With Foley heading to the O.C. Supervisors board, who will be Costa Mesa’s next mayor?

With Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley soon heading to the Orange County Board of Supervisors following a special election victory Tuesday, her city council colleagues are left to decide how to fill the remainder of her two-year term.

About 5,908 ballots remained to be counted as of Thursday, according to the county’s Registrar of Voters. Still, figures showed Foley maintaining a strong lead with 43.7% of the vote, 12,837 ballots ahead of the next top vote-getter, Republican challenger former state Sen. John Moorlach.

Election results will be certified by a March 17 deadline, although Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley is not expected to deliver the official results of Tuesday’s special election to the Board of Supervisors until March 23. That is the earliest Foley would be sworn in to office representing the board’s 2nd Supervisorial District.

In a statement Thursday, Costa Mesa city officials announced the council would discuss its options for filling the mayoral seat at its next meeting.

“Given the critical role of the mayor for the city, an item will be placed on the City Council meeting agenda on Tuesday, March 16 to discuss the process by which the City Council will appoint the new mayor,” the statement read.

Officials further confirmed the city would likely appoint an individual to the position, as opposed to calling a special election to fill the seat. That decision leans on a section of California’s Government Code, which reads “in the case of a vacancy in the office of the mayor for any reason, the council shall fill the vacancy by appointment.”

No clarification was provided by city officials on whether the council would select an appointee or call on residents to apply for the position. But legally, if the council fails to fill the seat within 60 days, it will be obligated to call an election “to be held on the next established election date to be held not less than 114 days thereafter,” according to the state code.

That doesn’t sit well with Costa Mesa resident Hengameh Abraham, who believes constituents should have more of a say in who sits in the mayor’s seat.

Abraham ran in November for an open seat representing the 6th Council District — the same election in which Foley was reelected to a second two-year term — but lost to Planning Commissioner Jeff Harlan.

She said in a March 4 interview with the Daily Pilot if the city refuses to call a special election to replace Foley, perhaps they would consider naming former Councilwoman Sandy Genis, who was the second highest vote-getter for the mayoral seat in November.

“We just want to vote. That’s all we want, to elect our own mayor,” she said. “We need to be given a second chance, or the candidate with the second-most votes should be selected.”

Reached by phone Thursday, Foley said she planned to attend the March 16 meeting and expressed confidence her fellow council members would do the right thing.

“I’m sure the council will make a great decision that benefits the constituents of Costa Mesa,” she said.

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