Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Charter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Franklin council asks village attorney to clarify timing for replacement trustee election
Summary
Council directed the village attorney to prepare a written opinion explaining how to present the replacement of Trustee Seltzer's seat on the 2026 ballot (whether the appointee must run for the remaining two-year term or the next full term), and the motion passed unanimously.
The Village of Franklin Council voted during its April 22 special meeting to ask the village attorney to prepare a written opinion clarifying how a vacancy created by Trustee Seltzer’s resignation should be handled on the 2026 ballot. The directive asks for a legal analysis of whether the appointed replacement must run for the remainder of the term (a two-year remainder) or how to reflect the seat on the ballot so candidates and voters understand the lengths of the terms at issue.
The council first discussed the matter as an amendment to the agenda earlier in the meeting. Trustees noted the charter’s section that requires an election to fill seats vacated early and sought a written, timely opinion before candidate petitions are due in July. President Goldberg and multiple trustees emphasized the need to ensure ballot wording and candidate filing instructions are clear to residents and applicants.
The motion to have the village attorney prepare that opinion was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. Councilmembers asked that the opinion include recommended ballot language and instructions for candidates (for example, whether candidates must file specifically for a two-year remainder versus a four-year term). The village attorney will prepare the formal opinion for review at an upcoming council meeting prior to the November filing deadline.
