Senate Committee Considers Bill to Move City Elections to Even Years
The proposal could impact local election timing and ranked choice voting.
On Jan. 30, the Minnesota Senate Elections Committee heard a bill, SF 635 (Sen. Cal Bahr, R-East Bethel), which would require all municipal elections, except those in cities of the first class, be held in even-numbered years. This change would eliminate the current option for cities to hold elections in odd-numbered years.
Sen. Bahr contended that shifting all city elections to even years would create uniformity across the state, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and boost voter turnout.
Testimony on the bill
The League of Minnesota Cities testified against the bill, emphasizing the importance of local decision-making authority. A representative from the League noted that 30 cities across the state have chosen even-year elections due, at least in part, to the increasing difficulty of engaging voters on local issues and candidates during what has become overwhelming and hyper-partisan general elections. The League also noted that the bill conflicts with rank choice voting (RCV), and that current state law would not allow for local RCV elections to be held in tandem with state general elections.
Committee discussion and next steps
The bill prompted robust committee discussion, with some bipartisan support for it despite opposition from both cities and the Minnesota School Boards Association.
The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in a future Senate omnibus elections bill. The League’s intergovernmental relations (IGR) staff will continue working with legislators on this issue.
Your next step
City leaders are encouraged to stay informed about the elections proposal and other legislative developments by subscribing to the Cities Bulletin e-newsletter and reading the latest news on the League’s website.
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