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Date: July 21, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk | [email protected] Subject: City Clerk – Discuss and Provide Direction on Filling the District 4 Councilmember Unscheduled Vacant Seat. Expenditure: To Be Determined.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Clerk that City Council discuss and provide direction on filling the District 4 unscheduled vacant seat (term expiring March 7, 2028) created by the election of District 4 Councilmember Sharon Kalani to Mayor.
FUNDING
Should City Council call a Special Election, a budget appropriation would be required, as it would be an unbudgeted transaction in Fiscal Year 2026-27.
DISCUSSION
On June 2, 2026, voters elected District 4 Councilmember Sharon Kalani to the seat of Mayor.
She took office on July 14, 2026. Government Code 1099(a) states a public officer, including, but not limited to, an appointed or elected member of a governmental board, commission, committee, or other body, shall not simultaneously hold two public offices that are incompatible. Government Code 1099(b) states when two public offices are incompatible, a public officer shall be deemed to have forfeited the first office upon acceding to the second.
Under Torrance City Charter Section 403(a) any vacancies occurring in any of the elective offices provided for in this Charter shall be filled by appointment by the City Council. Torrance City Charter Section 403(b) states “In the event of the City Council, failing to fill a vacancy by appointment within 60 days after such vacancy occurs, the City Council must immediately, after the expiration of the 60 days, cause an election to be held to fill such vacancy.” The sixty (60) days begins the day after the installation to the new office, and ends on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The last City Council meeting scheduled, that would meet this deadline, is Tuesday, September 8, 2026. The City Council has the following options:
1. Appointment based upon nominations of residents from District 4 from the City Council;
2. Solicitation of applications from District 4 residents with interviews and appointment by City Council nomination and voting on those who have applied;
3. Upon expiration of the 60 days, call a Special Election. 1 City Council
July 21, 2026
If the City Council chooses to solicit applications, Council would approve the application and supplemental questionnaire. The prior practice has been to advertise by way of written notice in the Daily Breeze and City’s Social Media, post on the City’s website, make announcements at City Council meetings, and notify community organizations. Previously the City Council has requested that residents in District 4 who wish to be considered for appointment complete an application form, supplemental questionnaire, and submit them to the City Clerk’s Office.
Information received by a deadline would then be provided to the City Council for the interview process.
The following dates are suggested if City Council direction is to solicit applications:
• Website posting and emailed notices to public groups; advertising on electronic billboards and City’s Social Media accounts – Wednesday, July 22
• Daily Breeze ad publication – Friday, July 24 or Saturday, July 25 • Applications and Supplemental Questionnaire will be available in person in the City Clerk’s Office, online, or via email – Wednesday, July 29
• Deadline for receipt of completed applications via in person, email or US Mail (postmarks not accepted) – Thursday, August 13 by 5 p.m.
• City Council action to appoint at a Council meeting – Tuesday, August 25 The interim appointment would be from the date of the appointment, August 25, to the installation of an elected successor after the March 7, 2028 election.
If the City Council fails to make an appointment by Tuesday, September 13, 2026, a special election must be called to fill the vacancy.
The California Government Code Section 36512 states that an election to fill a vacancy must be held not less than 114 days after the date of the order of election. If the election date falls on on a date other than a Tuesday, it would need to be scheduled the Tuesday prior. Election Code 1100 states no election shall be held on any day other than a Tuesday. Per Government Code section 36512, the special election has to take place on Tuesday, March 2, 2027. A quote from the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder / County Clerk’s Election Division was requested and the City Clerk was advised that it would take two weeks or more to receive the quote for a Special Election.
The City Clerk requests that your honorable body give direction for the use of an application process or determine alternate methods. If the application process is preferred, the meeting prior to the end of the deadline is August 25, 2026 and there is sufficient time to allow the maximum time for interested parties to submit applications and staff to prepare the item as noted above.
The appointed member will serve until the March 7, 2028 General Municipal election results are certified and adopted by City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Candidate Qualifications
2. Draft Application
3. Supplemental Questionnaire
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CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
With the completion of each nomination paper submitted, each candidate states that he/she is eligible and willing to serve in office if elected. The following information states the eligibility, term, and compensation for each position in general terms.
ELIGIBILITY FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE
Any candidate for City Council must live in, and be a registered voter in the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are filed Election Code 201 - Eligibility to be elected or appointed. Unless otherwise specifically provided, no person is eligible to be elected or appointed to an elective office unless that person is a registered voter and otherwise qualified to vote for that office at the time that nomination papers are filed or at the time of the person’s appointment. Pursuant to Torrance Municipal Code
12.7.2(c), the candidate must reside in the District they are elected to during their entire term in office.
TERM OF OFFICE
The elective officers of the City at-large are: Mayor, City Clerk, and City Treasurer. The Mayor shall hold office for a term of four (4) years. No person shall be elected as Mayor for more than two (2) consecutive full terms. City Clerk and City Treasurer do not have term limits.
The elective officers of the City Council shall be elected from the City by District and shall hold office for a term of four (4) years. No person shall be elected for City Council for more than two (2) consecutive terms. The elective officer shall reside in the District they are elected to serve for the remainder of their term of office.
COMPENSATION
MAYOR AND COUNCIL (Resolutions 2025-16, 2006-77, and 2006-78) Members of the City Council are authorized for reimbursement for expenses related to job responsibilities – educational seminars designed to improve skills and information levels, meetings with other governmental representatives on City policy, participation in professional, local, regional, state and national organizations, attending City events recognizing service to the City, and miscellaneous supplies and equipment necessary for the performance of City related duties that are not otherwise provided by the City.
Members of the legislative body are authorized to attend a conference either in or out of state and are reimbursed for conference travel expenses in an amount per the budgeted travel amount.
The Torrance Charter states Council shall be paid a minimum wage salary and in addition the council receives insurance and Public Employees Retirement benefits. For more detailed information contact the Human Resources Department of the City Manager’s office.
CITY CLERK AND CITY TREASURER (Resolutions 2025-16, 2025-59, and 2025-41) Compensation schedules for all employees of the City shall be established and altered by resolution of the City Council. (TMC SECTION 14.2.4) Both City Clerk and City Treasurer serve as department heads. (TMC SECTION 14.4.1 Department Heads Not Appointed by City Manager, Charter Sectiosn 406/7 City Clerk and 408 City Treasurer) 3 ATTACHMENT 1
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CITY OF TORRANCE
APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT TO DISTRICT 4 CITY COUNCIL
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE RESIDENTS AND REGISTERED VOTERS WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT PER ELECTIONS CODE 201. VOTER REGISTRATION WILL BE VERIFED. THE APPOINTED COUNCIL PERSON IS REQUIRED TO FILE A STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST PURSUANT TO THE POLITICAL REFORM ACT OF 1974 AND COMPLETE ETHICS AB1234 TRAINING
Name: ________ Home Phone:
Home Address: _______Years resided at address:
Have you lived at any other address in the city: Yes No If yes, give previous address: _______
Years resided at previous address:
Employer:
Employer Address: _______ Employer Phone:
Occupation: _______ How Long:
Licenses or special certificates held:
Name, location of Colleges/Universities attended Major Degree Last Year Attended
Have you ever been convicted of any crime or violation of any law or statute other than minor traffic violations?
Yes No (If yes, please attach a separate sheet of explanation.) Prior or Current Civic Experience (Include Membership in Professional, charitable or community organizations
Office Held
(if any)
Dates of
Membership
I declare under penalty of perjury that all statements in this application and the attached responses are true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Signature of Applicant Date
Applications must be received by the City Clerk’s Office on or before 5 pm August 13, 2026 Postmarks NOT accepted – Not responsible for emails received after deadline.
To: City Clerk’s Office
______________
______________
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VACANCY QUESTIONNAIRE
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED. PLEASE USE NO MORE THAN FIVE TYPED OR HANDWRITTEN PAGES FOR ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS. CANDIDATES
NEED TO CONTACT CITY COUNCIL FOR AN ORAL INTERVIEW
1. Why do you want to be appointed to the City Council? What do you feel you will bring to the position?
2. What future plans do you have for seeking elected or appointive office at any level of government?
3. Look 10 years into the future and describe what you want this city to look like and why.
4. What do you see as the role of the City Council? What do you see as the role of City Staff?
5. Give an example of how you would resolve a situation where your personal philosophy is at odds with what is best for the City.
6. What would you do if you were contacted directly by a resident or business to resolve a city related problem?
7. If you are currently contracting with or providing services to the City, are you willing to suspend those activities?
8. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing this city next year?
9. What are your three top priorities for the City?
10. What do you feel needs to be done to maintain and enhance the City’s economic health?
11. Circumstances outside the City’s control can and have impacted dramatically the City’s budget. What approach would you take as a Council Member to balance the budget or address the issues?
12. Have you reviewed the City’s budget and are you familiar with where and how the City receives its funding?
13. Have you reviewed the City’s General Plan?
14. Have you attended and/or participated in any civic meetings and if so, which ones and describe your participation.
Signature of Applicant Date _____________
Print Name
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