Where the Eight City Council Candidates Stand on Ballot Initiatives

Ahead of the Nov. 7 City Council election, ELi is helping voters get to know candidates better.

ELi has already run candidate responses to questions about their stances on moving elections to even-numbered years, their plans to retain city staff and their vision for development in the city.

We also asked each of the eight candidates if they plan to vote “yes” or “no” on the three ballot initiatives that voters will decide on at the election. While these matters will be decided at the ballot box and not by the next Council, candidate responses may give voters insight into candidates’ political views. The candidate responses can be viewed below.

In other pre-Nov. 7 coverage, ELi provided profiles of each candidate along with coverage of the Oct. 1 League of Women Voters of Lansing Area candidates forum . The eight candidates are: Erik Altmann, Dan Bollman, Noel Garcia, Rebecca Kasen, Mark Meadows, Joshua Ramirez-Roberts, Kerry Ebersole Singh and Christopher Wardell.

Proposal to increase the number of people on Council from five to seven

“Currently, the City of East Lansing Charter establishes that the City Council be composed of five (5) members. “The City Council is proposing that Charter Chapters 3 and 4 be amended to change the composition of the City Council to seven (7) members, of which the additional members shall be elected at the next regular City election as established by Charter. “Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?”

This proposal reached the ballot through a 4-1 vote by Council in favor of advancing it. If it is approved, expansion would occur during the 2025 election. Right now, Councilmember George Brookover and Dana Watson’s seats are up for grabs that year. If voters turn out in favor of the proposal, four seats would be filled in 2025.

Proposal to change the swearing-in date

Currently, the City of East Lansing Charter establishes that City Council member terms of office begin the Tuesday following that City election. The City Council is proposing that Charter Section 3.3 be amended to change the commencement date of City Council member terms of office to the first Tuesday following January 1 of the following calendar year, and shall be effective beginning at the next regular City election. Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?

This proposal also reaches the ballot via a 4-1 vote in favor of it by Council. If approved by voters, the swearing-in date of newly elected Council members would be moved from mid-November to the first Tuesday after Jan. 1. This would effectively create a lame duck period for outgoing council members.

Notably, the reason Council advanced the proposal isn’t because it would create a lame duck period, but because there are concerns that the current swearing-in date does not provide enough time for canvassing following the election.

Proposal to support ranked-choice voting and special elections to fill Council vacancies

RANKED CHOICE VOTING: IN THE EVENT THE MICHIGAN BUREAU OF ELECTIONS CERTIFIES THE PROCESS FOR THE USE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING BEGINNING IN THE ELECTION OF 2023, OR SUCH SUBSEQUENT ODD YEAR ELECTION ONCE THE CONDITIONS OF A CERTIFIED PROCESS ARE SATISFIED, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE ELECTED IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION.

It appears that this ballot initiative aims to make two changes: Shifting city elections to ranked-choice voting and creating a special election if a seat on Council becomes vacant. Currently, Council appoints members to vacant seats.

Notably, ELi previously reported that CIty Attorney Anthony Chubb said both of these changes are not currently allowed under state law. So, it could be awhile before they take effect in East Lansing, even if voters do come out in favor of the changes.