GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids City Commission held a special meeting Tuesday morning to consider ballot language for two proposed citizen-initiated amendments to the City Charter.
The amendments include moving all city elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, as well as eliminating the provisions that allows candidates to be elected to city office through winning a certain percentage of votes in August primary election.
At Tuesday's meeting, the city commission approved the language of the proposals, which will be sent to state officials for review ahead of the November election.
The commission said the resolutions also would authorize various actions by the city to follow state law and properly place the proposed amendments on the Nov. 3 presidential election ballot.
Proposal 1 would move city elections to even-numbered years, concurrent with state and national elections. City elections currently take place in odd-numbered years. If approved by voters, regular non-partisan elections would be held on the first Monday in April each year. The City Commission would set the dates for special elections. Proposal 1 also would temporarily suspend term limits outlined in the City Charter. Any member of the City Commission with a term set to expire in 2021 would have their term extended until the elections of 2022.
Proposal 2 would eliminate the City Charter provision that allows candidates to be elected to city office by winning a certain number of votes in an August primary election.
In future primary elections to fill a single office, the two candidates who received the highest number of votes would advance to the general election. The candidate who received the highest number of votes in the general election would be elected to office.
If the City Commission approves the ballot language, it will be sent to the Michigan attorney general and governor for approval.
The proposals align with the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Elected Representation (TFER), a citizen group created by the City Commission to examine potential changes in voting processes and elected representation.
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.