Subject
title
Public Hearing on Charter Amendments to amend the Charter to (1) reduce the minimum voting age for municipal elections, (2) require Mayor and Councilmembers to be 18 years of age to serve, and (3) to limit the number of consecutive terms an elected official may serve.
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Department
City Attorney's Office
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council conduct the scheduled public hearings. (Nov. 2nd and Nov. 9th)
Change in Law or Policy
If the Mayor and Council adopt the resolutions after the public hearings by majority vote, in the normal course of business, and no petition is filed as described below, the charter amendments will become effective fifty (50) days after adoption.
Discussion
In order to effectuate certain changes to the City’s election code, the City Charter will need to be amended. The proposed election code changes are:
• Allowing 16 and 17 year old residents to vote in City municipal elections, but not run for office; and
• Establishing term limits of four (4) consecutive terms
In order to permit those changes to the code, the Mayor and Council will need to amend the Charter to:
• reduce the minimum voting age:
• require Mayor and Council members to be 18 years old to serve; and
• limit the number of consecutive terms an elected official may serve.
The steps to process the Charter Amendments
1. The Mayor and council hold a public hearing prior to passage of the amendment.
2. The Mayor and Council adopt the attached Resolutions, in the normal course of business by a majority vote.
3. An exact copy of the Resolutions will be posted at City Hall for a period of at least 40 days following adoption.
4. The amendments will be effective upon the 50th day unless on or before the 40th day of posting, a petition by 20% of registered voters in Rockville is presented to the Council requesting the amendments be submitted by referendum to the voters.
If the Charter Amendment Resolutions are adopted on November 16th after public hearings November 2nd and November 9th, and no petition is filed as described above, the Charter Amendments would become effective 50 days later on January 5, 2027.
Impact Statements
Equity
Environment
Economy
Mayor and Council History
The Mayor and Council has discussed changes to the election code and the necessary Charter Amendments at its meetings of April 27, May 11, June 8, and September 14 of this year. The Mayor and Council introduced the ordinance and charter amendments on October 5 of this year.
Public Notification and Engagement
The public hearing was advertised in the Washington Post on October 9th and 15th and was publicized on the City’s website.
Boards and Commissions Review
Procurement
Fiscal Impact
(REMINDER: If your Staff Report includes a Fiscal Impact section, you must add Kim Francisco as an Approver in the Approval Sequence of this item)
Next Steps
After public hearings on November 2nd and November 9th, the Charter Amendment Resolutions will be placed on the agenda for adoption at the November 16th meeting. Post adoption, an exact copy of the Resolutions will be posted at City Hall for a period of at least 40 days. The amendments will be effective upon the 50th day unless on or before the 40th day of posting, a referendum petition is presented to the Council requesting the amendments be submitted by referendum to the voters. If no petition is filed, the Charter Amendments would become effective 50 days later on January 5, 2027.