Sunnyvale council places three charter amendments on November ballot after weeks of review

The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously on June 23 to place three proposed charter amendments on the Nov. 3, 2026 municipal ballot, following a staff presentation and extended council discussion about appointment rules, procurement flexibility, and city-manager settlement authority.

Assistant City Manager Connie Verscellis told council the three measures conclude a multi-year charter-review process. The measures would: (1) change how council vacancies are handled so an appointed appointee would hold office until the next November general municipal election (avoiding duplicate elections in a single calendar year); (2) allow the council by ordinance to approve state-authorized alternative public-works delivery methods (for example, design–build) while maintaining competitive-bid protections; and (3) allow the council to set the city manager’s settlement authority by ordinance rather than a fixed $50,000 charter figure that has not been updated since 1989. Staff said polling done earlier showed general support and warned that final ballot arguments and rebuttals have county deadlines in August.

Council members asked detailed questions about edge cases. Several members, including Council Member Lei and Council Member Cisneros, pressed staff and the city attorney about whether appointing an interim official and later holding a special election could occur together; the city attorney, Melissa Trunk, advised the charter wording creates a choice (appointment or calling a special election) and that ‘or’ is legally exclusive. Council also discussed how an appointment longer than two years could count toward term-limit calculations; staff said appointments longer than two years would count as a full four-year term for term-limit purposes.

Public commenters urged caution and urged clearer language on the ballot about settlement authority and potential incumbency advantages for appointees. Zachary K warned voters about creating “two-year” appointments that could give appointees incumbency advantage, and Steve S urged greater transparency on dollar limits that the city manager might be authorized to set by ordinance.

Vice Mayor Melinger moved the staff recommendation (with an authorization that the mayor and vice mayor draft ballot arguments and rebuttals), and the motion carried 7–0. The city clerk recorded the vote as unanimous. Council directed staff to prepare any implementing ordinances where appropriate (for example, the settlement-authority ordinance would return to council if voters approve the charter change). City staff and council said they will also engage in voter education and prepare the impartial analysis and exhibits for the voter information guide.

What this means: If voters approve the measures in November, Sunnyvale would gain flexibility to adopt state-approved public-works delivery methods and to set settlement authority by ordinance; the vacancy-change would reduce the risk and expense of duplicate elections but could allow an appointee to serve until the next November election (which in some timing scenarios could exceed two years and would count toward term limits).