Modesto City Council members should not get an extra year; We voted for four years, not five years.

The Modesto City Council voted on Tuesday, 4 to 3, to extend their terms one more year to comply with the California Voters Participation Rights Act. Under that act, the City of Modesto is required to conduct its elections on even numbered years instead of odd numbered years. The objective of the act was to increase voter participation, which has been measurably low in recent years during Modesto's odd numbered elections. As a rule, participation by voters is much higher in even numbered years because those are the years that we elect the President, the Governor and members of Congress and U.S. Senate.

Deadline in 2018

The City of Modesto has until January 1, 2018 to submit its plan for complying to the Voters Rights Act. The vote taken by the Council on Tuesday is not final. The Council has to take another vote on the matter in December, and the measure that they approve has to go to the voters in November 2018 for their approval or rejection.

Who voted for the additional year

The following members voted to extend Council member terms one more year: Kristi Ah You, Tony Madrigal, Mani Grewal and Mayor Ted Brandvold. Under the terms of that vote, Tony Madrigal, Jenny Kenoyer and  Bill Zoslocki would have an additional year in office. Of those three members, only one, Tony Madrigal, voted to extend their term by one year. Madrigal, Zoslocki and Kenoyer were just reelected in November 2017. My hat goes off to Zoslocki and Kenoyer for putting democracy ahead of personal interests and not voting to extend their terms by one additional year.

Another plan being discussed

Another plan being discussed by Council members would shorten members' terms of office by one year. Under that plan, members who are reelected to the City Council in 2019 would lose one year of their four year terms. Members affected by that plan would be: Douglas Ridenour, Mani Grewal, Kristi Ah You and Mayor Ted Brandvold.

Side with democracy, not extended terms

As this observer sees it, one must favor democracy, not extended terms, when considering these proposed measures. When the citizens of Modesto voted in 2017, they elected their members for one four year term. Adding one more year to terms of members who were elected to four year terms gives those members one free, "unelected" year of office. This is an affront to democracy. If a choice concerning democracy needs to be made, it should be weighed in favor of democracy, not detract from it. Giving Council members one more year of office, for which they do not have to be elected, simply does not taste right.

How about a special election?

Another possibility that has not been discussed is holding a special election in 2021 when the terms of those elected in 2017 will be over. The election only would pertain to one additional year of service for Madrigal, Kenoyer and Zoslocki, or a one year term for those elected to replace them. Of course, the special election would be costly, but having members serve for one additional year for which they were not elected, would be costly to our democracy. One should always weigh in favor of democracy when considering things as important as "the Will of the People."