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Following the process outlined by the City Charter and Code, Columbus City Council is currently accepting applications to fill the vacant seat created by the upcoming resignation of President Pro Tempore Elizabeth Brown.
In a memo to City Council Members, Council President Shannon Hardin provided an outline of the timeline and process to fill the vacancy. Applicants must email a current resume to councilvacancy@columbus.gov by Friday, December 9, 2022, at 12:00pm, which will be filed with the City Clerk pursuant to Columbus City Code section 111.35(A). Members of Council will submit a list of finalists to the Clerk by Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 12:00pm. Only applications received after November 29 and before the December 9 deadline will be considered.
“To ensure the continuity of governing, Council must fill vacant seats based on the process outlined in the City Code,” said President Shannon Hardin. “As we prepare for historic changes at Council, moving to a nine-member hybrid district system to better represent our neighborhoods, I believe the City would be best served by an experienced civic leader who can act as a caretaker. While I am only one member of this body, I will be looking for applicants to finish the one year remainder of Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown’s term rather than applicants planning to campaign for the seat in the 2023 elections.”
A public hearing will be held the week of January 2, 2023 to hear comment from the public on the list of finalists. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony, either in-person or digitally via WebEx, should email ZGDavidson@Columbus.gov with the subject line “Speaking at Vacancy Public Hearing” by noon on the day of the hearing. Written testimony may also be emailed to ZGDavidson@columbus.gov.
During the January 9, 2023 council meeting, Council Members will nominate applicants for the vacancy and vote to appoint a new member. If a majority of Council Members vote to appoint a nominee, they will then be eligible to be sworn in under oath and take office pursuant to Section 5 of the City Charter and Section 111.35 of Columbus City Code. The appointed nominee will serve the remainder of President Pro Tempore Brown’s term, which expires in January 2024.
