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Pickens council debates switching elections from runoff to plurality; many favor referendum

City of Pickens City Council (work session) · April 28, 2026
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Summary

Council discussed Ordinance 2026-2-AN to change local elections from a nonpartisan majority runoff to nonpartisan plurality; the city attorney explained the difference and several members said the change should be decided by voters via referendum.

Council reviewed Ordinance 2026-2-AN, which would change the city’s method of electing the mayor and council from the nonpartisan majority/runoff system to a nonpartisan plurality (no runoff).

The city attorney explained the mechanics: under plurality, the candidate with the most votes wins; the current nonpartisan majority method requires a candidate to obtain a majority and triggers a runoff when no candidate reaches that threshold. The attorney noted runoffs carry an added cost to the city.

Several council members expressed that such a change is significant enough that voters should decide. ‘‘The only way I would want to pursue it is if we considered a referendum,’’ one council member said; others agreed that letting residents vote would be preferable to the council making a unilateral change. The attorney and staff said they could draft referendum language and return to the council for further discussion.

No final ordinance vote was taken on changing the election method; the council directed the attorney and staff to return with a form of referendum and process for future consideration.