OPINION: Yes on both term limits measures

I support the proposed Wilsonville term limit reform measures because they would help clean up an unanticipated situation created by the reforms voters adopted in 2020. Imagine the following scenario: A candidate wins election to the council in November to begin a term on Jan. 1 of the next year. The incumbent councilor for that position resigns on Nov. 30. If the council appoints the winning candidate to serve out the remainder of the incumbent’s term, the winning candidate would sacrifice an entire potential four-year term of reelection to the council due to serving as an appointed councilor for one month. Further, if the winning candidate ran for mayor immediately after two full terms on the council, he would instantaneously become a lame duck due to that one month served years ago to replace a departing councilor. Under the current system, therefore, the council is incentivized not to appoint winning candidates to fill out terms of councilors who resign. I think most voters would prefer that the council appoint a candidate who has won an election to fill a vacant seat rather than let the seat sit empty or have the council appoint a lame duck.

Paul Diller

Wilsonville