Whittier Council Sends Election Date Change and Term Limits to November 2026 Ballot

WHITTIER, Calif. — Whittier voters are expected to decide in November whether to change the city’s election schedule and impose term limits on the mayor and City Council members.

The Whittier City Council approved Item 8C during its June 23 meeting, moving forward what will become a Whittier term limits ballot question and a separate election-date charter amendment for the November 3, 2026 ballot. The Council’s action does not itself impose term limits or change the city’s election date. Instead, it places both questions before voters.

The item was pulled from the consent calendar by Council Member Cathy Warner, who said she did not need a staff report but wanted to place her comments on the record. Mayor Pro Tem Mary Ann Pacheco also asked a question about the proposed term-limit language.

The proposal includes two major changes: moving Whittier’s general municipal elections from April of even-numbered years to the November statewide general election, and creating a 12-year limit for service as mayor or City Council member.

Pacheco asked about the effective date of the ordinance and how the proposed lifetime term limit would apply to someone who had served in the past, taken time off, and later decided to run again.

Pacheco said she was concerned about possible future confusion if someone who previously held elective office later tried to run again and was challenged based on the 12-year limit.

City Clerk Rigo Garcia said the measure would take effect only if approved by voters and then filed and accepted by the California Secretary of State. Garcia also said the ordinance language provides that elected or appointed positions held before the November 3, 2026 election would not count toward the 12-year limit.

Pacheco then asked a future-scenario question: if someone served four years on the City Council after the measure took effect, took time off, and later returned, would that person have only eight years remaining under the 12-year cap?

Garcia answered yes, clarifying that future service after the measure takes effect would count toward the 12-year limit, whether that service is continuous or separated by time out of office.

Council Member Vicky Santana said the measure has been “a long time coming,” but emphasized that the Council was not making the final decision.

“This is not us deciding,” Santana said. “This is us giving it to the voters to decide.”

Santana said voters will decide whether they want to move Whittier City Council elections to the November even-year election cycle and whether they want term limits of up to 12 years total. She also said the ballot explanation will need to be clear because the language is dense and legalistic.

Warner said she continued to disagree with moving Whittier’s elections, even though she voted yes to place the matter before voters.

“I don’t think moving the election is necessary,” Warner said, pointing to Whittier’s most recent local election as evidence that voters participate when the public is engaged.

Warner also said she believes term limits belong in the hands of the electorate. However, she raised several concerns about how moving elections to the county-administered November cycle could affect Whittier taxpayers and voters.

Warner warned that Whittier would be giving up what she described as its “election sovereignty” by moving away from city-run elections. She praised the city’s election officer, City Clerk Rigo Garcia,  and said Whittier has a long record of running strong local elections.

For voters, Warner said the change could mean losing immediate local election results. She pointed to county election cycles where final results can take weeks, saying election returns can take up to 30 days under the county system.

For taxpayers, Warner raised the issue of cost. If Whittier consolidates its municipal elections with Los Angeles County, the city would have to pay for county election services. Warner said that would create an additional cost for the election.

She also questioned whether moving the election would guarantee higher turnout.

“If this measure does pass, of course, there is no guarantee of a greater turnout,” Warner said.

Despite her objections, Warner voted yes, saying the final determination should be made by voters.

The Council approved the item unanimously.

The action included adopting Resolution No. 2026-34, calling for a special municipal election on November 3, 2026; Resolution No. 2026-35, requesting consolidation with the Los Angeles County statewide general election; and Resolution No. 2026-36, authorizing ballot arguments, setting priorities for selecting arguments, and directing the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis.

If voters approve the election-date change, Whittier’s municipal elections would be aligned with the statewide general election in November of even-numbered years.

If voters approve the term-limit measure, candidates would be prohibited from running for mayor or City Council if the election would result in more than 12 total years of service in elective city office over the person's lifetime. However, terms elected or appointed on or before November 3, 2026 would not count toward that limit.

That distinction means the proposed measure would limit future service, not past service. Current and former officeholders with prior years in office could still potentially serve additional years, depending on how much future service they accumulate after the measure takes effect.

The issue now moves from City Hall to the voters, who will decide whether Whittier changes its election calendar and adopts term limits for its elected officials.

Whittier City Council members during the June 23, 2026 meeting. The Council voted to place proposed charter amendments on the November 2026 ballot involving city election timing and term limits.