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Council declares Ward 5 seat vacant, votes to leave it open until November 2026
Summary
Following the Feb. 2 resignation of Kelsey Mueller Wendt, the council declared a vacancy for Ward 5 and voted to leave the seat vacant until the November 2026 general election after debating appointment versus leaving the seat open.
The Klamath Falls City Council declared the Ward 5 council seat vacant on Feb. 2 after the resignation of Kelsey Mueller Wendt effective that day. City attorney Mike Swanson explained the charter's two-step process for declaring a vacancy and noted the council may either appoint a replacement or leave the seat to be filled by voters in the next regular election. "It is a 2 step process for the vacancy according to our charter specifically section 31," Swanson said.
Councilors discussed the tradeoffs between appointment and allowing the public to fill the position in the upcoming election. Several councilors said leaving the seat open is typical when a vacancy occurs within a year of an election so voters can decide; others favored a shorter vacancy period and an appointment to maintain full membership and avoid quorum issues.
After motions and discussion, the council voted to declare the Ward 5 seat vacant and to leave it open until the November 2026 general election. The decision was recorded during the meeting; the city recorder was directed to accept applications for the seat if the council later chooses to appoint, and staff can research prior practices for council consideration.
