IRVINE : Mayor’s First Task Is Solving Vacancy

As Mayor-elect Sally Anne Sheridan and two new councilmen prepare to be sworn in today, it remains unclear whether Sheridan’s vacant council seat will be filled immediately or whether the city will be left with a four-member council until a special election in November.

At issue is a recently completed petition drive calling for a special election to determine who will complete the two years remaining in Sheridan’s council term.

Opponents of the petition drive said Thursday they are challenging the validity of the petitions because they appear to lack the proper number of legal signatures.

The opposition is led by Mary Ann Gaido, the third-highest vote-getter in the June 5 council race, who would complete the unexpired term if she was not being challenged under the city’s Measure D.

Passed by voters in 1988, Measure D contains a provision for calling a special election to fill unexpired council seats if at least 7% of the city’s registered voters sign petitions.

On Monday, City Clerk Nancy C. Lacey certified 3,965 petition signatures calling for a November election, 103 more than the required 7%, or 3,862 signatures.

But Gaido said she and her attorney have spotted more than 103 problems with those certified signatures, which could render the petitions invalid and prevent the election, making Gaido eligible to take office immediately.

The new City Council is scheduled at its first meeting Tuesday to discuss whether Gaido should be seated. Sheridan supports seating Gaido immediately and has asked the city attorney to draft legislation for the November ballot to repeal Measure D.

City Atty. Roger Grable said the deadline to call a special election and to complete a ballot initiative that would repeal Measure D is Aug. 10. Grable said he is not sure of the procedure to contest signatures on a certified city petition.

“There are no procedures I am aware of. . . . We may have to develop them,” he said.

Suzanne Slupsky in the county registrar of voters office said about 4,600 signatures submitted on the Irvine petitions were reviewed individually.

“Once they are validated, I don’t know how you could say they are insufficient,” Slupsky said. “I really doubt that could occur.”