St. Thomas residents to vote on not voting

The St. Thomas City Council has put an issue on the April 4 ballot, which would allow the city to forego an election if the candidates who file are running unopposed.

If the issue is approved, the city would still have to hold municipal elections any time more than one candidate files for the same council seat or for mayor. If the races are uncontested, however, the city would not have to have an election. This would not extend the term length for councilman elected after running unopposed. Councilmen's terms would continue to be two years.

If approved, the ordinance would allow the city to not have to hold municipal elections for a period of six years - unless a race is contested - starting in 2018. After six years, the city would have to put the issue back on the ballot for voters to again approve.

The council decided to put this on the ballot with the hopes that its passage would save the city money. The city spends hundreds of dollars when an election is held, even if the
candidates run unopposed.

The board was able to put this on the ballot because of legislation passed in 2014. The legislation states, "The governing body in jurisdictions with 1,000 or fewer inhabitants may pass an ordinance to forego such elections when the number of candidates who have filed is equal to the number of positions to be filled."