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Council places charter amendment on November ballot to shorten vacancy fills for council seats
Summary
The council voted to place a charter amendment on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot that would require vacancies in elected office to be filled at the sooner of the next municipal election or the next regular election, shortening the period that appointed replacements may serve.
The Ferndale City Council voted to place a charter amendment on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot to change how vacancies in elected office are filled.
Under the proposed amendment, if adopted by voters the term served by a person appointed to fill a council vacancy would end at the sooner of the next municipal election or the next regular election, so voters would have an earlier opportunity to select a replacement rather than relying on council appointments for extended periods. Staff explained that the change aims to reduce the length of interim appointments while avoiding the cost and low turnout of special elections.
Council considered timing issues for ballot submission to the attorney general and governor’s office and reviewed sample approaches used by other municipalities; staff said the city will submit the amendment as a separate ballot question and will attempt to include it on the same November ballot as a previously adopted measure. The motion to add the charter amendment to the November 3 ballot passed by roll call vote.
