The Case Against the
Popular Election of the Mayor
The following is the case, as prepared by Council, against the popular election of the mayor of Palerang.
- The role of the Mayor is quite specific and popular election attaches more importance to the role than exists.
- Until such time that all elections are publicly funded, popular election benefits financially resourced candidates.
- Popularly elected Mayors are entrenched for four years, precluding rotation and skills development.
- The elected council should elect their leader and not have one imposed on them and with whom they may not be able to work constructively or cooperatively.
- Councillors should have the option of assessing the Mayor on an annual basis and be able to change that person if she/he does not perform to expectation, or if conflict develops.
- A popularly elected Mayor and his/her planning and policy directions, views and actions may not have the support of the majority of councillors.
- There is no way to remove an unsatisfactory mayor before the next general election.
Documents prepared in conjunction with referenda on the method of electing the mayor of an LGA have not been as easy to locate as those on the subject of wards. In fact, the only case I have been able to find to date is that presented by Mosman Council and reproduced below.
Case presented by Mosman Council
- The elected Council (Councillors) should determine the leader of their Council and not have a leader imposed upon them with whom they could be at variance or unable to work co-operatively or constructively
- Other Councillors should have an opportunity to lead the Council
- The positions of Prime Minister and Premier are not elected by popular vote
- Councillors should retain the option of assessing the performance of their leader on an annual basis and be able to change that person if conflict develops or if the leader does not perform to expectation
- A popularly elected Mayor and their planning and policy directions, views and actions may not have the support of a majority of the other Councillors
- The voters would not be able to change an unsatisfactory Mayor before the next election
- There would be nothing binding the Mayor to carry out the promises made as a Mayoral candidate in the lead up to the election
- The longer term commitment creates the potential for greater cost of a by-election which must be held across the whole area if an extraordinary vacancy occurs in the office of a popularly elected Mayor