Thread by @PoulChapman

In light of #MayorNope, a thread on the details of how #ImpeachDurkan would work.

1. Council sends a letter to @MayorJenny advising her that a removal vote will occur. Council discusses & votes on removal. It takes just 6 votes to remove a mayor.

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library.municode.com/wa/seattle/cod…

2. Council President Gonzalez becomes Mayor immediately. She can decline within 5 days, in which case Council votes to elect another of themselves as Mayor. Then, Council appoints someone new to fill the empty council seat.

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library.municode.com/wa/seattle/cod…

3. The interim Mayor holds office until the next regular city or state general election, whichever comes first, and in that election voters elect a new mayor to serve out the remainder of Durkan's term thru Dec 2021.
library.municode.com/wa/seattle/cod…

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4. Here's where it gets interesting: who wants to lose their council seat and risk being mayor for a short time? The obvious answer is: someone (like Burgess) who was done with politics, or someone who is interested in being mayor and thinks they can win a re-election.

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5. So when are "General Elections"? Each year in November. All those other elections are "Special Elections"

sos.wa.gov/elections/rese…

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6. Key question: If Council removed Durkan today, would we vote for a new mayor in November 2020?

This seems uncharted territory but 99% sure we wouldn't. Aug 7 was deadline to put candidates on the ballot & submit candidate statements. It's just too late per rules.

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7. So, if Council removed Durkan today, the new interim mayor would serve until Dec 2021. In Nov 2021 we'd vote for a mayor who would serve a regular 4-year term.

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8. Who are likely candidates? None of council has indicated they're ready to leave politics. So that leaves people who might actually want to be mayor after 2021

Turns out the terms for both at-large council members (@MLorenaGonzalez & @TeresaCMosqueda) are up next year. 🤔

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9. If either @MLorenaGonzalez or @TeresaCMosqueda became interim mayor now, they would have a year of experience to run on for a 2021 Mayoral re-election. Either is likely to have high approval ratings.

IMO, that's a worthy gamble for either to take.

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