SHELBY — A proposed filing deadline extension for Shelby candidates was denied Monday evening by Shelby City Council.
The failed legislation would’ve let Shelby voters decide in November whether or not to extend the filing deadline for the city’s candidates from 75 days to 90 days.
Councilmembers Steven McLaughlin, Charlie Roub and Eric Cutlip voted in favor of sending the proposed charter amendment to the November ballot.
Fourth Ward Councilman Nathan Martin and 2nd Ward Councilman Derrin Roberts cast the two dissenting votes.
However, according to Section 123 of the Shelby City Charter, amendments to the charter must receive a two-thirds vote of the council in order to be submitted to the city’s electors.
Board of Elections sought countywide consistency
The filing deadline extension was first proposed to Shelby City Council in May by Richland County Board of Elections Director Matt Finfgeld.
Finfgeld was joined by Jane Zimmermann, Board of Elections deputy director, and Bill Freytag, board chairman, to speak to City Council on May 20.
The trio asked councilmembers to consider changing the city’s candidate filing deadline from 75 days to 90 — which would sync Shelby with all other government entities in Richland County.
Councilmembers initially expressed mixed opinions regarding the proposal. Concerns were raised in May by Martin, Roberts and Roub, while McLaughlin voiced support for the legislation since the first meeting.
Nearly two months later, some opinions changed and others hadn’t by Monday evening.
McLaughlin said a 90-day filing deadline would help make operations more efficient for the Board of Elections.
“I just think we need to give it to our (Shelby) voters,” he said before the vote. “Instead of the five of us (City Council) deciding, let’s just get it (proposal) to the voters.”
Reason needs to be ‘significant’ to change the charter
Roub, who cast a dissenting vote during the first reading of the proposed charter amendment, said he later met with Finfgeld, Zimmermann and Freytag to get more information.
After hearing about the steps and costs associated with preparing a ballot prior to an election, Roub said he decided to vote in favor of sending the proposal to Shelby voters in November.
“I’m going to change my mind on this,” he said prior to the vote. “I think I’m going to vote for this and we’ll put it out to the voters, where it belongs, and let them make the decision.”
Martin remained unconvinced by points made by the Board of Elections, which did not have any representatives present at Monday’s meeting.
He said he couldn’t “see where the harm is” in keeping a 75-day filing deadline.
“I just think that there needs to be, when we’re talking about changing the charter, there needs to be a significant reason why we urge our voters to do so,” Martin said.
In other action Monday, City Council:
— declared July 20 as Shelby High School Class of 1974 Day in the City of Shelby.
— passed an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 5-2024 (annual appropriations.)
— repealed levy renewals for the city’s park system and health department, in order to make language changes in previously passed resolutions for both levies.
— approved two updated resolutions proposing levy renewals for the city’s park system and health department. Both levies are renewals of existing five-year, 1-mill levies and will not add new taxes to city residents, according to Brian Crum, the city’s director of finance and public record.