Submitted by: Nate Groenendyk
Submitting Department: City Clerk
Agenda Section: Presentation
Item Title:
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Proposed Charter Changes Regarding Filling Vacancies for Elected Officials
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
For Presentation.
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Summary Background:
From 2021 to 2023, the City of Hyattsville conducted two regularly scheduled elections and three special elections for a total of five elections in a two year span. The number of elections in this short period of time was costly to the City in terms of funds and staff time needed to conduct the elections. Additionally, the Board of Supervisors of Elections (BOSE) and Ethics Commission were significantly burdened by the string of elections.
Upon the completion of the 2023 Hyattsville election, the BOSE began research and discussions around potential changes to how the City fills vacancies which would reduce the frequency of special elections. The BOSE and Clerk's Office gathered information from other municipalities, consulted with the City Attorney, analyzed City election data, and met with individual Councilmembers to review the various options and assess the pros and cons of each.
As a result of this research and analysis, the BOSE recommends the following:
* Councilmembers must resign their seat on Council if they choose to run for Mayor.
* Extend the time period to 365 days for which a vacancy can be filled by the next regularly scheduled election.
The BOSE Chair will present these recommendations in detail to the Mayor and Council to receive feedback and direction on moving forward with the proposed changes.
Next Steps:
Pending approval of Council, the City Attorney will draft the charter amendment resolution. Charter Amendments require a public hearing and two readings.
Fiscal Impact:
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City Administrator Comments:
Recommend Approval
Community Engagement:
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Strategic Goals:
Goal 1 - Ensure Transparent and Accessible ...
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