Lafayette's City Council could seat three new members without an election after exactly three candidates qualified for three open seats.

The council will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at the Main City Offices, Conference Room 240, 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., to vote on whether to appoint the candidates directly or let the uncontested races proceed to the Nov. 3 ballot.

City Clerk Joanne Robbins certified on Aug. 13 that the number of qualified candidates does not exceed the number of offices up for election. That certification triggers the council's authority under state law to appoint rather than hold a vote.

James Cervantes and Stella Wotherspoon qualified for two four-year terms. Mario DiPrisco qualified for one two-year term.

Cervantes and Wotherspoon are incumbents. Wotherspoon was appointed to fill a mid-term vacancy in July 2025 and is seeking to keep the seat. Separately, incumbent Susan Candell did not file nomination papers by the original Aug. 7 deadline, prompting the city to extend the filing period to Aug. 12, as we reported Aug. 11. No additional candidates came forward during the extension, according to Robbins' Aug. 13 certification.

The stakes are concrete. The incoming council will oversee the Mt. Diablo Boulevard Corridor Multimodal Mobility Plan, a 20-year initiative stretching from Acalanes Road to Pleasant Hill Road through Lafayette's commercial core, the BART station and the city's dining and shopping district. The city expects significant new housing along the corridor in coming years, according to planning documents.

No on-record statements from the three candidates about whether they prefer appointment or election were available in public filings. The specific dollar amount Lafayette would save by skipping the ballot has not been disclosed.

Residents can review the meeting agenda and find information about attending or watching the Thursday session at www.lovelafayette.org/election.