Measure PA

Pasadena City Council Vacancies

Would require special elections to fill Council District vacancies with more than two years remaining on the unexpired term, implement residency requirements for Council District appointments, and make administrative changes, including limiting the frequency the City Council can make changes to campaign contribution limits. Measure PA requires approval of a majority of voters.

Fiscal Impact: Measure PA will have small administrative costs associated with the measure as it updates guidelines and establishes new processes.

Next Lost Angeles County Measure: Measure PB

On July 29, 2024, the City Council of the City of Pasadena approved the submission of amendments to the Charter of the City of Pasadena for voter approval at the November 5, 2024 general municipal election to amend the process for filing Council District vacancies, establish a 30-day City residency requirement for appointed office, and make various technical changes, including relating to campaign contribution limits. 

A vacancy can occur when a Council Member resigns or is otherwise no longer able to serve. The Charter currently requires the City Council to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until a successor is elected at the next general municipal election. The Charter currently also provides that if the City Council fails to fill the vacancy within 75 days, the successor must be chosen by lot. 

The Charter does not currently have a pre-appointment residency requirement for filling Council District vacancies. 

California law provides that candidates running for city or county office are subject to state default campaign contribution limits, currently $5,500 per donor, for jurisdictions that have not previously adopted campaign contribution limits for local office.  The City of Pasadena has not adopted campaign contribution limits, so the state default limit applies to candidates running for the office of Mayor or Councilmember. 

If passed, Measure PA would amend the process for filling Council District vacancies as follows:

  • If less than two years remain on the unexpired term, Measure PA requires the Council to appoint a person to the vacancy, and requires appointees to be a Pasadena resident for at least 30 days prior to the declaration of the vacancy.  If the City Council fails to make an appointment within 75 days, the vacancy will be filled by a special election.

  • If two or more years remain on the unexpired term, Measure PA would require a special election for Council District vacancies. 

Measure PA would make various technical changes, including relating to campaign contribution limits. As to campaign contributions, if the City Council adopts an ordinance that imposes campaign contribution limits different from the state default limit, Measure PA would provide that the campaign contribution limits ordinance cannot be changed for two election cycles. 

Source: Measure PA Impartial Analysis

Pasadena Election Resources