Council Favors Changes to Mayor's Race

Town Council will vote next week on whether to require future mayoral candidates to receive a majority of votes to take the town's top elected office.

Council members voted in committee Tuesday to instruct the town's attorney to draft a change to the town's laws that govern elections. The full council will take up the matter at a special meeting July 17.

Councilmembers Elton Carrier, Thomasena Stokes-Marshall and Chris Nickels voted for the proposal. Mayor Billy Swails abstained.

Currently a candidate wins the mayor's seat if he or she simply captures the most votes. There is no option for a run-off, like in most county, state and federal races.

"If we were to get 10 people in this race who want to run for mayor, if one got 10 percent and the rest got 9, that would be a disaster for this town," Swails said.

Swails has announced he will not seek a second term as mayor. Though he favors the law change, he says he'll only vote if he is needed to break a tie on the vote. 

The council must rush to make the rule change. Qualification for the mayor's race opens in mid-August.