Appointment to Fill Vacancy in the
At-Large City Council Seat No. 3 to a
Term Ending January 3, 2023
David Carnahan, City Clerk
Feb. 8, 2022
2City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 Agenda
Council Vacancy Background
Sunnyvale Charter and
Municipal Code Requirements
Ranked Choice Voting Process
RCV - Special Circumstances
Alternatives
No Appointment - Special Election Required
Council Candidates
Council Vacancy Background
3City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Nov. 14, 2021: Councilmember Mason Fong resigns.
• Nov. 22, 2021: Direction to declare seat vacant.
• Dec. 14, 2021: Council declares seat vacant and
initiates an appointment process.
• Jan. 20, 2022: Application deadline.
• Jan. 31 and Feb. 2, 2022: Candidate Interviews.
• Feb. 8, 2022: Council considers appointment.
Council Vacancy Background
4City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Jennifer Britton
• Prashanth Channabasavaiah
• Sean Dechter
• James Gavney
• James Griffith
Council Candidates
• Nupoor Kulkarni
• Richard Lesher
• Shantha Ranganathan
• Anthony Spitaleri
5City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Charter Section 606 requires at least four affirmative votes.
• SMC Section 2.30.030 requires Ranked Choice Voting
for this Vacancy
If there are five or more candidates, the mayor shall ask each councilmember to rank the candidates from first
choice to last choice on a written ballot.
The mayor may choose to recess the meeting while the
city clerk counts the ballots.
(1) Sunnyvale Charter Section 606 - Vacancies
(2) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Sunnyvale Charter and
Municipal Code Requirements
6City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Councilmembers should indicate one candidate/rank.
• Councilmembers may abstain on any candidate(s).
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Discussion and Ranking
Ranked Choice Voting Process
7City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Councilmembers will register their rankings via a
random order roll call vote.
• The City Clerk will record the votes on-screen to
confirm accurate recording.
• After all Councilmembers have ranked the candidates,
the Mayor will call a recess for the City Clerk to count first-choice preferences.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Discussion and Ranking
Ranked Choice Voting Process
8City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022
1. If one candidate receives four or more first-choice
votes, that candidate shall be declared to be
appointed.
2. If no candidate receives four or more first-choice
votes, and one candidate has received the fewest
first-choice votes, that candidate shall be
eliminated, with his or her votes reassigned to the
voters’ second-choice candidates.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Counting First-Choice Rankings
Ranked Choice Voting Process
9City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022
3. If multiple candidates have tied for the fewest first- choice votes by receiving only one vote each, they
shall be eliminated, and their votes reassigned in
the same manner
4. If multiple candidates have tied for the fewest first- choice votes by receiving two votes each, whichever
one of them has received the fewest second-choice
votes shall be eliminated and the votes reassigned.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Counting First-Choice Rankings
Ranked Choice Voting Process
10City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022
5. If multiple candidates have tied for the fewest first- choice votes by receiving two votes each, and have
the same number of second-choice votes, the City
Clerk shall call for a tiebreaker vote between those
candidates, with the loser of the tiebreaker being
eliminated and having his or her first-choice votes
reassigned.
• Counting and vote reassignment continues until one
candidate has at least four first-choice votes.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Counting First-Choice Rankings
Ranked Choice Voting Process
11City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • A tie with two candidates receiving 3 first-choice
votes each is possible.
• There are no provisions to break a 3-3 tie between
two candidates.
• The ranking would be declared a tie with no action
taken by the Council to appoint a candidate.
• Council could conduct another round of ranked
choice voting.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Ties for First-Choice
RCV - Special Circumstances
12City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • Abstentions may lead to “ballot exhaustion” that
results in an inability to achieve four first-choice
votes.
• Council could conduct another round of ranked
choice voting.
(1) Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.30 - Appointment Process to Fill Vacancies on the City Council Abstentions Leading to Ballot Exhaustion
RCV - Special Circumstances
13City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 • If one or more rounds of ranked choice voting do not
lead to an appointment, a special election is needed.
• Council would meet and call the election by Feb. 12.
• Election would take place by Aug. 11.
• Elected candidate would assume office 30-45 days
after the election.
• Election estimated to cost $1.9 to $3.1 million.
No Appointment - Special Election Required
14City of Sunnyvale – Councilmember Appointment – February 2022 Alternatives
1. Appoint a candidate to fill the vacancy in the At-Large Council Seat No. 3.
2. Direct staff to schedule a special Council meeting, no later than February 12, 2022, for the purpose of calling a special election to fill the vacancy in the At-Large
Council Seat No. 3.
3. Other direction as provided by Council.