Ordinance on running for office clears council

Denise Cardinal

Tuesday, July 29, 1997 | 9:48 a.m.

Elected or appointed Las Vegas officials who want to run for another city office may first have to resign before campaigning.

An ordinance approved unanimously by the City Council Monday cannot take effect until the state Legislature changes the city charter.

The provision was sponsored by Councilman Michael McDonald, who said it is "all about representation."

Before approval, however, Councilman Arnie Adamsen failed to amend the ordinance to read "any nonfederal office" rather than just a city position.

"I just didn't think it was comprehensive," Adamsen said. "Why should it be restricted to just city offices? If we're going to do it, we should do it right."

If the ordinance were to take effect in time, current council members could not run for mayor without resigning their council seats. If Adamsen's amendment would have passed, Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in the past, could not make a rumored try for lieutenant governor or a legislative position.

Jones, however, was indifferent about the measure.

"It doesn't affect me," she said. "To really make this work we need to amend the charter. At least that's my understanding. And if the charter doesn't have the change, then it can override any ordinance."

Adamsen also denied any politicking as the reason for the council's decision.

"I try not to read anything into these things," he said. "If anybody decides to run for another office, this ordinance wouldn't prevent them from it. And I don't know if I will run for mayor. It's too far away to even talk about it. They say a year in politics is a lifetime, so two years would have to be two lifetimes."