Reno City Council Special Meeting

Special election vs. appointment — Councilmember Brekhus argued voters deserve a choice and appointment lets special interests gain influence. Vice Mayor Reese and others said a 7-8 month vacancy would hurt council productivity and city board service. Vote went to appointment, but Brekhus disagreed with method.

Who votes in a special election — Councilman Reese wanted citywide voting (all Reno residents); Councilman Weber wanted ward-only voting (Ward 3 residents only). No resolution reached; not relevant now since appointment was chosen.

Timing concerns — Some council members worried about optics: three council members on the ballot in November while simultaneously voting to appoint a replacement who could affect outcomes. Concern flagged but not resolved.

Special election logistics — County Registrar outlined why a special election in early 2023 would be difficult: voting machines tied up with general election, only five tabulators total, candidate filing not until January 2023, making March-April 2023 earliest possible date. Council requested more details before abandoning election option completely.

Residency requirements for candidates — Resolved: City Attorney clarified candidates need 30 days residency before the filing deadline (NRS 293.200), not 180 days.

$102,147.35 — Special election cost estimate (if option had been chosen) — Washoe County Registrar; no budget allocated.

Ward 3 appointment finalizing — Applications due by October 6. Council interviews October 26-28. Appointment must happen by November 1 (30 days after vacancy took effect October 2). Watch who gets appointed and whether the process delivers a diverse candidate pool.

Special election guidelines — Councilmember Coffin requested staff develop standardized procedures for future special elections, including NRS deadline considerations. City will bring back framework for council approval to avoid repeating this debate.

Charter review — Public comment raised interest in charter amendments for hybrid appointment-election models or ward vs. at-large representation changes. Council showed openness; expect formal charter change discussion later.