Gilroy’s City Council elections occur in odd years. That’s a
plus, in our opinion, because local issues
– like sidewalk repair, binding arbitration,
”
best-of-the-best
”
salary schemes
– aren’t overlooked in the hubbub of higher profile
presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial and congressional
races.
1. Council members should absolutely not vote to lengthen their own terms
Gilroy’s City Council elections occur in odd years. That’s a plus, in our opinion, because local issues – like sidewalk repair, binding arbitration, “best-of-the-best” salary schemes – aren’t overlooked in the hubbub of higher profile presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial and congressional races.
Some of our elected officials have advocated changing Gilroy’s elections, arguing that the cost of holding them in off-years is not worth the benefit. To do so, advocates of changing Gilroy’s City Council elections would have to adjust term lengths, and they’ve proposed lengthening terms of some existing council members, an outrageous suggestion that ought to be dismissed out of hand.
2. Before making a hasty move, all the options should be explored
If election dates are moved, it must be done without lengthening the terms of any existing council members.
We have another idea that could make the cost-is-too-high argument moot. Gilroy should investigate following Oregon’s model and hold all-mail City Council elections. Before making hasty moves without carefully looking at all the options, the Council should direct City Clerk Shawna Freels to consult with county and state election authorities to find out if an all-mail election would be legal, and if so, how much it would cost compared to the current mixed voting scheme.
3. Oregon’s mail-in elections have proven to be highly successful
Given that the county forces some rural Gilroy-area voters to vote by mail whether they want to or not – the registrar simply doesn’t open physical polling places for some lightly populated precincts – we believe that an all-mail election would be legal. Given that all-mail elections don’t require renting polling places or hiring poll workers, perhaps a mail-in election would be significantly less expensive.
Oregon is the only state that conducts its elections exclusively by mail. In a 2005 op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury reported that mail voting is 30 percent cheaper, boosts voter turnout, improves voting security, provides a paper trail, and makes it easier for parents to show their children the process and importance of voting.
Gilroy’s off-year City Council elections are good for this community. Let’s find out if conducing them exclusively by mail can make them even better.
