Herndon Town Council Votes to Move Elections from May to November

After months of deliberation, the Herndon Town Council adopted an ordinance last week that would move the town’s election date from May to November in an effort to increase voter turnout.

The ordinance will now be submitted to the 2015 Virginia General Assembly, which convenes in January and has the authority to amend the town’s charter. If adopted by the General Assembly, the change would go into effect in time for the 2016 election.

The Town Council did not adopt a second consideration to change term lengths for the town’s elected officials from two years to four years with staggered terms. The majority of council members who voted against increasing term lengths said that a majority of citizens who commented throughout the public hearing process supported maintaining two-year terms.

The Town Council held four public hearings on the proposed ordinance prior to its Dec. 9, 2014, vote. Councilmembers who voted to adopt the ordinance said they were compelled by the argument that voter turnout would likely be higher for town elections if they were held in conjunction with election for federal offices.