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Board asks General Assembly to move New Bern elections to an even year and explore plurality option
Summary
The board directed staff to prepare a local bill asking the General Assembly to move city elections to an even year (proposed 2030) and to consider a plurality (no‑runoff) model to reduce election costs and preserve early voting; members debated turnout, nonpartisanship and statutory thresholds.
The Board of Aldermen voted to request a local bill for the General Assembly to change the timing and method of New Bern municipal elections. The motion asked staff to prepare a resolution seeking a charter amendment to move the city’s nonpartisan elections to an even year (the board discussed 2030) and to explore a plurality voting method that could reduce the cost of runoffs.
Board members framed the change as a cost‑saving measure: the city paid roughly $90,000 for a standalone election last year and aligning municipal elections with other even‑year contests could save money and preserve early‑voting rights. Several members supported moving to a midterm even year to avoid presidential‑year politicization; others raised concerns about preserving nonpartisanship and the appropriate threshold for a plurality system.
City staff will work with the county Board of Elections and the city attorney to clarify statutory thresholds and whether the request should come as a charter amendment or local bill. The council asked for staff to return with a draft resolution and legal guidance before sending a request to the General Assembly.
Next steps: staff to draft the resolution and consult with Craven County elections officials and General Assembly counsel on procedural details and timing.
Why it matters: The change would alter election timing and possibly the method by which candidates are elected, affecting campaign timelines, turnout patterns and municipal election costs.
