Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Election Timing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coldwater council votes to move mayor and council elections to even years; ordinance language introduced
Summary
The Coldwater City Council adopted resolution 25 1 16 to shift mayoral and council elections from odd years to even years to increase turnout and save costs; the city introduced ordinance 8 78 to align local code. State approval by the Secretary of State is required.
The Coldwater City Council on Dec. 15 adopted a resolution to move city mayor and council elections from odd years to even years and introduced a conforming ordinance.
City staff explained the change at a public hearing, saying the move requires no charter amendment and can be done by council resolution. Staff projected higher turnout in even-year cycles and said, "we'll approximately save of around $18,000 because we're paying election inspectors," (Sharra). The proposal would extend current four-year terms that end in 2027 until 2028 and similarly shift terms ending in 2029 to 2030 so elections align with even years.
Council members discussed trade-offs. Some said the change mainly reduces costs and can boost participation; others warned that synchronized elections could increase the risk of large turnover in any single cycle and could delay local ballot measures if special elections must wait for a larger cycle. Mayor Kramer and multiple council members supported the resolution. Council adopted resolution 25 1 16 by voice vote and moved to introduce ordinance 8 78 to update the municipal code; ordinance adoption is scheduled for a future meeting in January 2026.
The resolution and ordinance are subject to final filing and acceptance by the Michigan Secretary of State. The council will return with the ordinance text to amend the code language before final adoption.
