DeBary to ask voters

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jul 5, 2008 - 4:54:51pm

When DeBary residents go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 4, they will find an extra item on their ballots: a voter referendum to change City Council terms of office from three years to four, and to schedule municipal elections in even-numbered years.

DeBary City Council members voted 5-0 at their July 2 meeting to put the referendum on the ballot.

If the referendum passes, City Council members elected this fall will serve four years, instead of three, and the next DeBary City Council election will be in 2012.

The move to change terms and election dates began with a push from Volusia County Elections Supervisor Ann McFall.

She told the City Council about a new state law that requires a randomly selected race in 1 percent to 2 percent of randomly selected precincts be audited after each election.

With Volusia County's 16 cities all having separate elections, that would mean 16 separate small-scale audits, each taking a couple of days to complete, McFall said.

If all elections are conducted at the same time, only 1 percent to 2 percent of all precincts would need an audit, working out to three or four audits.

"It's come time to say, 'Maybe change,'" McFall told City Council members.

The measure would save DeBary money, too, in these tight times, McFall pointed out, by having municipal elections combined with state and federal elections.

City Clerk Stacy Tebo told council members $22,000 was budgeted for the last DeBary elections.

Another benefit, McFall said, is more people turn out to vote in state and federal election years. She anticipates an 80-percent voter turnout in November, with no presidential incumbent running.

She said 11 cities are asking residents to switch to even-numbered years. She would like to get all 16 on board.

City Council members liked the cost savings.

City Council Member Norm Erickson said it will all be up to the voters.

"We're deciding to let the voters approve it," Erickson said.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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