Subject
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Introduction of three resolutions 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 recommend the Mayor and Council introduce the attached resolutions to amend the Charter.
Change in Law or Policy
If the Mayor and Council initiate the process of amending the charter by introducing these resolutions, holding a public hearing and adopting the resolutions by majority vote, in the normal course of business, and no petition is filled as described below, the charter amendment will become effective fifty (50) days after adoption.
Discussion
In order to effectuate certain changes to policy that the Mayor and Council have decided to implement, the City Charter will need to be amended. The policy changes include voter eligibility and term limits.
In order to include changes to the code, the Mayor and Council will need to amend the Charter to do the following:
• 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 necessary 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 amendment 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 potentially on October 26th and November 2nd, and no petition is filed as described above, the Charter Amendments would become effective 50 days later on January 5, 2027.
Mayor and Council History
The Mayor and Council has discussed changes to the election code and including certain Charter Amendments at its meetings of April 27, May 11, June 8, and September 14 of this year.
Next Steps
If the Mayor and Council want to go forward with these Charter Amendments, the City Clerk will notice public hearings for October 26th and November 2nd. The Charter Amendment Resolutions will be placed on the agenda for the November 16th meeting for adoption.