Prospect Heights floating idea of staggered election cycles
Prospect Heights officials are floating the idea of an April 2 referendum to create staggered election cycles, but as an independent rather than city-driven initiative.
Ward 3 Alderman Scott Williamson said staggered elections would help prevent a "perfect storm" of the city council losing all continuity and institutional memory on a single Election Day.
Prospect Heights used to have staggered elections when there were twice the number of aldermen, but that wasn't retained when the size of the council was reduced through a November 2002 referendum, he said.
"I believe it to be a good idea," Williamson said of restoring staggered elections.
"I like the idea of staggered elections for the reasons you mention," Ward 2 Alderman Larry Rosenthal agreed.
Ward 4 Alderman Patrick Ludvigsen and Ward 5 Alderman Matthew Dolick also said they were convinced of the need. Ward 1 Alderman Lora Messer was absent from Monday's meeting.
Such a referendum would not affect the 4-year terms council and mayoral candidates will be seeking April 2.
Even if voters approve the proposal, it would not go into effect until the 2023 election, when roughly half the aldermanic candidates would run for 4-year terms and the other half 2-year terms.
"I'm ambivalent because it's not going to affect the coming election," Mayor Nick Helmer said. "I don't know where I'll be after that."
Rosenthal last week announced his intention to challenge Helmer for mayor next year. City Clerk Wendy Morgan-Adams and recent Chicago Executive Airport board member Betty Cloud have announced their candidacies for the Ward 3 seat.
Williamson said candidates circulating petitions for the April 2 election could also collect signatures to put the proposed referendum on the ballot, but so could any citizen not running for office.
City Attorney Kevin Kearney said the question would be simply, "Shall the city of Prospect Heights have staggered elections?" If a majority of voters say yes, it would be decided later which offices would have 4-year terms and which would have 2-year terms in the 2023 election.
After that election, every office would have 4-year terms once again. Besides the mayor and five aldermen, the positions of city clerk and city treasurer also are elected.
Kearney advised that those circulating petitions for such a referendum - especially if running for office themselves - should be clear that the proposed ballot question is not a city-initiated action.