<html><body>
<DIV>
<DIV>As most of you know there was an amendment to the Charter introduced<BR><SPAN>at a Legislative Session on Monday evening regarding the timing of any<BR>runoff election that may be required following the Ward One Special <BR>Election. In order to clarify the situation, I am breaking my habit<BR>of staying off of the town's email lists.<BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN></SPAN>It is important to note that the amendment will have no effect unless<BR>we have a runoff election, and that it affects only the date of the <BR>runoff election.<BR><SPAN><BR>The Charter requires that any elected official must receive a majority<BR>of the vote in an election (50%+ 1). A Special Election is no<BR>exception. This is usually not an issue since there are rarely more <BR></SPAN>than 2 candidates for an office. In the current election, there are<BR>only two candidates with names on the ballot because only two persons<BR>completed a ballot petition.<BR><SPAN><BR>However, there is a third candidate who, while not on the ballot, is <BR></SPAN>running a write-in campaign, and therefore there is a possibility that<BR><SPAN>no candidate will get a majority vote on December 10. If this<BR>happens, the law requires a runoff, and as the charter is currently <BR></SPAN>written there is no provision for us to hold such an election earlier<BR>than the 4th Monday in May.<BR><SPAN><BR>I asked our town attorney, Fred Sussman, to look for any legal<BR>alternatives under the Charter as it currently exists. His strong <BR></SPAN><SPAN></SPAN>opinion is that there is currently no legal method to hold a runoff on<BR>any date other than the 4th of May. We must amend the Charter to do<BR><SPAN>anything earlier.<BR><BR>Clearly we do not want to risk having the Ward One seat sit vacant for <BR>6 months. Therefore, an Amendment was introduced that will allow the<BR></SPAN>council to choose a runoff date between 21 and 30 days after the<BR><SPAN>initial election. If the council passes the amendment at next Monday <BR>night's Legislative Meeting, the new amendment will take effect in<BR>mid-January and the runoff will take place in February. Not an ideal<BR>situation, but clearly better than May.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN>I hope this clears up any questions you may have on this matter.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN>Best wishes,</SPAN></DIV><SPAN class=sg>
<DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN>Vernon Archer, Mayor </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN>Riverdale Park</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></SPAN></DIV></body></html>