Madeira Beach voters will decide this fall whether to move the city’s local elections from March to November, after the City Commission unanimously advanced the proposal July 8.
The commission gave initial approval to a charter amendment that would align city elections with the state’s general elections. City Clerk Clara VanBlargan said the change is meant to save taxpayer money and draw more residents to the polls.
“This amendment will go on the November ballot for the residents of Madeira Beach to choose whether or not they would like the elections to be held in November,” VanBlargan said.
If voters approve the change, the window for candidates to sign up would move from December to the first two weeks of June to meet county deadlines.
To make the switch work, some officials’ terms would be temporarily extended. Terms for the District 3 and District 4 commissioners would run to November 2027, and the mayor and the District 1 and District 2 commissioners would serve until November 2028.
Officials stressed that the one-time extensions would not count against the city’s three-term limit.
With Commissioner David Tagliarini absent, the plan passed 4-0. It faces a final vote in August before going on the November ballot.