San Marcos City Council Discuss Elections, City Council Term Limits And Terms

By, Terra Rivers, Managing Editor

On Tuesday, the San Marcos City Council discussed possible amendments to the City of San Marcos’s Charter and provided direction to staff for a future agenda item.

Council spent over forty minutes Tuesday evening discussing possible charter amendments related to city council elections, term limits and terms.

Mayor Jane Hughson posed the subject in early March of changing the city council elections to odd-numbered years, which would require a change in city council members’ term.

During the discussion, council members debated whether it would be ultimately beneficial to move city council elections off the ballot with National and State candidates, which run in the even-numbered years.

Hughson said that while voter turnout is higher during national, state and presidential elections, the local elections receive less attention and have lower voting numbers; on longer ballots, voters tend to vote straight ticket, which can often lead to nonpartisan races, such as local city council races, being missed or overlooked.  

“This is in no means any attempt regarding voter suppression,” Hughson said. “I would never want to do that and it would not do that. It is not to marginalize anyone either. It is to ensure that voters have the time to learn about each candidate and cast an informed vote.”

However, in order for council member elections to fall on odd numbered years regularly, a change in term would have to be considered.

Currently, council members serve for three-year terms and the mayor serves for two-year terms.

During the discussion, Council Member Saul Gonzales expressed interest in changing the term for the mayor from two years to three years.

However, Hughson suggested retaining a two-year term for the mayor but allowing for a single three-year term for the next mayoral candidate to serve as the transition into the odd-numbered year elections.

Hughson said in order for council members to have elections on odd-numbered years, voters would have to consider a charter amendment to set two-year or four-year terms for city council.

“For me, by default, if we did that, I would say four,” Council member Lisa Prewitt said, “Because [with two years] you spend six months every other year getting ready for a campaign and not working for the citizens.” 

Prewitt said if the council decided to take that route, she would add term limits to city council seats.

While not opposed to term limits, Council Member Mihalkanin said he would hold off on the term limit discussion as it was a separate issue.

Council Member Dr. Jocabed Marquez said she felt holding local elections during higher profile races, such as national and state, was better because voters were excited about the higher profile races enough to come out and vote.

But Council Member Mark Rockeymore said he found it difficult competing with the higher-profile races.

The council voted informally 4 to 3 to create a charter commission to review potential changes to the municipal elections.

The commission will be charged with looking at changing the mayor’s elections to odd-numbered years, changing the mayor’s term to three years permanently, suggesting transitions and potential term limits for council members.

Council will vote on an agenda item to establish the charter review commission at their next meeting; the commission will be charged with returning recommendations to council by the end of May.

Council wants to decide whether to add charter amendments to the November Ballot by the end of June.

Check out this week’s podcast from the Scoop, which includes a discussion between Mayor John Thomaides and current City Council Member Dr. Jocabed Marquez about the proposed amendments to the city charter regarding local elections.