City prepares to vote on potential Election Day move

On Jan. 19, the City Commission will discuss a potential referendum that could reshape the dynamics of municipal elections — and so far, not much organized support has materialized on either side of the issue.

Following up on a discussion from last summer, the commission will consider approving a referendum for the November ballot that could move city elections from the spring to the fall. The commission was split 3-2 on drafting the referendum, with Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell voicing the loudest support for the change.

Staff has developed two possible forms of the ballot question. One would create a first election in August and a runoff in November of even years if no candidate won a majority of the vote in a given race. The second would involve a single winner-takes-all November election, an option proposed in response to concerns regarding seasonal resident turnout in the summer.

If the referendum were placed on the ballot and approved by a majority of voters, its impact on the City Commission would extend beyond the new election day. To align the elections with a new schedule, the city would either extend the terms of the current commissioners, extend the terms of the next commissioners to be elected or shorten the terms of the next commissioners to be elected.

Previous efforts to move election day have proven contentious, because they were packaged with proposals to revise the charter to create a “strong mayor” position. Citizens spoke for and against the proposed move last summer, but as the city has worked on drafting the referendum, no grassroots campaigns have gotten underway.

“I don’t know of any organized opposition to it,” said former Mayor Mollie Cardamone, who has argued against moving the election. “I presume if it does go on the ballot, there will be probably be plenty of time to organize opposition.”

City Attorney Robert Fournier said there is still a complicating factor that would hold up any decision to approve a referendum: the state Legislature. Even if the majority of commissioners wants to place the question on the November ballot, they could be pre-empted by proposed legislation that would give the county supervisor of elections the power to set the date of municipal elections.

As a result, the city would likely delay final approval of the referendum question until after March 11, the end of the legislative session — potentially giving both supporters and opponents of the proposal more time to coalesce.