The Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) this week approved a resolution seeking to increase voter turnout by improving voter awareness, polling locations and early voting access times, starting with the next Spring Hill Municipal Election in April 2021 for
mayor and four aldermen seats.
The last City election, held April 11, 2019, saw a 5.6% voter turnout, with only 1,545 of Spring Hill’s 27,271 registered voters casting a ballot for the four ward alderman seats.
The resolution approved Monday was proposed by Alderman Matt Fitterer after hearing from residents requesting greater opportunities to vote and more election information. The resolution lists these methods for how voter awareness and turnout will be improved, starting with the next City election:
• Providing mailed notification of upcoming municipal elections in conjunction with utility billing
• Providing notification of early voting and election day voting locations and times using
portable message boards
• Expanding early voting hours and locations to potentially include additional voting precincts
and extended evening and weekend hours
• Expanding election day voting locations to ensure convenience
• Modifying precinct locations to ensure convenience and accessibility
The BOMA is made up of an elected mayor and eight elected aldermen represented by four
city wards. The four wards are each represented by two aldermen, each serving a four-year
term. The mayor also serves a four-year term. One of each of the four ward alderman seats is on the ballot in each election, as alderman elections are staggered every two years. Though aldermen are elected in each of their respective wards, voters have the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice in all four wards.
