Collegedale may move to November elections

Collegedale City Commission will take its final vote to change the municipality's election date to be in line with state and county elections at its July 19 meeting, just as voting for those races gets under way.

"To be good stewards of yours as well our tax dollars we discussed at the workshop moving our elections in line with state elections," Mayor John Turner explained before the first vote, which passed unanimously.

The city has been paying approximately $8,000 to have its own election up to this point. Early voting is an added expense, requiring the city to pay the wages of workers to staff the location.

If approved, elections would begin transitioning to a November cycle. Turner and Commissioner Larry Hanson's seats will expire in March 2011. An election will have to be held at that time since terms cannot be extended and there is not enough time to get on the ballot for this November.

Whoever is elected in March would serve a three-and-a-half-year term, expiring in November, instead of the usual four years. When Commissioners Debbie Baker, Katie Lamb and Vice Mayor Tim Johnson's terms expire in March 2014, the same scenario would play out, thus putting everyone on the November cycle.

A measure to change the election date failed under the last commission. A super majority vote, 4:1 in this case, is required twice before the ordinance can take effect.

Current commissioners said they see numerous benefits to the change which they hope will yield more voters.

"Most people do come out for November elections," said City Manager Ted Rogers. "It's almost like November is the time to look at issues."

Collegedale, Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain are the only municipalities in Hamilton County to hold their elections in March.

"It distresses me that people in Collegedale don't seem interested enough to come out (and vote)," said Lamb. "If we can get more of them coming out for the national election it's worth a try."

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