By Paul Sloth
Journal Times

It’s an annual rite of passage in towns, villages and cities — the
February primary and the April general election. It’s the time when
local residents pick the most local of elected officials, from school
board members to sanitary sewer commissioners.

Some state lawmakers want to get rid of the annual spring election for
nonpartisan office….

They’re proposing a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the
spring election — including school board, village board, city council
races, etc. — so that all regularly scheduled elections will be held
in November.

The proposal, introduced by Reps. Gary Sherman, Amy Sue Vruwink and
Jim Soletski, also prescribes special shortened terms for nonpartisan
officers who are elected after the effective date of the amendment to
facilitate the transition to new term expirations.

A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by two
successive legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can
become effective.