By Charlotte Golla |

Chandler, Arizona, has a special election coming up on November 4, 2025. If you’re a resident, keep an eye on your mailbox. Ballots were mailed to voters on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

One matter on this year’s special election ballot seems rather innocuous—Proposition 410—Charter Amendment Clarification of Term Limits for Councilmembers and Mayor.

At first glance, this appears to be a simple clarification of murky language in an outdated city charter. The current city charter states: “No person shall be eligible to be elected to the office of councilmember for more than two consecutive terms, or to the office of mayor for more than two consecutive terms or to more than a consecutive combination of the same.”

Simply put, candidates can hold office for two consecutive terms and then must sit out four years before running again. This language, however, poses a major problem. The past three Chandler mayors all served 8 years (two terms) on city council and then served 8 years (two terms) as mayor. This is in violation of the charter as it is currently written.

This all came to light in May of this year. Matt Orlando, a current 2-term Chandler city councilmember who filed a statement of interest to run for mayor in 2026, was quoted as saying, “It’s all how we interpret the charter – Bottom line is this: there is some clarity that is needed to fix the charter language.”

There was some debate at the subsequent city council meetings about whether this should be fast tracked to the November 4th special election ballot or tabled for community discussion and then voted on in 2026. The council ultimately voted 6-1 in favor of clarifying the charter language to, in essence, EXTEND the term limits from 8 years in office at city level to 16 years in office at city level. As currently written, an individual could not run for mayor after two terms on city council without a legitimate legal challenge.

This all sounds pretty boring, right? I certainly thought so. The last three Chandler mayors all served 16 years—8 on council and 8 as mayor. And Chandler is one of the best run, most financially solvent cities in Arizona. So, who cares?

Then I started seeing the signs—VOTE YES ON PROP 410 – KEEP CHANDLER TERM LIMITS (emphasis added).

Wait…am I confused? Isn’t a yes vote intended to get rid of the current term limits and extend them to 16 consecutive years at city level—8 on council and 8 as mayor?

After seeing the signs, I went home and did some research. And I was right. A yes vote most certainly does NOT keep term limits as written. It extends them. So, then I made some phone calls, specifically asking if it is legal to lie on campaign signs. And guess what? IT IS LEGAL TO LIE ON CAMPAIGN SIGNS. Whoa. I just went from a whole level of not caring to being very perturbed.

Why the lies? What is going on? And who is behind the YES ON PROP 410 campaign? If we are being outright lied to on campaign signs up all over the city, these are questions we should be asking. And I am asking them.

I’m not sure who is behind it, but I do know that Councilmember Matt Orlando, who plans to run for mayor in 2026, has made it clear that he fully endorses the Yes on 410 messaging. And interestingly enough, he would be the one who would benefit the most from its passage.

Do we really want a city leader who knowingly misleads his constituents for personal gain?

I know I don’t.

Charlotte Golla is Chandler resident of 20 years, wife and mother of four children, fundraising consultant, and concerned citizen.