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Ward 4 residents urge special election, criticize appointment plan at Astoria council meeting
Summary
Multiple Ward 4 residents told the council on Oct. 22 they prefer a special election over a council appointment and urged prioritizing Ward 4 residents in public comment; several speakers said appointment would deny voters a say for the remainder of the term.
Several Ward 4 residents used the Oct. 22 special meeting to press the Astoria City Council to hold a special election rather than appoint a replacement for the vacant seat.
Lisa Morley told the council that appointing a replacement would effectively disfranchise Ward 4 voters for the remainder of a term. "When you choose to hand select a counselor rather than letting the voters decide, you're saying the people's voice doesn't matter," she said, citing ORS 221.904 and arguing that Astoria’s charter allows an appointee to serve the remainder of a term rather than standing only until the next general election.
Resident Mimi Rose urged the council to limit its in‑chambers public comment to Ward 4 residents, emphasizing that the person who represents the ward should be responsive to neighborhood concerns: "The person that you select… needs to hold meetings so that they understand what their obligations are for a representative of our ward," she said.
Other commenters echoed the concerns: Megan Hodges, Daryl Moore and Will Rose emphasized the need to prioritize Ward 4 input, suggested a town hall to meet candidates and questioned whether two minutes per public commenter would be enough if many residents wished to speak.
Councilors and staff responded by prioritizing Ward 4 residents for in‑chambers comment and by proposing a town hall and meet‑and‑greet after the application window to give residents a chance to meet candidates and ask questions. The council did not change the previously recorded decision to use an appointment method (referenced as a motion passed earlier) but agreed to tighten application wording and finalize format and dates at upcoming meetings.
What’s next: Watch for the city to publish the application (staff proposed Oct. 24) and for announcements about the town hall; residents who want to press for a special election would need to pursue charter changes or other legal/political avenues beyond the Oct. 22 meeting.
(Reporting note: quotes and attributions are taken from the Oct. 22, 2025 meeting transcript.)
