The Pinole City Council voted 3-2 during its Feb. 3 meeting to authorize a special election on June 2 to allow residents to decide whether to establish a directly elected mayor.
In the current system, the mayoral role rotates annually among councilmembers. Voters are set to decide whether the role should instead be a citywide elected position with a two-year or four-year term. Under this format, the mayor would remain a peer to the council rather than an executive with veto power.
According to the city’s analysis of state law, the responsibilities of an elected mayor in a general law city include presiding over meetings and signing documents, with the only unique authority being the ability to nominate members to boards and committees subject to council approval.
The financial cost of putting the measure before voters is estimated to range from $37,236 to $55,854. These figures represent the baseline election costs and do not include additional expenses for staff hours or legal consultations. If the measure is approved, the mayor’s salary will be set at the same rate as other councilmembers, aligning Pinole’s leadership structure with several neighboring cities like Richmond, San Ramon, and San Leandro.