Palm Springs council to consider review of rotating mayor system

The Palm Springs City Council is expected to formally examine whether to keep its rotating mayor system or consider shifting to a directly elected mayor after councilmembers signaled support for agendizing the issue for further discussion.

During a regular meeting last week, Councilmember Grace Garner raised the question of the mayor’s role, noting that the city moved to district elections with a rotating mayor in 2019. Since then, councilmembers have “amicably rotated through the position each year.”

Garner said there has been more public discussion in recent months about whether the rotating system remains the best approach.

“It provides each district an opportunity to have representation. It decentralizes the role of the mayor,” Garner said, while noting that “some folks … just have a preference for a directly elected mayor.”

She emphasized that any potential change would require careful consideration of legal requirements, staffing needs, financial costs and the logistics of such a transition. Garner, who served on the city’s 2018 California Voting Rights Act Working Group, referenced the extensive community outreach conducted before Palm Springs adopted district elections.

Garner asked her colleagues whether they would support agendizing the item to allow for a formal briefing and discussion about how to move forward. “I’m asking for a briefing with an opportunity to decide how we would want to move forward with that engagement,” she said.

Councilmember Ron deHarte, who previously served as mayor and broached the subject last year during his tenure, voiced support for revisiting the issue. Other councilmembers also expressed support for placing the matter on a future agenda to outline next steps, including potential public engagement.

No formal action was taken at the meeting. Staff is expected to review the issues raised before returning to the council with additional information.

Any change to the mayoral structure would likely require further legal analysis and could ultimately require voter approval.

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