Prince George's County panel backs putting charter amendment to remove at-large council seats before voters

The Prince George's County Committee of the Whole voted to recommend placing CB-30-2026 on the November ballot, a proposed charter amendment that would remove two at-large council seats and reconfigure the council as nine district members.

The committee heard a staff overview explaining that the bill removes references to at-large members from Charter sections 301, 303, 307 and 307a while preserving existing term-limit language that bars more than two consecutive terms on the county council. Staff said the revision is limited to deleting at-large language and that the proposal would take effect at noon on Dec. 2030 and apply to subsequent election cycles.

Two members of the public urged the council to send the question to voters. Greg Smith testified he supported the measure because it would give residents a choice and because at-large campaigns, he said, attract large sums from outside interests. "That council member took in close to $580,000 from a relatively small subset of folks," Smith said, adding his review of a single committee of top contributions showed many large donations and an average contribution near $4,700 among that subset. Dan Smith, who identified an affiliation with Chevrolet, told the committee eliminating at-large seats would save the county money by reducing the costs associated with larger offices and countywide special elections.

Bill sponsor Council member Bridgetonoga said she had opposed at-large seats in 2016 and urged clarity in ballot placement and summary language so voters would not be confused, noting lawyers had worked to make the summary as clear as possible. "If somebody thinks that the summary language is not clear, then I think we should look at it," she said, urging that the question be placed prominently on the ballot.

The Office of Law told the committee the bill is legally sufficient and in proper legislative form. A representative of the administration said the executive branch takes no position.

Council member Harrison proposed an amendment to add a lifetime two-term bar — a provision to prevent anyone who has served two terms from running again for county council at any time. Council member Ivy moved a written amendment to add that limitation at Charter section 307a and the amendment was seconded and read into the record. Proponents described the change as a means to prevent "carouseling" of seats; opponents said such a significant change should be a separate question with public notice and comment.

On a roll-call vote, the amendment failed 8–2 (yes: Harrison and Ivy; no: chair and eight other members), with several members saying the term-limit question should be handled separately and that the public had not had sufficient opportunity to weigh in on a lifetime ban.

The committee then voted on the main recommendation to put CB-30-2026 before voters. The roll call produced 8 ayes, 0 no votes and 2 abstentions (Council members Harrison and Ivy), and the committee adopted the recommendation to place the charter amendment on the November ballot.

The committee adjourned following the vote. The measure will next proceed according to the county's charter amendment process and, if placed on the ballot, would be decided by county voters.