Duarte : Mayoral Election Survey

The City Council will survey residents before deciding whether to ask voters if they want the mayor to be directly elected rather than selected from among the council members.

Mayor John Hitt said Tuesday that if residents are interested in electing a mayor, the issue could be placed on the November, 1989, ballot to save the cost of a special election. The change must be approved by the voters, who also would decide whether the mayor should serve a two-year or four-year term.

Under the current system, a new mayor is usually chosen each year. But unlike many other cities, Duarte does not automatically rotate the post among council members. In recent years, politics has dictated the selection.

At its meeting Tuesday, the council declined to discuss a report by city officials outlining the advantages and disadvantages experienced by cities that have a directly elected mayor.