Orange Municipal Code Ch. 2.02 City Council—composition, Elections and Term of Office

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 34871(c), the City Council shall be composed of six members and a separately elected Mayor.

(Ord. 06-19, 2019)

Pursuant to California Government Code Sections 34886 and 34871(c), Council Members shall be elected by-districts in six single-member districts, and the Mayor will be directly elected by the voters of the City as follows:

A. Beginning with the general municipal election in November 2020, Council Members (except the Mayor) shall be elected in the electoral districts reflected on the map contained in Exhibit "A" attached hereto, which is incorporated herein by this reference and made a part of the ordinance codified herein, and as subsequently reapportioned as provided by State law. Elections shall take place on a by-district basis as that term is defined in California Government Code Section 34871, meaning one member of the City Council shall be elected from each district, by the voters of that district alone, except for the Mayor, who shall be directly elected by the voters of the City.

B. The Council Member elected to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district, and any candidate for City Council must live and be a registered voter in the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued, pursuant to California Government Code Section 34882 and Elections Code Section 10227. Termination of residency in a district by a Council Member shall create an immediate vacancy for that council district unless a substitute residence within the district is established within 30 days after the termination of residency.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, each of the Council Members in office at the time this section takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the full term to which he or she was elected and until his or her successor is qualified. Vacancies in Council Member offices elected at-large may be filled from the City at-large. At the end of the term of each Council Member elected at-large, that member's successor shall be elected on a by-district basis in the districts established in subsection A of this section and the map contained in Exhibit "A," as subsequently reapportioned as provided by State law.

(Ord. 06-19, 2019)

A. Council Members shall be elected in Council Districts 1, 2, 3, and 5 beginning at the General Municipal Election in November 2020, and every four years thereafter, except as provided in subsection B of this section.

B. The City Council shall, on a one-time basis only and prior to the first day for circulating nomination papers for the General Municipal Election in November 2020, designate the candidate elected from one of Council Districts 1, 3, and 5, to serve a two-year term. At the October 22, 2019 City Council meeting District 1 was randomly selected to serve the two-year term on a one-time basis in the November 2020 General Municipal Election.

C. Council Members shall be elected in Council Districts 4, 6, and District 1, designated for a two-year term as provided in subsection B, beginning at the General Municipal Election in November 2022, and every four years thereafter.

D. Except as provided in subsection B above and elections to fill a vacancy, as stated below, each member of the City Council elected at the general municipal election, other than the Mayor, shall be elected to serve a four-year term until his or her successor is qualified.

E. A vacancy in a Council Member office elected by-district shall be filled by a person qualified to hold the office, who is a resident of the district in accordance with Government Code Section 36512(b).

F. The Mayor shall be directly elected by the voters of the City and shall serve a two-year term until his or her successor is qualified. A vacancy in the office of Mayor shall be filled pursuant to Government Code Section 34902(a), and must be a resident of the City.

(Ord. 06-19, 2019)