Redmond Approves Anti-Nepotism Measure, Among Others

Redmond voters approved all three measures the City had on its ballot for the May election, amending rules around nepotism and term limits.

Residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of a ballot measure that would add a qualification to the Redmond City Charter, prohibiting an individual from holding elected office on the same City Council with their spouse, domestic partner, parent or child who is a current Mayor or City Councilor.

As of May 24, 84% of residents voted to approve the measure prohibiting nepotism on the Redmond City Council. According to Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch, the measure was introduced to address issues the council had experienced in the past.

Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch pointed to former Mayor George Endicott, who served as Mayor while his wife, Krisanna Clark-Endicott, served on the City Council from 2019 to 2023.

“There are a lot of people who just didn’t think it felt right or appeared right, so we decided to put it on the ballot to see what people thought,” Fitch said.

The results overwhelmingly showed that voters agreed. “It does create a dynamic that is just different. It didn’t feel comfortable for some, it didn’t feel comfortable for me,” said Fitch. “From my perspective, it was just difficult, and I think a lot of people perceived it that way.”

Oregon law states that while a public official is limited in employing or promoting a relative or member of the household to a position with the public body that they serve, members of the Oregon State Legislative Assembly have an exception.

“Having some fresh blood on the council is always beneficial. I see it as an important step of opening up the council races.” —Ed Fitch

In 2023, OPB reported that at least 15 of the state’s 90 lawmakers hired family members to work in their offices. Last year, House Majority Leader Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, introduced HB 3106, which would’ve eliminated this exemption. The bill did not move forward. According to Clifford Evelyn, Redmond city councilor, nepotism doesn’t belong anywhere, especially when it comes to politics.

“In my opinion, nepotism has always been considered unethical because it gives an unfair advantage to someone,” said Evelyn.

Evelyn said he’s been advocating for putting this change into place. “Redmond is growing. Central Oregon is growing. People are more sophisticated when it comes to voting and looking at things that impact their votes. They’ve decided that they don’t want that type of activity going on. They want something that, instead, is equal for everyone,” he said.

The two other measures voters passed during the primary include extending and shortening term limits. Measure 9-169 changes the term for mayor from two years to four years, starting in 2026, and creates term limits of a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. Measure 9-170 limits city councilors to a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms.

According to Fitch, altering the term limits allows for a more level playing field. “Having some fresh blood on the council is always beneficial. I see it as an important step of opening up the council races,” said Fitch.

These limits, however, still allow an individual to run for mayor or city councilor two years after their terms. Fitch sees merit in people stepping off their elected position, at the local level, and then having the opportunity to come back later.

“We have to lay the groundwork for the future, and the only way to do that is to make logical decisions like that – term limits and nepotism – to get those things straightened out and then start focusing on the more serious things,” said Evelyn.