Council clarifies winners will be seated after the general election under town code and state statute

A council member asked when the candidates declared by the canvass will be seated and officially sworn in. The question came during discussion after the clerk read the canvass exhibits and declared the winners.

Loretta, a staff member, answered that seating follows the canvass of the general election and the town’s code. “By statute and also by town code, the seating of the candidates follows the actual canvassing of the general election,” Loretta said, and noted that while some towns set swearing-in on Jan. 1 by local code, Quartzsite seats officials immediately following its general election process.

Council members asked this to be clear because some municipal codes defer swearing-in until a fixed date. Staff said the exhibits and statutory citations included with the resolution explain the town’s timing and offered to provide further documentation if council members wanted a written reference.