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Elected Tuesday, sworn in Monday. Rapid transitions for Curtis and Kaufusi

Posted at 5:54 PM, Nov 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-08 19:54:59-05

PROVO, Utah -- Provo Mayor John Curtis will be Congressman John Curtis by Monday in a fast transition allowed because he's filling a post made empty by Jason Chaffetz, who resigned Utah's Third Congressional District Seat at the end of June.

Curtis said he got the word from leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives, who told him to be prepared to take the oath of office on the floor of the House Monday.

"In just a few short days I'll be standing on that floor and the family will be up in the balcony and I'll be sworn in as a member of the United States Congress; that's pretty cool," Curtis said.

Other newly-elected members of Congress go through a formal orientation process after their November election and before their swearing-in, which generally takes place in January. The two-month window also allows time to hire staff and find a place to live.

The abbreviated timeline will force rapid changes in Provo as well.

Curtis will have to resign his mayoral post before his D.C. swearing-in, and Provo's city council is required to appoint a new mayor within 30 days. That's likely to be Michelle Kaufusi, who was just elected to a term that starts in January.

The city council passed a resolution indicating their intention to appoint the winner of Tuesday's election for the interim between November and January, though they have the legal right to appoint anyone who meets the basic requirements of the job.