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Our call — vote NO
The measure
Proposition 431 is on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot in Chandler. It is a proposed amendment to Article II, Section 2.03 of the Chandler City Charter, the section covering the mayor and vice-mayor. It was submitted by the City Council (Resolution No. 6001), as recommended by the City Charter Amendment Resident Advisory Committee, per the pamphlet's sample ballot.
The official title, as printed in the City of Chandler Publicity Pamphlet, is: "Amending Article II, Section 2.03 of the Chandler City Charter regarding clarification of the process for selecting the vice-mayor."
The descriptive title states: "The charter amendment clarifies the process for selecting the vice-mayor."
The change itself, from the amendment text printed in the pamphlet: Section 2.03(b) currently provides that "within thirty-one (31) days after taking office, each council shall elect from among its members a vice-mayor who shall act as mayor during the temporary absence or disability of the mayor." Proposition 431 replaces that trigger so the council elects the vice-mayor "at the first regular meeting in January of each year." Nothing else about the office changes: the vice-mayor is still chosen by the council from among its own members, and still acts as mayor during the mayor's temporary absence or disability.
What YES does
Per the pamphlet: "A 'yes' vote shall have the effect of providing that the vice-mayor be selected at the first regular meeting in January of each year."
What NO does
Per the pamphlet: "A 'no' vote shall have the effect of retaining the existing charter language."
The "within thirty-one days after taking office" formulation stays.
The math
There is no math in this measure, and we will not invent any. The pamphlet states no tax, spending, or fiscal effect for Proposition 431, and no arguments for or against it were submitted for the pamphlet. It re-times one internal council election — from a 31-day window after taking office to a fixed annual date, the first regular meeting each January.
OUR CALL
Our call: no call.
This is a purely procedural clarification with no values stake, and either outcome is consistent with our values. The vice-mayor is an internal council office — a stand-in for the mayor's absence — chosen by the council from its own members under either version. A YES trades a floating deadline for a fixed, predictable annual date every resident can know in advance. A NO keeps the current post-election timing, which has the small virtue of seating a vice-mayor as soon as a new council takes office. No voter's control over the council changes, no power moves between offices, and no money is involved. We print the effect plainly and leave the housekeeping preference to Chandler voters.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- City of Chandler Publicity Pamphlet, 2026 General Election (Maricopa County Elections) — Proposition 431: Resolution No. 6001, the Section 2.03 amendment text, official title, descriptive title, and YES/NO effect language (quoted above); the pamphlet records no arguments submitted for or against — https://elections.maricopa.gov/asset/jcr:2024694f-8f95-4b60-8e9d-43eda25fbafa/City%20of%20Chandler%20Publicity%20Pamphlet%202026%20General%20Election.pdf
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.