Lake Forest Residents To Vote On City Council Term Limits: Measure F

LAKE FOREST, CA — Lake Forest voters will determine if residents who have served on the City Council should be able to run again in the future.

If passed, Measure F would implement a four-year waiting period before someone who has served two terms could seek election back to the Lake Forest City COuncil.

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Current law — which was voted in my residents in 2018 — limits service on the dais at two terms, with councilmembers being elected to four-year terms. There are no current wait limits in place.

The measure was placed on the ballot by the current Lake Forest City Council.

In his impartial analysis of the measure, Lake Forest City Attorney Matthew Richardson said the new four-year break between consecutive four-year terms would apply to all new or re-elected councilmembers.

Adoption of the measure would not increase the number of consecutive terms available to current councilmembers, Richardson said.

According to Richardson, a "yes" vote on Measure F will prohibit the dais from serving more than two four-year terms without a four-year break in service.

A "no" vote will not approve the measure and will prohibit the dais from serving more than two four-year terms.

Former Lake Forest Mayor and councilmember James Gardner wrote in the argument submitted in opposition to the measure that voters already answered in 2018 that there should be lifetime term limits on councilmembers, with 83 percent in favor.

The city did not submit an argument in favor of Measure F.

A simple majority vote would pass Measure F.

To learn more about Measure F, visit the county's website.