Trending
The changes to the City of Weirton's municipal election are coming more into focus, although there are still some answers needed as to their operations, and it will, most certainly, take some work to explain everything to the voters over the next year.
It turns out this wasn't just a simple aspect of changing the date of the election, but completely shifting responsibility for the city election to our two counties.
So, how did it all come about?
Known as "Issue 11," Ordinance 2070 was passed by council in March 2019. Following the filing of objections against the full slate of charter amendments proposed that year, (Ordianance 2070 received three objections) they all went on the ballot, where Issue 11 was approved by voters 1,016 in favor and 650 against.
Issue 11 amended Weirton's elections regulations, in particular Article VIII, Section 3, to now read: "The City of Weirton election will commence every four (4) years during the General National Elections beginning November 2024; that whomever wins the election by majority vote will be named the winner pursuant to all other West Virginia Election Laws. Whoever wins the election for council and mayor in the 2019 election shall take office from July 1, 2019, through January 1, 2025, and whoever wins the election for council and mayor in 2024 shall take office on January 1, 2015, and the election shall be held every four (4) years thereafter as set forth herein."
As with all of the charter amendments proposed and approved that year, it was sponsored by Ward 4 Councilman George Ash. At the time, one of the issues used to promote the change was the idea that holding the city's election at the same time as the national/presidential election could boost voter turnout in the city.
Now, granted, I don't have a copy of Ordinance 2070 in front of my as I type this, and we are talking conversations from four years ago, but I don't recall there being any stipulation at the time of the counties taking over Weirton's election. I could be wrong, and I'm sure there are those who will correct me if I am, but that's the direction this appears to be going.
I know there have been discussions between the city and the counties on this issue in the years since, and now those efforts are fully coming together. There's an ordinance set to go before council on Monday for an adjustment to the ward boundaries, perhaps that will better define the terms of the city's new election procedures as well.
Essentially, as was described during a special council meeting Wednesday, adjustments are going to be made to most of the wards in an effort to have their boundaries match up more closely with existing county voting precincts. This is where the confusion is going to come in for many.
While the ordinance is up for consideration now, the idea is that the current members of council will continue to represent the current wards as they are set up at this moment. When it is time for the election in November 2024, though, residents will vote based on the new ward boundaries. One of the examples mentioned Wednesday is that much of Weir Avenue will be moved into Ward 4 under the new map. It currently is in Ward 1. The idea is that the current Ward 1 council representative, Tim Connell, will continue to represent those affected residents, but, in the next election, they will vote for the Ward 4 representative.
Another major move is an area currently in Ward 2 going to Ward 7. It so happens that current Ward 2 councilmember, Chris Jonczak, happens to live in one of the neighborhoods moving to Ward 7. City officials say he will continue to represent Ward 2 until the next term begins, though, if he intends to seek office again, he would be running to represent Ward 7.
Two Brooke County precincts located in Weirton's Ward 3 also have areas outside of the city limits. As a matter of record, I happen to live in one of those county precincts, but not in the city limits. So, some extra work is going to be needed to make sure non-city residents aren't voting in the city election in those areas.
Clear as mud, right?
We'll continue to report on these issues as election season rolls closer, but the big work will have to be done by city and county officials to make sure all voters understand.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter @CHowellWDT)