The Mount Vernon Charter Review Commission presented a recommendation May 8 to shift city council elections from a fully at-large system to a hybrid structure of four ward seats plus one at-large seat.

Dolores Lopes, a lifelong Mount Vernon resident speaking as a presenter for the commission’s government and elections subcommittee, described the hybrid approach: it would guarantee neighborhood representation through ward-elected council members while retaining at-large perspective through one citywide seat. Lopes said the proposal calls for creating a five-member districting commission to draw ward lines and ensure roughly equal population across districts.

Under the districting commission rules discussed at the forum, the city council would appoint four members and those four would select a fifth by a vote of at least three; no more than two commissioners could belong to the same political party; commission members could not be city employees or hold another city office; members would not be paid, but the council would provide a budget for necessary costs such as legal or mapping assistance. Speakers said the change is intended to increase neighborhood-level representation, boost voter engagement, and promote fairness in resource distribution.

Presenters and staff clarified that the ward proposal concerns how council members are elected and does not alter party district leaders or party organization processes; district leaders would remain separate political positions. The commission said more public outreach is planned and that the National Civic League will compile forum and survey feedback to inform the commission’s June 4 deliberations. No final action was taken at the May 8 forum.