Council votes to place term‑limits referendum on November ballot after splitting measure into three questions

Allegheny County Council voted to place a referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot that would impose term limits on county elected officials after approving an amendment that splits the proposal into three separate questions.

The amendment (referred to in the meeting as Katina 1) was presented by a council member as a change that would separate the originally drafted single question into one asking about limits for the county executive, one for row officer positions, and one for county council; the amendment passed on a roll call vote, Aye 9, No 5, with one member absent. The ordinance as amended then passed on a roll call vote, Yes 10, No 4, with one member absent, sending the three‑question referendum to voters.

Why it matters: The ordinance would send to county voters a change to Article 3, Section 5(b) of the Allegheny County Home Rule Charter and related administrative-code sections to establish lifetime term limits (as structured by the ballot questions). Supporters told council the proposal gives voters a direct choice and would increase turnover and opportunity for new leaders; opponents said the measure was rushed and that council should use existing review processes before placing constitutional‑level changes on the ballot.

Supporters argued that term limits would open opportunities and that the voters should decide. One council member supporting the ordinance said the proposal gives voters the power to “decide whether or not these term limits should be imposed” and noted that the draft grants elected officials up to 12 additional years under the amendment. Opponents raised procedural concerns and questioned whether the council had sufficiently consulted the Government Review Commission and affected stakeholders; one speaker described the evening’s debate as “political theater” and recommended sending the bill back to committee for further study.

Details and recorded votes: Amendment Katina 1 (split into three questions) — Roll call: Aye 9, No 5, 1 member absent; motion adopted and amendment incorporated. Final vote on Ordinance 13808‑26 as amended — Roll call: Yes 10, No 4, 1 member absent; ordinance passed. The clerk announced the tallies on the record at the meeting.

What happens next: Because the ordinance directs a referendum, the specific ballot language will be prepared in coordination with the County Elections Division and the county law department; supporters said the amendment’s structure requires the questions to appear as three separate ballot questions and that the elections office cannot unilaterally recombine them. The measure will appear before voters on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, subject to any further legal or procedural steps required before printing of ballots.

The council moved on to other business after the vote; no additional amendments to the ordinance were adopted at the meeting.