Although the vote was not unanimous at Tuesday night’s virtual meeting, Hopkinsville City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance allowing nonpartisan elections, effective after the 2020 election.
The nonpartisan elections ordinance will include a primary election with a ward system with the top two candidates who get the most votes moving on to the general election.
Ward 1 Councilman Darvin Adams argued against nonpartisan elections and stated now is not a good time to address the ordinance due to the COVID-19 pandemic and when city residents cannot make public comments about the matter. He then made a motion to postpone any action on the ordinance.
Ward 9 Councilwoman Patricia Bell also voiced her opposition to nonpartisan elections and agreed now is not a good time due to the pandemic and she also believes the public should be allowed to comment.
Council members then voted on the motion to table the ordinance, which failed by a 6-5 vote.
Ward 12 Councilman Phillip Brooks also opposed nonpartisan elections and voted to table the ordinance. After that motion failed, Brooks said he wanted to make a motion to amend the ordinance to read that if one candidate receives 50% of the votes in a primary election that candidate would be the winner of the election for that particular ward seat. City Attorney Doug Willen said that would require the legislature to change the law.
Council members then passed the nonpartisan elections ordinance by a 7-4 vote with Adams, Brooks, Patricia Bell, and Kim McCarley casting the nay votes.
In other action, council unanimously approved the second reading to repeal the Beautification Commission, and the second reading authorizing Mayor Wendell Lynch to apply for a Land and Water Conservation Grant of $150,000 with a 50% match by the city for the construction of two group shelters and a playground on the Pardue Lane Park site.
The Hopkinsville Committee of the Whole will meet virtually Thursday evening at 6:00. The next regular city council meeting will be Tuesday evening, June 2, at 6:00.
