Ontario council votes to hold March special election on two Unite Here worker initiatives

The Ontario City Council voted 5-0 to call a special municipal election on March 24, 2026 to place two initiative measures circulated by Unite Here Local 11 before voters: one addressing hotel-worker protections, retention and minimum wages, and another requiring voter approval for major hotel and event-center projects.

City Manager (unnamed) summarized the initiatives, noting they were certified by the county elections office and that the measures were Ontario-specific. He also said the county estimated a special election would cost approximately $1,255,000. The manager recommended a special election in March to resolve uncertainty affecting projects reportedly already in development.

Opponents, including local hotel owners and several labor and business groups, warned of economic harm and argued the measures would raise operating costs and discourage investment. Andrea Romero, a Unite Here Local 11 speaker, said the council was poised to “spend $1,200,000 on an unnecessary special election” and argued consolidating the vote with the November general election would save taxpayers money and produce higher turnout. Supporters of the initiatives said a March election would resolve developer uncertainty and allow impacted workers to secure protections sooner.

After discussion, council made and seconded a motion to call the March special election; the motion carried 5-0.

What happens next: The city will place the two measures on the March 24, 2026 special election ballot; staff indicated they will identify funding in the mid-year budget process. Proponents signaled they will continue the voter campaign, while opponents warned of legal and economic challenges.

Attribution: Quotes and attributions are drawn from the council transcript.