent months.
During the discussion, a member of the public, David Paul, asked for clarification on how the change would affect the city’s manager–council structure and whether a separate ‘‘mayor slot’’ would be created. Council members and staff explained the manager–council system would remain intact; the change would increase the number of voting councilmembers and create an elected vice mayor while preserving the at-large election of the mayor and vice mayor.
Council member 4 moved to disapprove the resolution and was seconded; the motion to disapprove passed unanimously, which means the resolution will not be placed on the April ballot. City Attorney noted that because the motion on the floor was to disapprove, a ‘‘yes’’ vote meant disapproving the resolution and not placing it on the ballot.
Votes at a glance from this meeting
• CC15 (consent item): moved and approved; recorded as passing with three yes votes. • CC14 (consent item): moved and approved; recorded as passing with four yes votes. • NB2 (ordinance amendments to conform with state law on vehicular cruising): motion to approve passed unanimously. • MB1 (resolution to place charter amendment on ballot): motion to disapprove passed unanimously; MB1 will not appear on the ballot.
The council completed its agenda and adjourned. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
