Board sets June 25 filing deadline, schedules July 20 special election for Ward 5

The Riverdale Park board voted to set June 25 as the candidate filing deadline and July 20 as the special election date for the vacant Ward 5 seat, the board agreed at a short special meeting convened to move the town's timeline after the mayor and council's upcoming actions.

Staff member summarized the process the council will take, saying the council must first declare the seat vacant and then adopt an emergency ordinance to set the election date, time and location. "It's a two step process... basically saying that the Ward 5 seat is vacant, and then they'll need to set the date, time, and location by adopting an emergency ordinance," the staff member said.

A committee member moved the scheduling motion and a second followed. In the motion, the member said: "I move that we adopt the filing deadline of June 25 and the election day of July 20 for the special election for the ward Ward 5 vacant seat." Members voiced approval and the motion passed.

The board and staff discussed logistics that must follow if candidates file. Staff said absentee-mail ballots will be due 10 days before the election (July 10) and that candidate packets will be kept at town hall initially, with the filing window closing at 5 p.m. on June 25. Staff also said the ethics commission must review any candidate packets and that town attorney Sussman had advised on the recommended 25-day filing window used in prior practice.

On outreach, staff said the candidate information sheet will be translated and that staff would distribute flyers by hand in Park Tanglewood and will add a QR code linking to past meeting recordings and meeting schedules. "We'll literally slide one under every door in Park Tanglewood," the staff member said.

Staff reported the county board of elections would not allow reuse of prior voter notification cards but could print new cards quickly because Ward 5 is small; staff said the county will not act until the council officially declares the vacancy. The board also discussed short-term site logistics and the possible need to extend temporary use and occupancy for the election location.

Several members disclosed scheduling conflicts for the June 25 review date; the board noted a quorum (a majority) is required to hold the meeting and to review candidate packets. The board set its next meeting for June 25 at 7 p.m. (the candidate filing deadline day), and staff said it would also schedule a preparatory meeting on July 9 if the election proceeds.

The meeting ended with the board directing staff to circulate the finalized notices and outreach materials and to coordinate with the county and the ethics commission on timing. The board adjourned until further notice.