The Carlsbad City Council decided Tuesday to conduct an appointment process to fill the District 2 City Council seat left vacant when Keith Blackburn was elected mayor. Blackburn previously served as the District 2 City Council member for a term ending in 2024.
District 2 residents are invited to submit topics they would like applicants to address during their oral presentations to the City Council at a special meeting Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. Email topics to the City Clerk at clerk@carlsbadca.gov by Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. Emails will become part of the public record and provided as part of the Feb. 15 meeting materials.
Under the Carlsbad Municipal Code, the City Council had the initial option of holding a special election or using an appointment process to fill the seat. Had the City Council decided on a special election, it could not have been held until Nov. 7 at an estimated cost $275,000 to $475,000. The code also specifies that a person appointed to a City Council position may not run for that same office until one year after the appointment ends.
District 2 boundaries
The city’s Independent Redistricting Commission approved new district boundaries last February, something that must be done every 10 years following the Census. However, because Blackburn was elected by voters in the district boundaries in place in 2020, the California Election Code says those boundaries apply when considering eligibility for his successor. The new District 2 boundaries are effective starting with the 2024 election.
Eligibility
To be considered for appointment, residents must live and be registered to vote in the 2020 district 2 boundaries.
Applicants are required to submit a California Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 with their applications.
Selection process
The application period will be from Jan. 12 to Feb. 2. Applications will be available on the city’s website or at the Office of the City Clerk, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.
Submitted applications will be posted to the city’s website as they come in, once the City Clerk’s office verifies eligibility.
Council members will have no contact with applicants once applications are submitted.
City Council members will consider the applicants at a special City Council meeting Feb. 15.
Each applicant will be invited to make a four-minute oral presentation at the meeting.
A simple majority (three of the four current members) is required to make an appointment.
The new member would be sworn in at the next City Council meeting.
The appointment must be made by Feb. 24. Otherwise, the seat would be filled by a special election on Nov. 7.
More information
Municipal code on filling vacant seats
City Attorney overview of options for filling vacancies in office
