Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Timing Wards topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission weighs moving Lansing elections to even years, outlines 2027–2029 transition plan
Summary
Commissioners debated switching municipal elections from odd to even years, considered turnout and cost trade-offs, and agreed a transition plan should align implementation of a fifth ward with the 2029 election cycle; commission asked the clerk to provide turnout and down‑ballot data.
The Lansing Charter Commission on May 27 discussed whether to move municipal elections from odd years to even years and reviewed transition language for shifting from staggered council terms to an all-at-once election cycle.
The commission did not vote to change election timing but directed the city clerk to provide turnout and down‑ballot voting data for commission review. Commissioners discussed expected cost savings, higher turnout in even years, but also greater “ballot drop-off” for down‑ballot nonpartisan races in even-year ballots.
Why it matters: Changing the year of municipal elections affects voter turnout, campaign costs, ballot order, and the commission’s plan to add a fifth ward and eliminate staggered terms. The commission must decide soon to meet statutory and administrative deadlines if it intends to submit charter language tied to a particular election cycle.
Clerk Swope and Mr. Clark (city clerk’s office) told commissioners Michigan law allows cities to move elections from odd years to even years but that the decision is permanent under current state law. The clerk advised that moving to even years generally increases turnout but can push city seats farther down long even-year ballots and increase candidate costs for competitive media markets.
Commissioner Anderson made a motion to explore moving to even‑year elections, citing cost savings and higher turnout: “More people would turn out, in an even year,” she said. Other commissioners raised opposing points: Commissioner Bauer noted that higher even‑year turnout can produce greater ballot drop‑off for down‑ballot offices, while Commissioner Washington said low off‑year turnout disproportionately limits participation and supported looking at even‑year alignment.
On council composition and transition, staff recommended synchronizing the creation of a fifth ward with the move away from staggered elections so the new ward would be implemented for the same election that elects all council seats. The memorandum and later votes outline a path where council seats up in 2027 would serve two‑year terms so that by 2029 all council seats would be on the same cycle and the fifth ward could take effect for the 2029 election.
The commission agreed to gather additional data and to revisit the decision at its next meeting. Commissioners also asked legal staff to prepare any charter drafting consequences if the commission opts to shift to even‑year elections so members can understand where related charter provisions would need updating.
Looking ahead: Commissioners requested turnout and down‑ballot voting statistics from the clerk by the following Tuesday to inform whether to pursue a charter amendment that moves Lansing elections to even years.
