Poll: When Should the Next City Elections be Held?
Patch wants to know what our readers think about controversial issues.
The Baltimore City Council this afternoon is set to give final approval to a proposed charter amendment aligning city election's with presidential elections.
If voters approve the amendment in November, it would give the mayor and City Council members, who were elected last year, an extra year in office by extending their terms to 2016.
Supporters of the amendment, such as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, argue that by holding the election on the presidential cycle will save the city money, and boost turnout.
Critics feel it's just a ploy to extend the terms of sitting officials, and that the same results can be achieved by holding city elections at the same time as the next gubernatorial election in 2014.
Baltimore Matt
9:42 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Why not start this new election year cycle after the current term is over for either the 2018 or 2020 election? It is unfair and wrong to have the current politicians in office for longer than their elected term, given that they were not elected on the premise of having a 5 year term.
An elected office is sort of like a contract with the people. We went into this expecting a 4 year term. Historically, when you make these kinds of changes they do not affect the people currently in office. For example, when presidential term limits were introduced they did not affect the current office holder, President Franklin Roosevelt. However they did limit future office holders.
IamGayle
11:10 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
If this is something SRB is in favor of, then there's definitely an ulterior motive. I'd like to have a poll to see when we can have a vote on impeachments!!
Stephen Gewirtz
1:18 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
If the City election is held the same time as a gubernatorial election, the primary will be in September. If the election is held the same time as a federal election, the primary will be much earlier since delegates to national conventions have to be chosen. It is far better to have only a two month interval between the City primary and general elections. City elections, like elections for the 23 counties, should be held at the same time as the State elections.