Here's a copy of a letter I sent the Mayor and Council about moving the elections again:
Mr. Mayor and Council members:
I hope that this finds you well. I know that some of you are new to the job and some are returning. I congratulate Mssrs. Aveni, Elston and Mrs. Bass on your recent election! I hope that you all work together to make the city a better place! Before I left the Council I was asked about my thoughts on moving the local elections again – to odd-numbered years but still in November. Since then, I've been asked by others about this topic and I'd like to share my thoughts with one and all.
When this topic came up some years ago my thought was that moving the election from May to November was a bad idea. It would make running for office much more expensive and difficult. Indeed, our own Mr. Randolph lamented that he was likely the last Independent to be elected in the City of Manassas. In the extreme, that change could put local office out of the reach of "citizen legislators" and into the hands of those whose sole interest was political office and advancement therein. May elections have obviously not precluded this outcome either but they did make the office attainable by most folks willing to knock on several hundred doors. In any event, a referendum was held and the idea prevailed, moving our elections to November. The people spoke and changes were made. The most recent change (changing the year but not the month) being considered evidently does not require a referendum and only a vote of the Council to ask the General Assembly to amend our charter.
I'm not troubled by the proposed change. Getting local elections out from under the presidential election is a great idea. It would give local elections more visibility and help keep costs down. However, what does trouble me is that sitting Council members would be voting to both move the elections and extend their own term in office. This is unseemly. Current office holders shouldn't be voting to extend their own terms. In addition, that most sacred voice – the voice of the people via the ballot box – moved the elections to their current date and time. That voice must be respected.
I would ask that you defer action on this item until next year and put a non-binding resolution concerning this matter on the ballot this fall. In this way, the people still have a voice.
Regards,
Andrew L. Harrover
President, Matrix Computer Consulting
January 14, 2015 at 4:51 pm
Andy, I don't neccessarily disagree with your POV, but I think there needs to be some clarification: Moving the month in which local elections are held can ONLY be accomplished by ballot referendum. Moving the odd/even year in which local elections are held, can ONLY be accomplished by council vote. A ballot referendum can't pick the year, and a council vote can't pick the month.
That said, November Local elections are what we have, and I agree that moving them to odd years, to coincide with electing our state and VA constitutional offices makes a heck of a lot more sense than does holding local races during a time of national focus. Voter turnout will be high, and yet the issues to consider will at least be in the same State/County/City.
January 15, 2015 at 9:56 am
And, while I am all in favor of citizen referendum, there are costs associated with these, both to the groups proposing/opposing, and the public costs associated with the official electoral process. Worthwhile when the law provides for democratic change through citizen referendum. Not so much, when the results are "non-binding" or purely symbolic.
Since this is completely within the purview of those democratically elected, best to use the existing process: Adenda item, public comment, council vote.