Antioch Council approves new way to choose mayor pro tem, makes it a one-year term

By Allen Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to change the way the mayor pro tem is selected, in response to the new district elections that will go into effect in November, and limit it to just a one year term. In other cities the position has the title of vice mayor and the holder acts in place of the mayor, represents the city and chairs the council meetings when the mayor is absent or unavailable.

Currently the highest vote-getter in the most recent council election has served as mayor pro tem for the following two years.

But, now, according to the language in the new ordinance, “the Mayor Pro Tempore shall serve a one-year term at the pleasure of the Council and until his or her successor qualifies for office. No Council member shall serve consecutive terms as Mayor Pro Tempore unless no other Council member eligible in accordance with section 2-1.401 is willing to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.”

In addition the new ordinance reads, “If all Council members have previously served as mayor pro tempore, or if the Council members eligible…decline, the City Council shall select the Council member who received the highest percentage of votes in his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the Council member was elected.”

So, the position will still be given to the highest vote getter for the year following the most recent election. But, during the second year the position will be decided by a vote of the city council.

The change is “to conform with the by-district election process commencing at the November 2020 general municipal election so Council members from all districts have the opportunity to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.”

Antioch’s current mayor pro tem is Joy Motts who has held the position since being elected in 2018 but, ends this year along with her council term. The next mayor pro tem will take their position most likely during the council reorganization meeting on the second Tuesday of December.


the attachments to this post:


City Council Reorganization


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