Voters narrowly approve doubled term lengths for York County Council

York County voters narrowly approved a measure that will double the length of county council member terms from two to four years.

The measure was approved by just a 50.62 percent majority. As of late Tuesday night, with all 95 precincts reporting, the measure had received 51,642 “Yes” votes.

Business leaders, local leaders and most of the county council members themselves were in favor of the move.

Many felt it was the best way for new council members to get up to speed, engage in long-term projects and make decisions without having to worry about a new election every two years.

Anderson County is now the only South Carolina county in which County Council members serve two-year terms rather than four-year terms.

Anderson County voters opposed the referendum on their ballot Tuesday, with 57 percent (39,206 votes) voting against the question.

If voters approve, York County Council members would begin serving staggered four-year terms.

Half plus one of the council members who receive the highest vote in the next election would serve four-year terms. Those remaining would serve two years and then all members would serve four years after that.

Two-year terms are a holdover from the days when York County was governed by a board of directors.

This was the first time since the late 1980s that York County voters had the chance to decide the council’s term lengths. Similar proposals were on the ballot in 1984 and 1988, and a draft ballot with a referendum was found for the 1980 election.

Although the county entertained discussion of the matter six years ago, it never reached the 2010 ballot.

Opponents had been wary to give elected officials more leeway, said council member Chad Williams. He said he “gladly signed up” for the two-year term limit, and he’d be happy to live with whatever choice the voters make.

A “yes” vote would make for well-needed continuity between elected officials and incoming economic development projects, said Rob Youngblood, president of the York County Chamber of Commerce.

He said it takes at least a full year for a new council member to understand procedures, make connections and learn the ropes, not including making relationships with staff leadership and other councilmembers.

This story was originally published November 8, 2016 at 11:48 PM with the headline "Voters narrowly approve doubled term lengths for York County Council."