A Salt Lake City Council member at the center of a new investigation into misconduct has been removed from her seat.
Councilwoman Eva Lopez Chavez’s seat was vacated after a short investigation from the Salt Lake City Attorney’s Office, which found that she “failed to maintain a primary place of residence” within her district.
Any elected municipal office is “automatically vacant if the elected official establishes a primary place of residence outside the district he or she represents,” the city recorder’s office noted.
Members of the Salt Lake City Council were notified of the situation on Monday, said Salt Lake City Council Chair Alejandro Puy.
The City Council has until June 11 to pick her replacement, per state statute, said Jennifer Bruno, the City Council’s director.
Lopez has represented District 4, which includes downtown Salt Lake City and Central City, since she was sworn in two years ago.
However, the Salt Lake City Attorney’s Office began an investigation after a constituent emailed the city with concerns about Lopez’s address on April 28. County records show that she purchased a home in the East Liberty Park neighborhood in September.
Her listed address falls in a section of the City Council’s District 5, raising questions about whether she violated a code that vacates an elected seat if a member moves out of the district.
The email came after the City Council said it would investigate claims of misconduct made against Lopez. KSL spoke with five women who said they were harassed, assaulted, or made uncomfortable by comments or actions of Lopez.
She has denied any wrongdoing, but both concerns prompted a formal investigation that was launched last week. The City Council voted to temporarily suspend Lopez from multiple duties at that time, including her role as the vice chair of the Salt Lake City Community Reinvestment Agency.
Lopez’s portrait was removed from City Hall ahead of the City Council’s meetings on Tuesday. Her name was also removed from the Salt Lake City Council website.
This story may be updated.