COLLEGE STATION, TX — The City of College Station will be asking residents to vote on three new amendments to the city charter this upcoming Nov 2.
During their meeting on July 8, the council approved the first amendment, which will ask voters if they want to move council elections to odd-numbered years.
This amendment passed 4-3, where Councilman John Crompton, gave six bullet points - with one of them being that voter turnout in odd and even-numbered years are the same.
Councilman Crompton was seconded by Councilman Bob Brick, who stated, "I don't quite feel that it's inappropriate, or from some perspectives that I've heard... almost sounds as if we're trying to be evil, by giving the citizens an opportunity to vote on this issue."
This statement was met with opposition from fellow Councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha, who responded, "Even if you don't mean to put it this way, it feels tricky to say in an odd-numbered year, 'Hey guys! Do you wanna just keep the voting in odd years?' It feels exclusionary to say, we only want voters, who are in our definition, are informed voting."
Councilwoman Cunha also shared that in 2020, roughly 30,000 residents voted... while in 2019, that number was about 6,000.
Voting alongside Cunha in being against this amendment being added to the Nov. ballot was both Councilman John Nichols and Mayor Karl Mooney.
Council members Dennis Maloney and Linda Harvell would later vote alongside Crompton and Brick, to give the amendment enough votes to pass onto the ballot.
Going forward, on June 24, the council will hold a public meeting to approve their plans for a special election on Nov 2.
Also on the Nov 2. ballot, will be an amendment proposed by City Attorney Carla Robison, which would place a ban on council members from engaging in city contracts or in the sale/purchase of any city land, materials, supplies, or services.
However, this ban would only apply to council members with over one percent of total stock in said corporation involved with College Station.
The third amendment will be asking voters if council members should be required to disclose campaign contributions of over $500; this amendment would also require said council member(s), to abstain from participating and voting on any matter involving said contributor.
This amendment was passed unanimously by the council to be included in the upcoming Nov. 2 ballot.
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