Residents and board finance member urge charter changes to raise referendum turnout, align city elections

An online participant identified as Marilyn read a letter asking the charter commission to consider two changes: adopting a minimum percentage of registered voters required for any city referendum to pass and moving city elections to coincide with state elections to improve turnout.

Marilyn said the past two referendums passed with only "a few more than 800" and "a little over 300" votes cast in a city the speakers described as having roughly 35,000 residents, and she said those low totals are not representative for decisions involving millions of dollars.

Christopher Anderson, a member of the Board of Finance, echoed Marilyn and suggested the commission consider a baseline turnout requirement. Anderson proposed a figure such as 5% of the population, which he said would amount to "almost 17 or 1800 people" using a 35,000 baseline, and recommended tying referendums to regular November elections to increase participation.

A meeting participant noted the commission should check with the state elections office about legal constraints and timing; the clerk present said she had not received the letter Marilyn referenced in advance.

The commission did not vote on any charter changes during the hearing and closed public comment at 7:07 p.m.