Palm Springs Mayoral Position Community Survey

Background Information

The City of Palm Springs is seeking community input regarding the structure and selection method for the position of Mayor. Your responses will help the City Council understand community preferences as it evaluates potential governance options.

Current Governance Structure

Palm Springs operates under a Council-Manager form of government. A professional, appointed City Manager oversees daily operations, administrative departments, and city staff.

The City Manager and staff implement policy that is adopted by a City Council which consists of five members elected by individual geographic districts within the City. The position of Mayor rotates annually among the five district Councilmembers. Under this system, every Councilmember serves as Mayor once during their four-year term. The Mayor acts as the presiding officer during Council meetings and serves as the official head of the city for ceremonial and legislative duties. The Mayor is a co-equal member and holds the same voting power as all other Councilmembers and does not hold veto or executive administrative authority.

The mayor or three City Council members may call special meetings at any time. The mayor presides over City Council meetings, serves as the city's official head, and acts as the primary public and media spokesperson. The Mayor currently earns an annual salary of $49,920. Councilmembers currently earn $41,600 annually.

The mayor is always the immediate point of contact on the city council. The Mayor receives the first call from the City Manager to discuss city business and is the first to be alerted to public safety issues.

The History

Palm Springs voters directly elected the mayor citywide, at large, from 1982–2019. Frank Bogert became the first directly elected mayor under this system in 1982, followed by six other notable directly elected mayors, including Sonny Bono and Ron Oden.

In 2019, direct election of the mayor ended. Palm Springs transitioned to district-based council elections, as part of its work to avoid the threat of a lawsuit under the California Voter Rights Act. The city council at the time decided that the mayoral position would rotate annually among the five district-elected council members.

Proposed Governance Structure

Under a proposed alternative model, the five geographic Council districts would remain unchanged. However, instead of an annual rotation among Councilmembers, the Mayor would be elected directly by voters citywide (at-large) for a multi-year term, becoming a sixth member of the City Council.

Under this proposal, the city would continue to operate under a Council-Manager structure. The directly elected Mayor would serve as presiding officer and citywide spokesperson, holding equal voting authority with district Councilmembers, without veto power or executive administrative authority over city departments. The proposal for a directly elected Mayor would not change the salary of the Mayor or Councilmembers.

1.Which best describes your primary connection to Palm Springs? (Select all that apply)

Other (please specify)

2.Are you currently a registered voter in the City of Palm Springs?

Yes

Not sure

3.If you are a Palm Springs resident, who is your current City Councilmember?

4.Based on what you know right now, which method would you prefer for selecting the Mayor of Palm Springs?

Continue with the current system (Mayor rotates annually among five district Councilmembers)

Transition to a new system (Mayor is elected directly by voters citywide as a sixth Councilmember)

No preference

Not sure / Need more information

5.If Palm Springs were to transition to a directly elected, citywide Mayor, which potential benefits, if any, do you believe would be most important? (Select up to 3)

Provides all city voters the opportunity to vote directly for the mayoral position

Allows voters to cast ballots for both a district Councilmember and a citywide Mayor

Establishes a representative accountable to the entire city electorate

Creates multi-year leadership continuity in the mayoral role

Establishes a single, identifiable official spokesperson for the city

Allows voters to evaluate candidates specifically for mayoral responsibilities

Even though all councilmembers can advocate, an at-large elected Mayor will enhance long-term regional representation and intergovernmental relationships

I do not believe there would be significant benefits to a directly elected Mayor

Other (please specify)

6.What concerns, if any, do you have about transitioning to a directly elected, citywide Mayor? (Select up to 3)

Concentrating visible influence in a single citywide position

Potential for a citywide Mayor to receive more attention than district Councilmembers

Increasing campaign costs associated with running a citywide election

Creating potential conflict between the citywide Mayor and district Councilmembers

Diverting focus from neighborhood-specific district priorities

Financial costs associated with adding an additional Council seat

Impact on political balance across geographic districts

I do not have significant concerns about a directly elected Mayor

Other (please specify)

7.How important is it to you to have the ability to vote for both a district Councilmember and a citywide Mayor?

8.What impact do you believe a directly elected citywide Mayor would have on the representation and influence of individual City Council districts?

9.How important or unimportant is it to you that the Mayor serve a term longer than the current one-year rotation?

10.If Palm Springs were to adopt a directly elected Mayor, what term length would you prefer for the position?

2 years

4 years

No preference

Not sure

11.Under the current Council-Manager system, five Councilmembers hold equal voting authority. If Palm Springs adds a directly elected Mayor, what level of legislative authority should the Mayor hold relative to other Councilmembers?

Equal authority (one vote on all matters, same as Councilmembers)

Presiding/Advisory authority only (no regular legislative vote, except to break ties)

Veto authority over Council decisions

Unsure / Need more information

Other (please specify)

12.Which qualities and responsibilities do you believe are most important for the Mayor of Palm Springs? (Select up to 4)

Representing the city as a whole on municipal issues

Facilitating collaboration among City Councilmembers

Advocating for Palm Springs at regional, state, and federal levels

Supporting goals established by the full City Council

Maintaining accessibility to residents, neighborhood groups, and businesses

Presiding efficiently over City Council meetings and public hearings

Building long-term relationships with regional leaders and agencies

Ensuring district and neighborhood priorities are balanced fairly

Other (please specify)

13.When considering how Palm Springs selects its Mayor, which single factor is most important to you?

Direct voter selection of the Mayor

Geographic representation through district Councilmembers

Multi-year continuity in mayoral leadership

Accountability of leadership to all city residents

Minimizing election costs and administrative expenses

Preserving equal distribution of council leadership through rotation

Other (please specify)

14.After reviewing these governance options, which approach do you believe is best for Palm Springs?

Transition to a directly elected citywide Mayor

Maintain the current system (1-year rotating Mayor among district Councilmembers)

Modify the current system (Rotating Mayor with 2-year terms)

No preference

Not sure

15.Is there anything else you would like the City Council to consider regarding mayoral selection and governance in Palm Springs?

17.Do you own or rent your primary residence?

Own

Rent

Other / Prefer not to say

19.What is your gender?

Male

Female

Non-binary / Third gender

Prefer not to answer

Prefer to self-describe:

20.What is your race or ethnicity? (Select all that apply)

Another race or ethnicity (please specify):

100%