Highland City staff updated the council on election logistics and the process that will be used if an incumbent councilmember is elected mayor and a council vacancy results.

Why it matters: The Oct. 21 briefing covered ballot-instruction confusion tied to a state law referenced as HB 300, local ballot-drop procedures, deadlines for mailed ballots, and council procedures for filling a council vacancy by appointment.

Stephanie (city elections coordinator) told the council that some ballot instructions circulated with mailed ballots incorrectly suggested that ballots would not be counted without the last four digits of a Social Security number or driver's license. She said the county clarified that signature verification, not those digits, determines ballot validity for the current election and that the last-four-digit requirement will be implemented later as required by law. In plain language, Stephanie and council communications staff encouraged voters to sign and return ballots and recommended using a ballot drop box or vote center to ensure timely receipt: “Just sign and you'll be fine,” staff said.

On appointments, staff reviewed the city's existing resolution that sets the procedure for filling council vacancies (the packet referenced a resolution adopted previously). The process requires public notice, accepts applications, holds public interviews and then votes in open session. Staff said the city must provide at least 14 days' notice for application periods and that appointee interviews and council deliberations must occur in public; Utah's Open and Public Meetings Act and related guidance prohibit using closed executive sessions to interview or discuss candidate qualifications.

Council members discussed timing choices. By default, the vacancy would occur when an elected councilmember becomes mayor on Jan. 5; that would trigger the notice and appointment timeline in January. Council and staff noted an alternative: if the councilmember-elect resigns earlier, the vacancy could be advertised and filled in December, allowing an appointee more time to be oriented before the next year. Staff also outlined tie-breaking procedures used in prior appointments (mayor votes to break a tie; if a tie remains, state law requires a coin toss to determine which candidate advances).

Council discussion also addressed whether votes to appoint should be by public roll call or secret ballot and whether newly elected councilmembers who have not yet taken office can participate in questioning candidates. Staff said municipal attorneys agree that newly elected councilmembers may participate in questioning but may not cast votes as sitting councilmembers until they are sworn in; staff cautioned councilmembers that the city must avoid perceived rule changes made after an election.

No formal appointment was made at the meeting; councilmembers asked staff to prepare timelines and a recruitment packet for the vacancy process and said they would revisit the process in November/December depending on the election outcome.