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La Grande council discusses charter amendments to simplify council elections and change vacancy rules
Summary
City councilors reviewed three charter revisions to remove numbered council positions, eliminate the preliminary primary and elect the top three vote-getters, and change how vacancies are filled; members emphasized clearer ballot language and outreach before an August filing deadline.
La Grande — Council members spent much of the meeting reviewing a package of charter amendments aimed at simplifying city elections and reducing election costs. Council Member 3 said the proposal is “the exact same proposal we’re discussing that was brought back up,” describing three changes: removing numbered position labels, eliminating the preliminary (primary), and electing the top three vote-getters.
Council members said voters struggled with the prior ballot wording and that the numbered-position format created confusion about what each position number meant. “People will run up to me and say, what’s position 1? What’s position 2? ... They don’t understand,” Council Member 1 said, arguing that removing position numbers would focus campaigns on issues rather than personal matchups.
The council noted an August 14 filing deadline for ballot language and agreed there is time to revise the ballot title and question and to workshop explanatory materials. Several councilors urged proactive voter education; Council Member 5 suggested using water-bill inserts and other neutral distribution channels to provide factual information without advocating a vote.
Members also discussed vacancy rules. A councilor asked whether the redlined charter would eliminate the previous rule requiring a special election in certain circumstances. Council Member 5 confirmed the proposal allows council appointment to fill the remainder of a departing member’s term to avoid the cost of special elections, describing a likely appointment process: advertise openings, accept applications, interview candidates in an open public meeting and appoint a replacement to finish the term.
Councilors debated trade-offs: appointing replacements reduces immediate city costs but could mean an appointee serves the remainder of a multi-year term; holding a special election increases expense but gives voters a direct choice. Several members said the city has used open-application appointment procedures in the past and that the change is consistent with prior practice.
Next steps: staff will draft revised ballot language and provide councilors with proposed explanatory materials and outreach options. No formal vote was taken; the council asked staff to return with finalized language and recommendations for public education before formal ballot certification requirements kick in.
