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Akron's Mayor Horrigan Might Sidestep City Council In Attempt to Change Primary Election Day

Ideastream Public Media | By Tim Rudell,

Tim Rudell

Published July 31, 2018 at 8:57 PM EDT

Voters in the city of Akron might find a proposed charter amendment on this November's ballot, that, if approved, would move the city's primary election day to May.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan says he doesn’t need City Council’s approval to get an issue on the November ballot that could lead to changing Akron’s primary election day.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan (left), with Summit County Board of Elections Chairman William Rich (foreground), Tallmadge Mayor David Kline (background left), and Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters (background right) at a July 3, 2018, news conference during which Horrigan first called for moving the primary election from September to May.

Horrigan wants to move the city’s primary to May, for cost efficiency and to make getting absentee ballots ready for November easier.

But that means changing the city charter. Horrigan asked council to approve a charter amendment to be put on the ballot, but some Council members opposed the idea.

So the mayor said he’ll take a petition drive directly to the people.

“To manage that process, a separate, independent campaign would be set up to gather signatures, and organize volunteers," said Ellen Lander Nischt, the mayor's press secretary. "Again, we have heard very strong feedback from the community. The mayor has heard that feedback. He knows the people want to vote on it.”

Critics say moving the primary from September would not give new candidates enough time to challenge incumbents, such as the Mayor.