CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The City of Chesapeake will not be moving its elections to odd-numbered years.
The proposal was defeated in a 5-4 city council vote on Tuesday, following three hours of public comment and debate. More than 80 Chesapeake voters shared concerns with council.
Previously Chesapeake has held its elections in May, but a new state law will shift all city council and school board elections to November across the Commonwealth.
Mayor Rick West brought forth the proposal to move the local elections to November of odd-numbered years, meaning they wouldn't align with national elections.
"I just think local issues have a better chance of being heard when state legislators are being elected and the governor is being elected rather than federal legislators and the president of the united states is being elected," West said Tuesday.
State elections such as governor or the General Assembly are held on odd-numbered years.
Critics of the proposal said moving the elections to odd years will cut down on voter turnout. Before Tuesday's meeting, the Chesapeake NAACP and League of Women Voters of South Hampton Roads sent letters to council, urging them to vote "No" on this proposal.
Organizers worried the change would suppress voter turnout and they argued that more people head to the polls on even-numbered and presidential election years.