The Peachtree City Council on April 2 discussed, but decided to continue, the idea of changing municipal elections to even-numbered years until the first meeting in May.
The council by consensus decided to continue the discussion until next month to give city attorney Ted Meeker time to provide a list of examples so that council members can assess how the new elections structure would work and how the terms would be staggered to accomplish the move.
Councilman Mike King’s earlier this year recommended holding municipal elections in even-numbered years.
The move to change elections to even-numbered years, if eventually approved, would first require the measure to be approved by the General Assembly that concluded its 2015 session earlier this week.
A switch to having elections in even-numbered years would mean that the terms of some on the council would have to be shortened.
King in February said he surfaced the idea during his election campaign, adding that moving city elections to even-numbered years would enhance voter turnout since a higher percentage of voters go to the polls for state and national elections.
King said voter turnout on even-numbered years ran 60-80 percent while turnout in municipal elections held during odd-numbered years ran approximately 19-22 percent.
King noted that shifting city elections to even-numbered years would provide a cost-saving to the city. Meeker suggested that City Clerk Betsy Tyler could check with the Fayette County Elections Department to determine the projected cost savings.
The posts held by both King and Councilman Eric Imker are up for election later this year.
