In response to the confusion caused by the 50% Plus One case, Macomb aldermen are considering whether to get rid of the February election.
City Attorney Kristen Petrie told members of the General Government Committee that she is looking into Macomb’s possible options should it decide to remove the election.
Among other things, some city council members feel that eliminating the election would take the financial burden off the county, but Fourth Ward Alderman Dave Dorsett cautioned that doing away with it is easier said than done.
“It’s not just a matter of us saying ‘We want to get rid of an election’. We’re going to have to go to a referendum if we want to do this cleanly. And a referendum comes with a cost as well,” Dorsett said.
Another possibility is to clarify the definition of the word “majority” in city code. Petrie offered this definition:
“Majority for this purpose shall be a number that is more than half the total number of ballots cast in that race.”
The city has until September 2014 to decide whether to eliminate the election.