Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas Councilman Steve Seroka resigns from Ward 2 post

Las Vegas City Council Additions

L.E. Baskow

Newly sworn in Ward 2 Councilman Steven G. Seroka with the Las Vegas City Council participates in his first vote on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.

Updated Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | 12:03 p.m.

In response to former Ward 2 City Councilor Steve Seroka's surprise resignation last night, the Las Vegas City Council will decide how to fill the now-vacant Ward 2 seat at its regular March 20 meeting, City of Las Vegas Communications Director David Riggleman said.

First-term councilor Seroka sent a resignation letter to City Clerk LuAnn Holmes on Monday, writing that “it has been humbling to serve the residents of Ward 2 and I thank everyone who has been supportive of the mission to improve the lives of every citizen.”

The letter, which was posted to the city’s social media, gives no reason for the resignation. Riggleman said the city has "no official comment" on the matter.

The council now has two options for filling the seat: councilors can either appoint a "caregiver" to replace Seroka for the remaining two years of the term, or hold a special election, Riggleman said. The caregiver must be a resident of the Ward 2.

The council has 30 days following a councilor's resignation to determine its course of action.

In the past, the council has generally opted to hold a special election, Riggleman noted. Ward 5 Councilor Cedric Crear was appointed by special election in March 2018 following the resignation of former Councilman Ricki Barlow.

Seroka was elected to the council in June 2017 by defeating incumbent Councilman Bob Beers with 54 percent of the vote.

During his brief tenure, the retired U.S. Air Force colonel, who had never run for political office before winning the council seat, represented the southwest part of the city, including Peccole Ranch, Queensridge, the Lakes and part of Summerlin.

Seroka was the subject of a recall attempt by Victoria Seaman, a former assemblywoman, and the Laborer’s Union. They say stalled efforts to develop on the vacant former Badlands Golf Course, a project Seroka championed for and the basis of his 2017 campaign, and an open-space ordinance passed last month to limit development, are enough to merit the recall effort.

The recall effort had until March 11 to collect the necessary 1,850 signatures.

A call to Seroka on Monday and Tuesday wasn’t returned. 

“Please accept my great wishes for a better future of this great city,” Seroka wrote in the letter.