The Process to Replace Pottsville’s Mayor Following His Resignation

Today is Pottsville Mayor Dave Clews’ last day on the job.

In September, he announced that he’d step down from his position due to health concerns. Officially, Clews will resign as Mayor at 7 p.m. on Monday, essentially after tonight’s City Council meeting.

After that happens, the process to replace him begins.

So, how does Pottsville go about selecting a new Mayor?

According to the Pennsylvania Third-class City code, the choice of who will be the next Mayor of Pottsville will be made internally.

City Council members have 30 days to vote on a new Mayor in Pottsville. Majority rules in this case.

If the four City Council members can’t come to a majority consensus within that 30 days, the President Judge of Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas will choose “upon either the petition of at least 10 qualified electors of the city or the petition of a majority of the remaining members of council.”

The hypothetical person would serve until Clews’ term was supposed to expire, which is in 2025.

If City Council were to choose one of its own to replace Clews as Mayor, the process to replace them would be the same.