Cary, N.C. — Public hearing will focus on Cary changing election method

Cary residents are invited to share their opinions on a proposal to change Cary’s method of electing Town Council members from the non-partisan election and runoff method to the non-partisan plurality method.

The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday during the Council’s regular meeting at the Cary Town Hall Council Chambers, 316 N. Academy St.

The public hearing follows the Town Council’s adoption of a resolution to change Cary’s method of election.

Under the proposed non-partisan plurality method, a single election would be held in November, and the candidate who receives the highest number of votes for a particular seat would be declared the winner.

The Town used the method until November 2000, at which time the Council moved to the current election and runoff method.

With the current election and runoff method, Cary citizens hold regular elections for the council four weeks before the General Election. The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast wins.

A majority is defined as half, plus at least one of the votes cast. If no candidate takes a majority of the votes cast for his or her seat, the candidate winning the most votes is declared the winner unless the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes requests a runoff. Then, a runoff is held on the same day as the General Election, and the winner of the runoff wins the seat.

To change the election method, North Carolina law requires the Cary Town Council to adopt an ordinance amending the Town’s charter not earlier than the next regular meeting after the public hearing and not later than 60 days after the public hearing.

The Council is expected to discuss the matter again at its April 30,