‘Welcome aboard’: Las Vegas Councilwoman Kara Kelley takes oath of office

The Las Vegas City Council was again fully staffed Wednesday after Councilwoman Kara Kelley was sworn in before participating in the first meeting of her interim appointment.

“Let me tell you how delighted we are that you will be joining the City Council,” said Mayor Shelley Berkley, who administered the oath of office. “I know that you will be a very conscientious, hardworking councilwoman that will bring good common sense and sensitivity to your constituents.”

At the special meeting in the Smith Center, the mayor added: “Welcome aboard.”

Kelley, who was on hand as the council participated in a “strategic planning session” discussing the city’s priorities for the next few years, did not speak during her introduction.

Council members listened to presentations related to health care, economic development, public safety, housing and homelessness.

Kelley, a consultant and former CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, replaces former Councilwoman Victoria Seaman, who stepped down from her position in late August to accept a job with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Kelley most recently served as the vice chair of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada.

To accept the Ward 2 appointment, Kelley had to pledge in writing that she wasn’t running for the position in 2026 when Seaman’s term expires, or interfering in the election.

The next council member could be chosen as early as the June primaries if a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote. Otherwise, the election would continue to a November runoff.

The City Council decided against calling for a special election to replace Seaman, a process Councilman Brian Knudsen said would’ve cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and delayed the replacement by months.

Instead, a three-day open application period in September resulted in 57 candidates, 17 of whom didn’t meet Ward 2 residency requirements.

The council narrowed the search to three candidates, including Kelley, Las Vegas Planning Commissioner Serena Kasama and Tom Warden, a consultant for The Howard Hughes Corp.

Kelley was selected after two votes. The position pays nearly $110,000 a year, according to the city.

She now represents about 127,000 residents in southwest Las Vegas.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.