TUSTIN : Council to Weigh Election Measures

The City Council will consider three measures regarding elections at its meeting tonight. First, it is expected to vote again on whether to move local elections from April to November. After much debate and public comment, it approved the change by a 3-2 vote last month but must re-introduce it to make a technical change.

At the suggestion of Councilman Earl J. Prescott, the council also will consider putting an advisory measure on the issue on the November, 1990, ballot.

“I just don’t think that any three council members should have the opportunity to play yo-yo with the voting dates,” said Prescott, who along with John Kelly voted against moving the elections from April.

And, at the request of Kelly, the council will consider asking voters to decide whether to increase the number of council members from five to seven and whether to elect council members by district. If Kelly’s suggestion is approved, the measure would be before voters in the November, 1990, election.

“This goes along pretty much with the idea of open government and fair, equitable representation throughout the city,” Kelly said. “When I first began running for office (in 1980), four out of five council members lived in Tustin Meadows and Peppertree.”